History

• The Fish Eagle swimming club was founded in April 2000 with the amalgamation of the Richards Bay and Empangeni swimming clubs.

• Over the years we have developed a strong reputation throughout Zululand and Northern Natal. This reputation is based upon our performance levels at provincial Northern Natal competitions by being the winning club at both short (25m swimming pool) and long (50m swimming pool) course swimming competitions from 2000-2006 and Second place in 2007. 

• During the 2000/2001 season we saw two of our swimmer’s qualify for the annual South African Senior Nationals and South African short course championships meets where one swimmer achieved semi-final swims.

• We have also been the representative club for Northern Natal’s swimmer of the year since the 2001/2002 season and saw the instating of one of our swimmers as Northern Natal’s first female swimmer on the Honour’s roll for her accomplishments in 2001.

• We have since had an increase in the number of qualifying swimmers for these prestigious meets and look forward to seeing many more of our swimmers prosper. 

• Not to be outdone, we have also had a number of our swimmers represent our club at the level 1, 2 and 3 meets with great successes since the birth of our club.

• Our club realises the importance of healthy competition, and focuses on the development of sport and the individual swimmers that will represent our country in international competitions in future.

• We feel there is an unfilled need for the development of talent in our rural schools, particularly in coaching those swimmers that show potential for reaching higher levels in competitive swimming. Therefore we intend on becoming a fully representative club at both competition and officiating levels.

• At present we have a coach who gives willingly of her time to 20 previously disadvantaged swimmers at no cost and strive to reach as many as we are financially able.

• Taking advantage of the small size of our club, our devotion to excellence, and our close attention to our swimmers’ needs, we strive for the highest quality, personalised service.
  Our club promotes social upliftment, skills development and a healthy lifestyle while focusing on transformation and development. 

• As the club is a non-profit organisation, we continuously welcome donations (whether in cash or swimming equipment) in order to increase the value of our service and previously disadvantaged developmental aims.

• The swimming club currently makes use of municipal pools to host gala events. Training facilities at schools in the town of Richards Bay do not exist and coaches currently hire lanes at the municipal pools on a daily basis, per hour, to coach club swimmers. Schools in Empangeni do have pool facilities and coaches hire these facilities from the schools to provide coaching. Mtunzini, Pongola, Hluluwe and Mtubatuba schools all have pool facilities where coaching is carried out. Our region does not have a public heated pool facility where coaching can take place during the winter months.