Our History So Far

2008 - 2013: The Beginnings

The beginnings of the Academy Swim Team can be traced back to 2008. A major campaign to keep the local Burnham pool open culminated in new owners taking over and re-opening it as the Burnham-On-Sea Swim & Sports Academy.

In 2013, the Academy Swim Team Burnham-On-Sea was officially started up. We competed in our first ever event in November that year in Exeter, finishing 3rd out of 15 teams and collecting 36 medals!

ASTBOS Swimmers after their first competition in November 2013

2014: Joining the Big League

By 2014, the team was racking up personal bests and qualifying 19 swimmers for the Somerset County Championships. Later that year, AST was selected to compete in the National Arena Swimming League, a league reserved for the top 400 teams in the country—a huge achievement for a team in its first year.

Competing in Newport at the National Swimming League, Oct 2014

2015: Swim Mark Accreditation

The team grew to 5 squads and hosted its own Open Meets. On our second anniversary in October 2015, we gained the Swim21 (now Swim Mark) accreditation, recognising our high standards of governance and safety.

Annual Relay Gala at Horfield, June 2015

Celebrating our 2nd Birthday

2016 - 2017: First County & National Success

Callum Richards became the first AST member to become a County Champion. In 2017, he went on to become our first National qualifier and medal winner (Silver in 50m Backstroke). The team broke into the top 10 performance clubs in Somerset.

Somerset County Championships 2016

2018 - 2019: A New Generation

In 2018, Macy Noad became our first female County Champion. The strength of our Junior Development Team was clear as they finished 2nd at the Bristol Penguin Junior Gala in 2019.

2020 - 2021: Resilience & Covid

Before the world stopped, AST enjoyed its most successful County Championships yet in early 2020. Despite lockdowns and pool closures, the team showed exceptional resilience. We were awarded 1st place in the Cotswold League B Final in October 2020.

Somerset Dev Meet 2019

Cotswold B Final Winners 2020

2022: Back to Our Best

The first full post-lockdown year saw AST reach new heights. We reached the Cotswold League A Final for the first time, finishing 5th. Lewis Hay and Zach Powell qualified for National Summer events, and Leo Woodrow won 5 medals at the Welsh Development Meet.

2022 County Championship Team

2023: Record Breakers

A phenomenal year. AST won a club record 31 medals at the County Championships. We won Cotswold League galas at Monmouth and Bath. In the summer, Leo Woodrow and Zach Powell competed at National level, with Leo winning 5 medals at the Welsh Nationals.

Celebrating Cotswold Win in Bath

Zach & Leo at Nationals

2024: Transition & Success

Despite pool closures delaying the County Champs, AST still shone. Lewis Duggan, Xander Powell, and Leo Woodrow landed titles, while Lauren Glanville became our 2nd ever female County Champion.

It was also a year of change, with long-serving Head Coach Sara Flinton stepping down. The new Junior Squad was launched, and Leo Woodrow was selected to represent Somerset at the National County Championships—a club first.

Lewis Duggan & Emily Knight

Harry, Leo & Lauren at Counties

Leo Woodrow at Welsh Nationals

2024 Presentation Evening