Pembrokeshire Weightlifting Federation has created a new project called ‘SAW Cymru’, a high-performance Olympic Weightlifting and Strength & Conditioning centre specifically created to aid Pembrokeshire’s aspiring sports people to reach their potential.
 
SAW will be based at Sir Thomas Picton Leisure Centre, Haverfordwest and will be opening on the 5th August and the project leader at SAW Cymru will be the Chairperson of Pembrokeshire Weightlifting Simon Roach.
 

Excellent training facilities

 
“The SAW project will be an excellent training centre for sports people who wish to improve their physical performance," he told PembrokeshireSport.co.uk "to aid them cope with the physicality of modern sport and to help local sports people reach the next level in their sporting pathway. Team games rugby, hockey, football, netball, basketball, athletics, cycling and swimming will particularly benefit.”
 
“This is an exciting time for Pembrokeshire sports people because SAW will be providing an outstanding coaching service and combined with its excellent equipment will be on par with some of the top training centres in the UK.”
 

Close links to the Scarlets

 
Simon will be working closely with the Scarlets, WRU Performance coaches and also Johnny Llewhellin – WRU Player Development Officer. The Pembrokeshire Schools Under 18 Rugby Squad and Scarlets West Under 16’s squad have already been booked into SAW for conditioning sessions. These are the most promising rugby players in the County and will soon be starting their pre-season training.
 
A strong partnership has also been created between SAW and the Scarlets.  
Gareth Jenkins, the Scarlets’ Development Officer, told PembrokeshireSport.co.uk:
 “Simon has previously worked with us at the Scarlets and I am very confident that his coaching experience, combined with the specialised equipment at the Strength & Conditioning facility based in Haverfordwest will not only benefit the Pembrokeshire Schools U18 squad, but will also be a great advantage to Pembrokeshire Rugby players who wish to work on their conditioning’
“I am excited about the partnership between SAW and the Scarlets and how this link will aid aspiring rugby players from Pembrokeshire through the correct pathway to elite Rugby.”
 
Facilities are open to all
 
The centre is also open to Junior and adult members, who want to develop their Health & Fitness, learn how to train safely & correctly and learn how to plan their own health & fitness programmes. Developing SAW member’s health and fitness is an area Simon is keen to develop and links in well with his teaching of Physical Education.
Simon added, ‘Taking part in these functional and lifting exercises will develop an athlete’s physique. It is a fantastic way to work out and great for men, women, boys and girls.”
 
Coaching at this level is not unfamiliar to Simon. In the previous Weightlifting centre of excellence in which he managed, based at Holyhead, he coached many junior and senior lifters up to Welsh and British standard, three of which competed in the 2002 Commonwealth Games which almost made half of the Welsh Weightlifting team. Simon was also head coach for Team Wales at this prestigious event.
 

Other supporters of the new venture:

 
Richard Thomas, Sprint Coach - Pembrokeshire Harriers
“It's great to see this facility in Haverfordwest. Athletes can now access a Strength & Conditioning coaching centre without traveling a long distance. I have advised the sprinters I coach that training at SAW will assist their work carried out on the track and help them progress to a higher level.”
 
Tim Pawlett, Vice President, Pembrokeshire Weightlifting Federation
“If you are a sports person living in Pembrokeshire, SAW is without a doubt the best place to train. I only wished that this facility was available many years ago when I competed in rugby and athletics.”
 
Sport Wales Jonathan Roberts – Senior Officer
 “Sport Wales has set out a ‘Vision for Sport in Wales’, with two specific key aspirations of getting every child hooked on sport and creating a nation of champions. Underneath that are targeted strategies for elite success, investment in community sport and increasing the sporting workforce. It is believed that the new Olympic Weightlifting centre being developed in Haverfordwest will be instrumental providing a weightlifting pathway for all in Pembrokeshire and will impact on these key strategies.
 
Sport Pembrokeshire manager - Ben Field
 “The SAW Cymru Project could also help develop performance standards and membership rates of community sports clubs across the County,” he said.
“Sport Pembrokeshire will be working closely with Simon and SAW to develop links between our extracurricular school programmes and community sports clubs.”
 
All information about SAW, how to join, opening times and coaching sessions are on our website.
http://www.strengthacademywales.com/     Facebook  SAW Cymru Twitter @academy_wales
Pembrokeshire Weightlifting has received a substantial amount of funding from Sport Wales and has received a vast amount of collaboration with Pembrokeshire Leisure. The project has been developed and made successful with the assistance from the WRU, Scarlets, Dragon LNG, Haverfordwest Pool Foundation Trust, Port of Milford Haven, Weightlifting Wales, Haverfordwest Town and Sport Pembrokeshire.

PHOTOS:
Some of the local under 18 rugby players with Gareth Jenkins and Eifion Roberts (Scarlets), Simon Roach and Johnny Llewhellin
Simon and Johnny look delighted at the superb new facilities