Golden milestone for Aberystwyth swimming club

IN 1976, Plascrug Leisure Centre opened its doors — and with it came a new chapter for young swimmers across Aberystwyth and the surrounding villages, writes Carol Macy.

That same year, a group of committed local volunteers founded what would become ADASC: Aberystwyth & District Amateur Swimming Club.

Their purpose was simple but ambitious: to give local children the chance to train, compete, and grow in a structured, supportive environment beyond basic learn-to-swim lessons. From the start, ADASC was a community effort.

Their vision created something that would last far longer than any of them imagined.

By the early 1980s, ADASC had become a recognised presence in West Wales swimming. Training sessions grew busier, the club’s first competitive squads formed, and its distinctive identity — including the long-lived logo — became familiar across the region.

These were the years when ADASC established its reputation for technical discipline, sportsmanship, and quiet determination. Swimmers travelled to galas across Wales, often returning with medals, personal bests, and stories that would be retold for decades.

Behind every achievement stood the same quiet truth: ADASC thrived because the community carried it.

The 1990s saw a surge in membership as swimming became one of the most popular youth sports in the area. ADASC expanded its training structure, introduced more formal squad pathways, and strengthened its links with regional competitions.

For many families, ADASC became a second home — early mornings, late evenings, wet towels, and the unmistakable smell of chlorine forming the backdrop to childhood.

As competitive swimming evolved, so did ADASC. The club embraced new coaching methods, updated training plans, and invested in developing young swimmers with a long-term approach.

Partnerships with Ceredigion Actif helped create a clear pathway from Learn to Swim through to competitive squads, ensuring that swimmers who showed talent and commitment had the support they needed to progress.

By the 2010s, ADASC swimmers were qualifying for regional and long-course championships with increasing regularity. Coaching methods modernised, pathways strengthened, and the club’s reputation grew.

Yet the club’s heartbeat stayed the same: parents on poolside, volunteers on deck, families giving their time freely.

ADASC was never just a club — it was a shared effort.

The 2020s — Renewal, Growth, and a New Generation

The early 2020s brought challenges for every sports organisation, but ADASC emerged stronger. Membership rose, new coaches stepped forward, and young swimmers achieved impressive results at West Wales events.

Today, ADASC is proudly:

· Community-run

· Volunteer-led

· Parent-powered

· Driven by passion, not profit

Every session at Plascrug is made possible by people who give their time freely — coaching, officiating, organising, fundraising, supporting. Many are parents who began by watching from the gallery and ended up poolside in a polo shirt, stopwatch in hand.

ADASC’s 50th-anniversary era has been marked by some of the strongest competitive results in its history.

Across the last five years, ADASC swimmers have delivered:

· Multiple regional qualifications & medals

· A growing number of swimmers achieving qualification times for Welsh Nationals

· Swimmers achieveing medals at Welsh Nationals

For half a century, ADASC has been:

· A place where children discover confidence, discipline, and joy

· A club built entirely by volunteers and parents

· A community that shows up — early mornings, late evenings, rain or shine

· A constant presence in Aberystwyth’s sporting life

· A legacy passed from one generation to the next

Thousands of young swimmers have learned to push off the wall, breathe, race, win, lose, and grow here — all supported by a community that believed in them.

As ADASC celebrates its golden anniversary, one thing is clear:

The club’s greatest strength has never been its pool, its kit, or its medals. It has always been its people.

Parents who coach. Volunteers who give their evenings. Former swimmers who return to help. Children who become confident, resilient young adults.

ADASC’s future will be built the same way its past was — together, as a community.

ADASC would like to invite past and present swimmers/helpers from the last 50 years to take part in their 50th Celebration. Saturday 12th September at Plascrug school 3pm £5 per person (food is included in price|), all proceeds go to ADASC. If you would like to attend please email [email protected].

We are also holding our ADASC Gala this day and are holding a fun relay for past swimmers & coaches. If you would like to join please email [email protected].

If any past club swimmers/volunteers have any photos or memories to share about their time in the club get in touch at: [email protected]