A Day in the Life...
Over the past several months the Gazette has featured numerous young swimmers from the Borough of Stockton Swimming Scheme who have been gaining regional, national and international success these swimmers include 15 year old British Champion Jessica Dickons and Commonwealth games swimmer 16 year old Jemma Lowe.
Along with the dedication and talent of all these swimmers, there is the need for a talented and dedicated coach. In Graeme Antwhistle, the Borough of Stockton Swimming Scheme has such a coach. Twenty six year old Graeme who has been coaching for 10 years, the last 8 years as head coach has a gruelling weekly schedule.
Graeme personally supervises 11 pool sessions and 2 land sessions per week at Tees Actives Active Life Centres This includes five early morning sessions which involves Graeme getting up at 5.15am to commence the training session at 6am!!! After this two-hour session Graeme returns at 5pm for another 3 hours to organise the session and then meet with club officials.
Graeme who designs the individual programmes for all his swimmers has had his successes and talents recognised by no less than the National Performance Director Bill Sweetenham who has sent Graeme to the Canadian coaching Convention in Vancouver and he has also travelled with some of his swimmers to China and the United States of America.
Graeme whose long-term ambition is to produce an Olympic Gold Medallist says “All the hard work has been worth it and I want to develop in to the best coach that I can be and make Stockton a major force in British swimming”
One of the major changes Graeme has noticed over the past few years is the increased use of technology in coaching. One of Graeme’s coaching aids is a swim bench, which is connected to computer software which measures the swimmers stroke rate and power output.
With the dedication of Graeme and his swimmers and the support of Tees Active hopefully we will be seeing regular international success for Stockton swimmers.
For further information about swimming at the Active Life Centres contact Tees Actives swimming Development Manager on (01642) 528540 or visit new.teesactivelimited.co.uk.