This year the club celebrated its 125th Birthday! 

 

 We held a number of events - a great party on the beach and a fun night in the pool with the 'walk on water' balls.  Look at the gallery on the NEWS page to see some photos.  Each child recieved a special 125 T-shirt and a water bottle and there was a display of medals from the bank and old minute books.  Some of our life long members joined us and we are very grateful to all donations received from them, Fife Constabulary, Rexroth, Glenrothes and Phoenix BMW/Mini, Kirkcaldy.

 

Each year the club has a full timetable.  Swimmers are led by qualified coaches (Alex, Martin and Charmion), teachers (Yvonne, Ali), poolside assistants (parents and carers) and a pool co-ordinator, all of whom are volunteers.  Annually, the club competes in many completititons including the Fife and Novice Leagues achieving very good results. Early in the year there is a friendly gala with Cardenden Club which we won in 2011, see below.  In June the Club holds the Burntisland Civic Week Championship Sprints with all swimmers competing in backstroke and freestyle. There is an annual Club Championship in November with many categories, from one breadth of the pool to longer distances and numerous prizes for all age groups. 

 

 To view some club Championship photos click

 

Along with all of this there is a distance swim in October for which children recieve a badge and certificate and timed swims throughout the year.  On the last night of each term there is a fun night where family and friends can join in the waves and at Christmas we have a secret visitor who comes down onto the poolside and the children recieve a selection box!  Add to this once a term there is what the children affectionately know as the 'pyjama night' where the teachers cover a little bit about water safety and hypothermia along with swimming in pyjamas and some rescue techniques. 

 

Children are assessed by ability (rather than age) and move up lanes when both times and stroke techniques improve.  The first session innevitably has the younger swimmers who progress on to second session.  Having worked their way up the lanes in second session and successfully mastered all strokes and competed in a number of competitons, children move up to Top Squad.  First and second sessions have the opportunity of swimming three times a week (although not all swimmers do) and top Squad have the opportunity to train five times a week (again not all swimmers do).  The club has a number of swimmers who compete at regional level in the East District and train with the Fife performance Squad and we have one swimmer in the Bronze Squad.

 

HISTORY

The Club was founded in August 1886 when the Lorne Club, a flourishing Edinburgh swimming club of the day, chartered a steamer and sailed up from Trinity.  Their 150 members put on a demonstration of competitive swimming, diving and life-saving in the harbour at the West Breakwater.

 

This was so well received that a local club was formed and within a week B.A.S.C. held their first competition at the West Breakwater for the Captaincy of the Club.  The full title of the Club was, as it still remains today: Burntisland Amateur Swimming Club and Humane Society.  The 'Humane Society' reflecting the great interest in life-saving.

 

The club has seen many changes since that time and now enjoys the luxury of an indoor pool!  It is still a competitive club with a strong teaching element and warm welcoming social atmosphere. 

 

In 2008 and 2009 the Club made trips to Lignano in Italy for a training camp in a purpose built facility, with 50 meter and 25 meter pools, by the sea.  It was a wonderful opportunity for the youngsters to improve their swimming and enjoy sightseeing in Venice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

BASC welcomes new members from the age of 5 upwards.  Anyone wishing to join should contact us with the form on the Contact Page or just ask at the reception of the Beacon Leisure Centre.  Members of the committee can be contacted on a Tuesday evening at the Beacon Leisure Centre.  The times Club meets are:

 

 

Burntisland Leisure Centre: Tuesday 18.15    Sunday 18.00

Kirkcaldy Swimming Pool: Saturday 16.00

 

Second Session (Older Age Groups)

 

 

Top Squad

 

Burntisland Leisure Centre: Monday 19.00  Tuesday 20.00   Thursday 19.00 Sunday 18.00

Kirkcaldy Swimming Pool: Saturday  15.30