Roots in Basingstoke

Competitive swimming in the town stretches back more than 50 years. Basingstoke and District Amateur Swimming Club, founded in the late 1960s, built a proud tradition of competitive swimming, producing generations of athletes who raced at County, Regional and National level.

From 1989, under the guidance of Head Coach Steve Greenfield, the club developed talented Age Group swimmers who went on to represent GB Juniors, with swimmers reaching European Junior — making Basingstoke a firm choice for young swimmers to begin their journeys. Many of those athletes have since returned, now giving back as coaches or competing proudly in the Masters programme.
 

Britannia Swimming Club, established in the mid-1980s, steadily grew over 20 years, creating a welcoming environment where swimmers could enjoy the sport, develop skills, and take part in competition.
 

A New Club With Purpose

In 2005, the two clubs came together to create one identity — Basingstoke Bluefins. Stronger together, the vision was clear: to give every swimmer in Basingstoke the chance to thrive. By maximising pool time and streamlining opportunities, Bluefins offered the community a clearer, stronger pathway in the sport.

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Under the leadership of Head Coach Graeme Thomas and his team, the club entered a period of rapid progress. Training was modernised, ambition lifted, and pathways strengthened. Bluefins swimmers not only reached County and Regional level, but advanced to the British Championships, with one narrowly missing Olympic selection. This era established Bluefins as a club capable of producing swimmers for the highest stage while still nurturing grassroots talent.

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A Period of Challenge

Like any organisation, it is difficult to keep riding the crest of the wave year after year. From around 2015 the club naturally lost some momentum — results dipped, membership dropped off, and the atmosphere wasn’t as vibrant as before. Without a long-term structure in place, it was difficult to build on earlier successes, and Bluefins entered a period of transition.

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A New Beginning (2020 Onwards)

The Covid years tested every sports club. For Bluefins, 2020–21 marked not just a return to the pool but a full relaunch. With fresh coaching leadership, a rebuilt structure, and a renewed purpose, the club began a new chapter.
 

Since then, Bluefins has grown into one of the South East’s fastest-rising and highest-performing clubs — breaking records, climbing league tables, and welcoming more swimmers and families than ever before. With Spencer as Head of Swimming, Graeme driving the Performance pathway, and Fleur as Chair, they have brought together an incredible team of coaches, officials, and volunteers who continue to power the club forward.

 

Pathways for Every Swimmer

Bluefins provides a pathway for every swimmer — from first strokes in a club environment through to international competition:
 

• Skills Academy — the foundation of everything we do, bridging the gap between lessons and club training. Swimmers learn strokes, lane discipline, teamwork, and the love of the sport.
   

• Competitive Pathway — squads that progress from Competitive Development, where swimmers consolidate skills and learn to train, through to County Development, Age Group, Regional, and National Performance, where training sharpens from skill-based focus to racing precision.
   

• Fitness Club Squads — for swimmers who want to keep enjoying the sport without the pressure of competition, proving that swimming is truly a sport for life.
   

• Masters (18+) — one of the most successful Masters squads nationally, and the top Masters club in Hampshire, ranging from fitness swimmers to national and international medal winners, with an abundance of British, European, and World Records.
   

• Sharks (Disability Squad) — a supportive environment for swimmers aged 8–18, with specialist teachers and helpers. Sharks compete in local galas, have represented at the Special Olympics, and each year host a Schools Gala for local specialist schools. At the heart of Bluefins’ inclusive pathway, they build confidence, skills, and friendships in the water.
   

• Water Polo — a thriving, team-based sport with an Academy for beginners, plus Junior and Senior squads. The programme builds fitness, strategy, and competitiveness, with players progressing into regional and national talent centres.