Who Are We... Why Choose Us?
We are a swimming & Waterpolo club which aims to cater for all - whether you are highly competitive or a keep-fit swimmer! Looking for a new sport to try at Uni? UEA Swimming & Water Polo is the one for you! We pride ourselves on being a very welcoming, friendly, and inclusive club with lots of opportunities to match.
We are a friendly, inclusive, and hard-working team that is rapidly becoming one of the most popular sports clubs on campus. All our training takes place at the UEA SportsPark which has excellent facilities. The majority of our swimmers join us at the beginning of the year after visiting our stall at the UEA Sports Fayre but we regularly welcome new members all year round. Should you wish to join or have any queries about what we can offer you, please do get in touch by dropping us an email. We are always happy to help!
Socials:
Instagram: @ueaswimmingandwaterpolo
Twitter/X @UEASWPClub
TikTok: ueaswimandwaterpolo
The Waterpolo team is made of of a Men’s squad and Women’s Squad:
- Train up to three times a week with training in the pool and land training
- Opportunities to train externally as a squad or with local teams
- Teams play home and away fixtures in BUCS leagues and cup knockout competitions
- Run by qualified/volunteer student coaches who are able to bring out the best in all our players so that they can meet their potential and have fun while doing so.
- Is ideal for all abilities; from seasoned players, to swimmers wanting to give waterpolo a go, and to those who just want to train for fun.
Waterpolo Regular Training Times:
- Swimming training 25m pool - Monday 19:30-21:00, SportsPark pool
- Land training - Thursday 20:00-21:00, Congregation Hall 01.07
- Water polo training - Saturday 18:30-21:30, SportsPark pool
Water Polo Coaches:
- Luca Gunawardena
- Hannah Croker
The Swim team is made up of three squads:
*Please note we aren't able to offer swim teaching. All club members must be competent lane swimmers upon joining the club.
Recreation Squad:
- Train up to twice a week; in the pool and on land
- Run by qualified volunteer student coaches
- Ideal for casual, 'keep fit' swimmers, no experience in competitive swimming required
- Provides an adaptable, relaxed, fun environment where you can meet new people, socialise, improve, and take a break from studying
- Oppourtunities to compete at local galas under new Swim England afiliation
Development Squad:
- Train up to four times a week; in the pool and on land
- Run by qualified volunteer student coaches
- Ideal for swimmers who have had some experience in competitive swimming/ do not wish to compete seriously at university
- Oppourtunities to compete at local galas under new Swim England afiliation
Competitive Squad:
- Train up to five times a week with training in the pool and land training
- Run by a professional, qualified, independent coach who is able to bring out the best in all our swimmers so that they can meet their potential and have fun while doing so.
- Train with the intention of competing at galas held locally and nationally, including BUCS.
- Is ideal for swimmers with competitive experience (even if they haven't raced in a while), for those that wish to take their training to the next level or are simply willing to commit to a slightly more demanding training schedule.
Training - 2026/27:
Recreation Squad -
- Wednesday 1-2pm at Sportspark pool
- Friday 7:30-8:30pm at Sportpark pool (fortnightly)
Development Squad -
- Tuesday 8-9:30pm at Sportspark pool
- Wednesday 1-2pm at Sportspark pool
- Friday 7:30-8:30pm at Sportspark pool
Competition Squad -
- Tuesday 8-9:30pm at Sportspark pool
- Wednesday 2-4pm at Sportspark pool
- Friday 8:30-9:30pm at Sportspark pool
- Sunday 8-9:30pm at Sportspark pool
Land training is available for members of all squads on a Thursday evening 8-9pm in Cong Hall 01.07
Swimming Coaches:
- Alex Pinneger (Performance Coach)
- Sam Rose (Student Coach)
- Callum Cox (Student Coach)
Opportunities:
What we can offer you goes far beyond just swimming. Below are just some of the opportunities we encourage ALL our swimmers to get involved in throughout the academic year:
- British University College Sport (BUCS) galas at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre (Sheffield)
- Men's & Women's Waterpolo teams for British University College Sport (BUCS) - including league and cup knockout fixtures
- British University Swimming League (BUSL) - A series of galas for our competition/development squad to take part in
- Waterpolo friendlies against local teams
- Annual Waterpolo tournament
- Derby day (UEA vs Essex)
- Club Championships
- Sports Nights
- LCR socials
- Water Sports Ball
- Christmas & End of Year Meals
- Volunteering, leadership, and personal development opportunities
- Sports Awards
- Regular socials (including the races, BBQs by the lake, bowling, trampolining, team dinners, nights out, and dress-ups)
- Sports Tour
Your Committee 2026/27
A new committee is elected at the end of each academic year to run the swopo team and the many events we take part in. Most importantly, we are a team for students, run by students - with the support of UEA sport and the SU.
If you have any questions or queries please contact us at uea.swimmingandwaterpolo@uea.ac.uk
- Swimming President: Sam Rose
- Waterpolo President: Luca Gunawardena
- Vice President / Union Council Rep: Ellis McQuade
- Treasurer: Lily Threadgold
- Competition Squad Captain: Tom Ford
- Development Squad Captain: Xanthe Howard
- Recreational Squad Captain: Chelsea Nawojczyk
- Men’s Waterpolo Captain: Rossi Mak
- Women’s Waterpolo Captain: Hannah Croker
- Social Secretaries: Will Burbidge & Will Murfitt
- Publicity and Kit Officer: Riley Bashford & Tom Underdown
- Outreach & Fundraising Officer: Gigi Gebhard
- Health & Safety, Equality, Diversity & Wellbeing Officer: Callum Cox
Swim England Welfare Officer: Kirstie Stone (Available at: kirstie.stone@uea.ac.uk)
Please get in touch, get to know us, and come join our incredible team.
Swopo Love x
The Real Cost of Sport
The 'Real Cost of Sport' initiative, a project reviewed and rebranded by the Students' Union in partnership with uea+sport, aims to provide prospective members with a comprehensive overview of the potential costs of joining their chosen sports club. This year, I have worked closely with the clubs to ensure these tables are as accurate and up-to-date as possible.
This guide is intended to serve as a general reference. The compulsory cost includes the uea+sport membership fee of £60, which is a one-time payment that covers membership across all clubs.
When considering additional expenses, it is important to note that some clubs may not have any extra costs, while others might incur additional fees. These costs often depend on the level of competitiveness within the sport; recreational or social participation is generally less expensive. Additionally, some equipment, such as shoes or gum shields, may be used across multiple sports, potentially reducing overall expenses.
For any specific questions or further information about a particular club, please contact the club directly or contact us at union.opportunities@uea.ac.uk for more details about the project.
All the best,
Olivia Hunt
Your Activities & Opportunities Officer 25/26