Sports Management, Coach Mentoring & Swim Schools
LANE 1 Coaching Ltd was founded in 2007 by Ken Hardy. Previously working as a European Sales and Marketing Director within a major corporate company based in Sweden, he decided to leave the “Rat Race” and set up his own coaching company. LANE 1 Coaching Ltd was originally set up to help highly qualified coaches gain the recognition they deserve, and after a successful start has now grown in strength supplying coaches into over 60 schools within Derbyshire and the surrounding areas offering a multitude of sports.
Holding several sporting qualifications and previously working as a coach assessor for Derbyshire Sport helped with the initial growth of the company and has also given Ken the opportunity to coach at a professional level working with both Burton Albion FC and Derby County Ladies FC, in which he played an instrumental part as head coach in taking them to the women’s premiership. Working as a coach mentor for British Triathlon and a Young Aquatics Tutor for the Amateur Swimming Association and the STA has further strengthened the company’s commitment in bringing sport to all.
The company’s main direction has always steered towards swimming and triathlon. Ken both competed and coached at the highest levels for over 30 years, working not only with competitive clubs but also within the Loughborough University swimming programme the home of British Swimming and the ASA. Ken also spend a number of years racing motocross bikes travelling throughout Europe which gave him a good insight into sports management and sponsorship dealings highlighting the difficulties young sports stars face when trying to finance their futures.
Swim School
Within our swim schools we have taken a long look at how we can be different from the norm giving added value to our lessons. This starts with class numbers where we have a maximum of 6 swimmers in a class from stages 1 to 6 and our teachers go in the water with the swimmers from stages 1 to 3.
For swimmers that have reached the competition stages we run several “Skills Squads” which is a 4 lane session for swimmers wanting to not only continue to improve their technique but also build on their fitness by swimming greater distances. Finally we offer links to local competitive swim and triathlon clubs for those wishing to take the sport more seriously.
It is a LANE 1 belief that everyone should be given the opportunity to learn to swim. This important life skill which should be enjoyed regardless of age or ability and at LANE 1 we believe that everyone should be given the chance to excel without barriers in whichever sport they choose.
Ken