New British National Performance Director for Swimming

[Chris]

What are your opinions about the appointment of Ian Thorpe's old coach (I think) Bill Sweetenham as the new Performance Director?

His credentials:

"Four times Olympic Head Coach, and Head Coach of the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra for 10 years, Sweetenham was voted Australian Coach of the Year three time. He has placed 63 swimmers on international teams with 27 winning medals at Olympics and World Championships."

can't really be disputed. Like the England football team, is this injection of foreign blood the booster the sport needs?

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Chris (Webmaster)
Beau Sejour Barracudas Swimming Club - Guernsey
http://www.barracudas-sc.org.gg/

[Pete]

I think this is a good move. Australia are the number 2 nation in the world. Don't compare it with the football (What have the Swedes ever done?) As long as Bill is happy in this country and we give him our full support it should work out. He has a great track record not just recently but over 20 years+.

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Looking forward to hearing from fellow coaches and keen swimmers needing help.

[Conrad Cawley]

NEWS!!!! Taken from Lane9 http://www.swiminfo.com/lane9/

November 2, 200 -- Canada Axes Top Swim Official --

November 2. Just one month after Canadian swimmers turned in one of their most disappointing performances in recent Olympic history, Swim Canada--the national governing body in that nation--has unceremoniously dumped its CEO, Harold Cliff.

After winning three medals at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, Canada earned only one medal this year in Sydney--a bronze by Curtis Myden in the men's 400 meter individual medley.

Swim Canada officials confirmed yesterday that the decision to dump Cliff came amid a sweeping review of the role of the CEO "in order to more effectively meet the needs of its swimmers, coaches and volunteers." Officials said that, effective immediately, Cliff's contract had been "terminated without cause."

Cliff appeared surprised and upset by the decision: "They can put it (Canada's failure at the Sydney Games) on my shoulders, but it's not like I was out there on the deck. It's not like a general manager of a hockey team that goes out and hires the players he or she wants," he said

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Conrad

[Coach]

Originally posted by conrad cawley:
NEWS!!!! Taken from Lane9 http://www.swiminfo.com/lane9/

November 2, 200 -- Canada Axes Top Swim Official --

It's not like a general manager of a hockey team that goes out and hires the players he or she wants



He does have a point!!