OUR STORY

For a long time, we’ve recognised the challenges poolside coaches face with so many club swimmers in the pool at the same time. Many important parts of the stroke happen beneath the water and with limited visibility, it isn’t always possible to give detailed one-to-one technical feedback in the moment. Instead, coaches primarily concentrate on running the training set, improving fitness and often only giving individual feedback during breaks. 

With Sarah’s lifelong love of the sport and extensive coaching experience, combined with the strong friendship and partnership she has developed with Claire over recent years at club level, they bring a wealth of passion and expertise. 

Hydra was conceived out of idea we had in the Summer of 2025 (whilst relaxing on a beach with a cocktail in Spain in our down time!) 

We had seen a real appetite for one-to-one sessions, with swimmers wanting personalised feedback and confirmation that their swim stroke was developing well. Often there were specific elements of the stroke where the swimmer lacked technical precision. The difference we found we could make in a very short space of time was inconceivable and the confidence swimmers took from these sessions was fabulous to see.  We knew that if swimmers could see the difference between how something feels and what it looks like then it could really accelerate their learning. 

Fast forward 9 months, Hydra Swim Academy opens its doors. 

Participation in swimming is recovering in the post-pandemic era, but a significant gap remains. Swim England has warned of a worsening school swimming crisis, stating that without urgent action, up to three in five children (60%) could leave primary school unable to swim the required 25 metres by 2025–2026. Although 2025 saw a slightly higher-than-expected figure of 73%, encouragingly the long-term trend still reflects a notable decline compared to previous years. In reality pools are full, with many clubs reporting long waiting lists, while limited pool time and a shortage of high-quality local facilities continue to present major challenges.

Over the past decade, more than 500 swimming pools have closed. Investment has largely been focused on major cities - local swimmers, for example, can access the Sandwell Aquatics Centre in Birmingham (55 miles away), built for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, or the Manchester Aquatics Centre (25 miles away), developed for the 2002 Games. Yet in contrast, Congleton’s new pool, opened in 2023, offers no provision for grassroots competitive swimming.

We wanted to create an elite facility that is accessible in our area that would support ‘learn to swim’ all the way through to professional athletes ’training to win’, both in and out of the pool. 

Triathlon participation has experienced a significant rebound and surge in growth. As of 2025, there is a growing trend in shorter formats, reducing the barriers to entry into the sport. The demand for swimming improvement among triathletes is driven by the fact that it is widely considered the most technical and intimidating discipline, despite often being the shortest leg of the race.  

From our locality in Congleton we have beautiful access to Open Water lakes across the Cheshire plain, Staffordshire Moorlands and the Peak District, as well as miles and miles of open countryside supporting long cycle rides and trail running opportunities which is a triathlete's playground.   

At Hydra you’ll find: 

• Professional Swim England Accredited Coaching.
• An Endless Pool capable of 56 seconds per 100m. 
• Multiple underwater and above water swim mirrors assisting with visual awareness. 
• 4K cameras operating a high frame rates providing instant feedback. 
• Huge screens for visual analysis. 
• Top of the range bone conducting heads sets for real time underwater cues. 
• Heart rate monitors for elevated performance gains.
• Designated run station and a next generation indoor cycle ergometer for year round triathlon training and simulation.
• A dryland strength, mobility and stretching area and much much more. 

Whether you are learning to swim or training to win, elevate your technique and build your confidence! 

Schedule your session now! 

Sarah and Claire (Co-Founders)