Cumbria ASA Hall of Fame
 
Introduction
In 2023, as part of the celebrations for the centenary of Cumbria ASA, the Cumbria Swimming Hall of Fame (CSHoF) was established to recognise the contribution, commitment, dedication and achievements of individuals (swimmers, coaches, technical officials, administrators) since the formation of Cumberland and Westmorland Amateur Swimming Association in July 1923.


This recognition is in addition to the position of Life Vice President of Cumbria Amateur Swimming Association which has existed for many years. A Life Vice President is “An officer (past or present) who has provided an outstanding contribution to the work of the Association over an extended period”. The notable difference between this and the Hall of Fame award is the individual's focus on delivering for the Cumbria Amateur Swimming Association at County and/or Regional and/or National level rather than operating as an officer at a club level. 

Nominations for induction into the Hall of Fame will recognise those individuals, teams or clubs who were/are members of the Cumbria Amateur Swimming Association (1974 to present time) or the Cumberland and Westmorland Swimming Association (1923 to 1974) or prior to 1923 if sufficient verifiable
evidence is available to support an award.

The award will be in the form of formal recognition by the Cumbria Amateur Swimming Association and induction into it's Hall of Fame along with listing on the Association's Roll of Honour. This will be held by the Association and displayed on its web-site. 

Noting that the Association has existed for over 100 years it is recognised that some individuals or teams who would have met the criteria are no longer with us, therefore the potential for a posthumous award will be considered if appropriate.

Process
The process for nomination will be through a formal written submission to the
Cumbria Amateur Swimming Association Executive Committee using a form that can be obtained from the secretary. The submission must have the support from the committee and chair of the club relating to the nomination. The Cumbria Amateur Swimming Association Executive Committee and the and Awards Sub-Committee may also nominate individuals, teams or clubs based on the criteria where there is no obvious link to either an existing affiliated club or former county swimming organisation.

A sub-committee of the
Cumbria Amateur Swimming Association Executive will consider the evidence submitted against the criteria and confirm if the individual, team or club meet the criteria and will recommend induction into the CSHoF. The recommendation will be submitted to the Cumbria Amateur Swimming Association Executive Committee for ratification. 

Submissions can be made to the panel at any time for consideration. Any submission that are rejected as failing to meet the criteria will have the reason formally recorded which will be submitted back to the respective club/body. A resubmission is not precluded if further supporting evidence is/becomes available. It is noted that some submissions relating to the early years of our organisation may have limited data available to support submission as comprehensive historic information may not be available and the best endeavours to obtain such detail will be taken into consideration.

Typical information which should be included in the citation;
  • Swimmers, the events in which they competed, strokes swam, and the honours they achieved in those events e.g. finalist, winner, medallist etc.
  • What they are doing now and if they have continued to contribute to the sport as a master’s swimmer, coach, official or administrator.
  • Administrators/Officials/coaches, dates activities performed, post held (club/county/region/nationally), level of commitment to the sport, achievements, recognition attained.
Individuals, teams or clubs who are nominated will have the right to decline the offer of induction to the CSHoF if they so wish.

Criteria
  • Individual or team with an outstanding achievement in the sport of “aqautics” who has represented Cumbria or country at National, European or International level.
  • Junior or Senior National, European or World finalist ortitle holder in their respective aquatic discipline.
  • Have provided aquatics with an extended, outstanding, dedicated contribution to coaching, officiating or administration.
  • Have achieved significant recognition from a recognised swimming body or sports body for their contribution in the national/international world of aquatics.
  • Have achieved significant milestones in aquatics e.g. English channel swimming. 
The criteria and process for nomination for Life Vice President and for induction into the Hall of Fame will be reviewed periodically by the Cumbria Amateur Swimming Association Executive Committee. 

Recognition
Individuals, teams or clubs that are inducted into the CSHoF will be presented with an appropriate memento to recognise their achievement and will be registered on the CSHoF Roll of Honour. It is hoped that as many as possible of the awards can be made at an event promoted by Cumbria ASA to honour the recipient(s) achievement(s). 



 
Roll of Honour
 
Wendy Burrell

Swimmer - inducted 2024


     
Olympic pool, Mexico


    

Rosie Huggon, Wendy Burrell, Jim Messenger - February 2024


Wendy learned to swim in the Open-Air Lido at Grange over Sands and then joined the Carlisle Secondary club as an 8-year-old when her father moved jobs with his employer and the family relocated to Carlisle. In 1965 at 13 years of age Wendy was the Cumberland & Westmorland Swimming Association junior 200 yards IM champion. In the following year (1966) she won her first English championship – the Girls 110 yards backstroke and in 1967 became a GB junior international.

Wendy completely dominated the scene in Cumberland and Westmorland as no other county swimmer had ever done. In 1967 (age 15) she won 11 junior and senior individual county championships setting 9 new county records, and in 4 events (including the 400 yards IM) her records were faster than the male equivalent – as was said at the time “the less said about the ‘stronger sex’ the better”.

In 1968, at age 16, she became the first Cumbrian swimmer to swim at an Olympic Games when swam for GB in the XIX Olympiad in Mexico where she finished 5th in the 200m backstroke final (only beaten by Australian and US swimmers) and 6th as the lead off swimmer in the 400m medley team. 

In 1970 she was 5th in the 200m backstroke final (in a British record time) at the 9th Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh and a few weeks later was 4th in the 200m backstroke final at the European Aquatics Championships at Barcelona setting a European Record in the heats.

She retired from competitive swimming in August 1971.



 
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Raymond Watson

Administrator - inducted 2024

Raymond's links with Kendal SC began in 1959 after moving to the town having joined the fire service, the start of a 65-year association with swimming. During his time with Kendal SC (formed 1886) Raymond held many roles including swimming
teacher, coach, team manager, committee member, chair, and press officer. He became secretary of Kendal SC in 1971 (when Cumbria ASA was called Cumberland and Westmorland Swimming Association), again in 1982 and he was also secretary of Troutbeck Bridge SC from 2000 until 2004.

Raymond retired as a coach in 2016 after 48 years and during this time, when he coached at both Kendal and Troutbeck Bridge SC he helped many hundreds of children learn to swim with a significant number going on to swim competitively at the local clubs.

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Raymond was recognised by Kendal SC in 1988 as an Honorary Vice President and Life Member for his meritorious service and further recognition came in 2009 when he was invited by the Queen to attend a Buckingham Palace Garden party.

Raymonds service to swimming extended to Cumbria ASA and included two terms of office as County President in 2013 and 14, and again in 2017.








Terry Lambert

Administrator, official - inducted 2024

Terry's links to aquatic sports began with her involvement in the formation of Troutbeck SC in 1976 and the start of a nearly 50 year association with swimming, and in particular Synchronised Swimming (now Artistic Swimming).

She was a founder member of the Troutbeck SC committee and held almost all the committee roles culminating in 12 years as the club’s chair. Her involvement extended beyond the club as she was their representative on the Cumbria ASA Executive for over 30 years including two years as president in 2007 and 2008.

Terry's prime passion was Synchronised Swimming where she spent many hundreds of hours teaching and coaching the sport to young people who were looking for an alternative to competitive swimming. She was instrumental in establishing a county Synchronised Swimming championships in 1980 and was the county synchro secretary from 1982 until 1984. Such was her involvement and commitment that she became involved with officiating and became a national referee in 1987 and later an international judge. She travelled extensively in this role and officiated abroad at LEN and FINA events with the pinnacle being selected to officiate at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpa in 1998.

Terry was on the independent Disputes and Disciplinary Resolution Panel for the ASA/Swim England for over 27 years and was also the chair of the panel for several years until she had to step down due to changes in the Judicial process at Swim England. 

Terry’s time in more recent years has been consumed with Saving Grange Lido (SGL), a derelict lido in the town. She was one of the ten Board Members that have worked towards the restoration of the 1932 outdoor pool; this included obtaining grant funding of several millions of pounds work to stabilise the structure. 


Terry also has an association with open water swimming with a 15-year involvement as an official (timekeeper and recorder) in BLDSA Windermere Championships (length of the lake).

In 2022/23 Terry joined the Cumbria ASA 50-100 festival group to support an event celebrating 100 years of swimming in Cumbria. As part of the July 2023 Festival Terry brought Artistic (Synchronised) Swimming back to the county with a display in the new Carlisle pool, the first time such an event has been seen in Cumbria in over 20 years.


 

 

 
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