Cook + Phillip Swim Club

SLC AQUADOT CARNIVAL

Last Sunday 3 of the clubs stronger swimmers, accompanied by 2 squad members went to the SLC Aquadot carnival at Sutherland. This is the home club of Ian Thorpe and his coach is the head coach there so it was likely to be pretty hot competition.

Samantha Marshall, Oliver Schaffer and James Medway competed in 13 races, and between them achieved 10 PB's, which can only be described as spectacular and a credit to them and their coach, Steve Garner. Sam won 3 golds and 2 silvers, James 3 golds and a silver and Ollie (swimming in the 14 and over category, which as a 14 year old, is pretty hard work !) got a silver and 3 PB's. Well done team !

Steve Garner - an opinion from a "swimming dad"

Almost exactly a year ago, our daughter, Samantha finally pursuaded us that she was serious about her swimming, and was prepared to put in the "hard yards" in training. In turn, we agreed to fully support her, pay for squad training and try and become morning people (this was not an easy transition !).

This time last year Sam, aged twelve, joined Steve Garner's morning squads and spent the next month going up and down the lanes trying to keep up with the junior squad - these were all kids quite a lot younger than her, fitter than her, and in some cases, faster than her.

Steve spent that month watching and assessing her, and regularly spoke to all of us about what was required to become a good, even if not great, swimmer. He stressed that talent was probably only 10% of the story - her mental attitude and her willingness to work hard were the key things needed. It needs to be understood that at this time Sam was just one of a number of new kids in the squads and had not really shown any obvious potential.

Over the next six months Sam's times barely improved, but she kept at it, working to a carefully thought out and structured program. Suddenly in late October it all started to come together and under Steve's expert tuition and a very professionally designed program Sam is now working hard to qualify for the National Age Championships in April. She may or may not make it - however her being able to aim that high does demonstrate what extraordinary progress she has made in 12 months.

We are certainly very proud of her, and of how hard she has worked. However the key ingredient was the fact that the head coach of the centre, Steve Garner, had the professionalism to take her aspirations seriously when she was just another kid in the squad, had the expertise to design and manage a program that has worked beyond any of our expectations, and had the temperament to keep the whole thing calm and (most of the time !) good fun for Sam. His level of support was certainly well beyond anything we could have expected.

I am not sure that everyone appreciates just how good a coach Steve is - an awful lot of what Sam has and is achieving can be put down to him. If a family has a swimmer in the same position as Sam was in 6 or 12 months ago, and if that swimmer is prepared to put in the hard work, then with Steve on your side anything is possible.
David Marshall