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PEOPLE PROFILE Zoe Cooper
The swimming academy manager for the Swimming Teachers Association (STA) reached the fi nal of this year’s Britain’s Got Talent as part of the synchronised swimming team Aquabatique
How many years have you worked in the health and fitness industry? Ten years – since 2002.
How did your career progress? I started out as a casual lifeguard while studying for A levels and through my university years. After graduating with first class honours in psychology, health and exercise, I worked as a netball development officer for England Netball. I then stayed in sports development, progressing to the role of club and volunteer development officer for a local authority before moving to the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) and finally to the Swimming Teachers Association (STA) in 2010 to manage the new Shropshire Swim Academy.
Have you always been a swimmer? I didn’t learn to swim until I was seven years old. In fact, I was petrified of putting my face underwater, so it seems ironic that I now spend most of my time upside-down, submerged in water. During my teens I was involved in lots of sports, but my mum noticed I had a special talent for dance, swimming and gymnastics. Synchronised swimming combines all three of these sports, so my mum suggested I give it a go.
How did you get involved with Aquabatique? I’ve known the other members of Aquabatique for a number of years and have been performing at events and shows via Aquabatique’s management agency Aquabatix. The four of us were selected specifically for Britain’s Got Talent by Aquabatique. It was an intense internal trial process, and we were all selected for our individual strengths – mine being my flexibility and strength within the water.
Did the group’s success on the show come as a surprise to you? We honestly didn’t have a clue how the public would perceive us, but naturally
september 2012 © cybertrek 2012
being competitive athletes we wanted to go all the way. All we could do was work our hardest to do the best performance possible – we trained up to 10 hours a day in the water to perfect the routines and ran, swam and did other cardiovascular exercise to ensure we were physically fit, strong and flexible. In reaching the live final, I think we successfully achieved our aim.
What impact has your success made on young people wanting to try synchronised swimming? It’s hard to measure the impact, but it has certainly raised the profile of the sport. All the synchronised swimming clubs have seen an influx of new swimmers at the grassroots end of their programmes, while the STA has witnessed an increase in the number of swimming teachers booking onto its synchronised swimming course.
How can the fitness sector play a part in preventative healthcare? Taking part in physical activity has not only been proven to improve health and physical wellbeing but also mental health. The fitness and leisure industry has
already been proactive by linking with the NHS and other external organisations in the past to encourage non-sporty types to get active. But thinking outside of the box – creating new crazes – is a great way to encourage different target groups to get more physically active. Just look at the popularity of Zumba and Aqua Zumba to see how effective this method can be.
What’s the number one weakness of the fitness industry? Being able to retain highly qualified and experienced staff within the field in order to promote and enhance the industry.
What’s your favourite life motto? “Go big or go home!”
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