Clitheroe Dolphins as we know it today was founded in 1973 - This year is our 50th Birthday!! 

Clitheroe Dolphins - Historic Timeline!

           1972

• Ribblesdale Pool was opened on the 28th of April

           1973

• Clitheroe Dolphins Swim Club Founded 
•  The first Club training session was held on Thursday 6th of September 1973
• First Chairman was Mr J Broughton and the Secretary was Harold Leach
• First ever request for funds (for a stopwatch for the coaches) was declined due to lack of funds
• Club applies and is successful the North Lancs. Swim League
• First Annual Gala was staged

           1974

• Technological Advancement: First stopwatch was purchased for £8.60
• Competition organised to design our club badge won by a Mr Hopwood of Darwen
• Club asks swimmers to decide upon official club swimwear - in true bad taste of the Seventies, red and white vertical stripes are chosen.
• Sanity prevails and Speedo Plain Electric Blue is finally adopted as the clubs swimwear

          1975

• 70s inflation sees fees were raised by 50% to 15p per session!
• Technological Advancement: Clitheroe Council purchase first Pace Clock
• Technological Advancement: Second Stopwatch & Water Ball game purchased
• Coaching Advancement: First Clitheroe Dolphins Swim Coach appointed - Mrs Eileen Cryer

           1976

• Mr Ken Pym takes tenure as Club Chairman Ken would lead the Club for six years and under his leadership there is a noticeable elevation in the Club’s achievements.
• Coaching Advancement: Purchase of 'Swimming to Win’ and ‘Better Swimming’ publications increase swimmers knowledge
• Fees increased to 20p
• The Club’s swimmers elect Steven Pym as Club Captain, a position Steven would retain for a further 8 years!

          1977

• Two Piece ladies costumes banned by ASA
• Technological Advancement: Second Pace Clock & 24 Armbands purchased
• Treasurer reports £293.86 in bank
• Senior Girls "most points trophy" is withdrawn due to "unseemly behaviour" 

          1978

• 1978 Paying per session was abolished and an annual fee of £15 was introduced

          1979

• Club Membership is 143 swimming members
• Treasurer reports £1,723 in the bank
• Technological Advancement: Committee purchases 2 starting blocks and 3 lane ropes

          1980

• The famous Yellow on Black club colours launched
• Fee increase to £20 per annum

          1981

• The newly opened Roefield barn is opened
• Coaching Advancement: Dolphins introduce ‘Land Training’ to compliment in pool work
• The Micro-League was formed and we were joined by Piranha, Leyland, Marlins and Newton Hall in its inaugural season

          1982

• Top swimming coach Tom Scott visited the club for a special training weekend at a cost of £5 per swimmer

• Coaching Advancement: Albert Robinson appointed as new Club Swim Coach
• Steven Pym becomes Lancashire County Life Saving Champion, an event previously dominated by the police
• Technological Advancement: Plans made to purchase a swim bench and five mini gyms for the land training programme
• The Club climb to a lofty position in the North Lancs. League Division 1
• Long standing chairman, Ken Pym stands down and passes the baton on to Bob Jones. Ken was made Honorary president in recognition of his service
• A triathlon was organised for the first time. It was staged on the 29th of December - Swim, Run, Cycle - the event is a great success

          1983

• Technological Advancement: Committee purchase 20 Hoola Hoops, 10 Arm Bands, 3 Stopwatches and 1 Swim Bench
• Club celebrates its 10th Anniversary
• Operational Advancement: The Marsden Building Society becomes our very first club sponsor
• Membership hits 195 swimmers
• First swimmers compete at the North Lancs Age Group Champs. 12 in total with 6 selected for the Northern Counties team

          1984

• Team is relegated from the North Lancs Div 1
• Membership falls to 170
• First away trip to Totnes Swimming Club in Devon

         1985

• Roefield Pool closed for 4 months for repairs
• Second Tom Scott visit for a coaching weekend was a great success

         1986

• Operational Advancement: Stonyhurst College & Great Harwood Pool were added to our training facilities
• Three swimmers achieved National Qualifying Times
• Peter Jones becomes first Clitheroe County Champion at 100 Backstroke

         1987

• ASA Speed Badges are introduced
• Technological Advancement: 50 yellow floats and 15 leg floats were purchased
• Three swimmers achieved National Qualifying Times
• Tom Scott, swim legend and friend of the club, sadly passes away

         1988

• Fees increased to £40 per annum
• Exhibition gala staged against 45 Commando Marines. The Dolphins won by 2 points!

         1989

• First Clitheroe Dolphins trophy cabinet commissioned
• The ‘100 Club’ was launched and raised £600
• Bi-monthly Time Trials were introduced
• Club wins Division 2 championship
• Peter Jones became the Northern Counties 100 Metres Backstroke Champion and would keep hold of the trophy until 1992!

        1990

• Ultraframe replaced Marsden Building Society as sponsors
• 23 swimmers attended the North Lancs. Championships competing in 91 events

         1991

• Chairman Bob Jones and Secretary Joan Pearson stood down having together put in 19 years service. They had taken the Club to new heights in the Leagues and at Nationals. In recognition of their contribution they were given Honorary Life Memberships
• Mrs Legg becomes the first female Chairperson

         1992

• Club relegated to Division 2

         1993

• Division 1 promotion
• 22 swimmers went to the North Lancs Champs and 3 National Qualifying times were achieved
• 188 swimmers on the clubs membership roll

          1994

• British Olympian, Suki Brownsdon, visited the Club for a swim Clinic, with 30 swimmers attending
• 22 swimmers entered the North Lancs. Champs

        1995

• Membership now up to 200 swimmers
• 19 entered the North lancs champs

        1996

• Roefield pool was closed for six weeks for repairs
• 12 swimmers entered the North Lancs Champs

        1997

• A District Sport Strategy Committee was formed with Bill Banfield and Chris Goddard representing the Club

        1998

• Technological Advancement: Video equipment was purchased

       2023

• Operational Advancement :  Hosted our FIRST EVER SWIM GALA - the DOLPHINS DASH! 
• Coaching Advancement : More swimmers at County & Regional Level than at any other time in our history!

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History