Our Coaches for 2024

Stadium Masters

Stadium Masters Swimming Club

Located at Perth HPC Mount Claremont

ABN: 55 280 850 346

stadium.masters@gmail.com

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I first did some fun coaching in the ocean with students at a high school in PNG in 1972. In 1994 I joined Stadium Masters (then known as Superdrome Snappers) and began the Level 1 coaching course in 1997 qualifying in 1998 and have continued coaching since then. As Director of Coaching on the Masters Swimming WA Board for ten years I contributed to a major revision of the coaching course making it simpler and more accessible. When I retired from a policy position at the Department of Sport and Recreation, I initiated the Wednesday morning training session which has helped to attract new members and has become the best attended Snappers squad. In earlier years I served as secretary, president and captain but now my focus is coaching, and I enjoy seeing our swimmers develop and improve.

Mark has been an MSA qualified Coach for around 4 years and, when he is not travelling, coaches our Tuesday evening session. He is not recognised for his patience or bedside manner – indeed one of his common mantras is NO GAIN WITHOUT PAIN – some might even say he has sadistic tendencies. However, for some reason they keep coming back for another dose! Although Mark has little interest in competing, he has a keen interest in swimming technique and particularly in efficient freestyle, which tends to form the core of the training sessions.

I became a Masters coach in 2021, after studying during Covid lockdown in 2020. I have been involved in masters swimming since 2008 and have been totally hooked since then. To keep up to date with coaching techniques I watch videos online, not only those posted by Masters Swimming, but others by coaches all over the world. I was born and grew up in England, where I learnt to swim and swam competitively at club level. I came to live in Australia 33 years ago.

In England I trained (with the Amateur Swimming Association) to become an instructor (1976) and subsequently coached juniors, and adults in the masters section of the City of Oxford Swimming Club (which I established). In early 2007, I retired to Perth, joined Stadium Snappers and qualified as a coach in 2012. I have continued to coach at the club. My main aim in coaching is to encourage swimmers to achieve their potential. I have swum competitiveley from an early age and hope to continue doing so.