ASCTA awards recognise swimming excellence

The Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association (ASCTA) and Swim Australia have recognised excellence among the nation’s swim coaches, teachers and facilities with the presentation of their 2019 awards.

Presented in a virtual ceremony earlier this week, World Championship winning swim coach Dean Boxall has joined a ‘who’s who’ of Australia’s legendary list of swim coaches after being named the 2019 ASCTA prestigious Coach of the Year.

The St Peters Western (Brisbane, Queensland) Head Coach won the award for his efforts with Ariarne Titmus, Clyde Lewis and Mitch Larkin at last year’s FINA World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea.

Boxall won the award from Australia’s impressive list of coaching achievers at last year’s World Championships in Gwangju - Craig Jackson (for Mack Horton), Michael Bohl (for Emma McKeon), Richard Scarce (for Alex Graham), Mick Palfrey (for Brianna Throssell), Simon Cusack (for Cate Campbell and Bronte Campbell), Peter Bishop (for Kyle Chalmers) and Adam Kable (for Matt Wilson).

He now joins of coaches John Carew, Doug Frost, Denis Cotterell, Ian Pope, John Fowlie, Bill Nelson, Michael Bohl, Scott Volkers, Stephan Widmer, David Lush, Bishop, Jackson and Cusack as a recipient of the prestigious award.

ASCTA also recognised Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre coach Adam Kable with an Outstanding Coaching Achievement Award for Matt Wilson’s  world record equalling swim in the semi-final of the 200m breaststroke at last year’s World Championships, while the ‘great survivor’ of swim coaching in Australia John ‘JR’ Rodgers won back-to-back Open Water Coach of the Year Awards.

Lismore City Council's double award 
Lismore City Council was a double winner at the Awards, with the Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Centre (GSAC) and its staff picking up two notable awards.

The Council’s swim school at the Lismore Memorial Baths and the GSAC were named the Best Small Swim School in Australia for marketing and promotion, which includes use of social media, bus signage, water safety week, grandparents’ week and swimming clinics.

GSAC’s Trish Bailey was also awarded Teacher of the Year for Learners with a Disability. 

Lismore City Council’s Manager, Major Recreation & Cultural Facilities, Tony Duffy congratulated the winners, advising “I would like to congratulate and thank our swim school team and Trish.

“We have some great facilities in Lismore, and what these awards show is that we also have some wonderful and dedicated staff who work in those facilities.

“We all know that drownings are tragic events for the families affected, but also for the whole community. That is why teaching members of our community how to swim and feel confident in water is crucially important.”

The full list of award winners of the 2019 ASCTA/Swim Australia Awards
 
Coach of the Year: Dean Boxall (St Peters Western, Queensland)
Outstanding Coaching Achievement: Adam Kable (SOPAC Hub, NSW)
Open Water Coach of the Year: John Rodgers (Noosa Aquatic, Queensland)
Multi-Class Coach of the Year: Jon Bell (Tiffany Thomas Kane); Harley Connolly (Lakeisha Patterson)
Masters Coach of the Year: Greg Gourley (Tuggeranong, ACT)
Outstanding Contribution to Swim Coaching in Australia: Reece Rackley (Rackleys, South East Queensland)
Outstanding Contribution to swimming in Australia: Peter Tonkin OAM OLY
Life Membership: Ralph Richards
Outstanding Supporters Awards for Swim Australia: Vorgee, Dawn Fraser, Kids Alive and World Wide Swim Schools (Laurie Lawrence); Gold Class (Leigh Nugent, Gary Barclay and Rohan Taylor); Dita Solutions; Ian Hanson (Hanson Media Group).
Outstanding Community Service Award: The Warwick Indoor Recreation and Aquatic Centre
SwimSAFER: Airlie Beach Swim School by Danielle Shae; 
Best Swim School - Marketing, Promotion and Customer Service: SwimSations (Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Centre, NSW); Jayson Lamb’s Splash Factory
Best Swim School - Innovation: Barker Foundation Aquatic Centre; Kirby Swim Karrinyup
Swim Australia Teacher of the Year: Lyn Barrett (Yeppoon Aquatic Centre)
Swim Australia Teacher of Learners with a Disability, Teacher of the Year: Trish Bailey (Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Centre, NSW)
Swim Australia Teacher of Babies and Toddlers Teacher of the Year: Craig Beck (Northern Rivers Swim Academy, Lismore, NSW)
Meritorious Service to The Teaching of Swimming in Australia: Chris Delitt (Little Snappers Swim School, Far North Queensland)

Images: Dean Boxall (top, courtesy of ASCTA St Peters Western Swim Club) and the Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Centre (below, courtesy of Lismore City Council).