British Swimming has lost a huge portion of their National Team staff since the Olympics for various reasons, and though they are still hunting for the permanent replacements for both National Team Director and National Team Head Coach. Those would replace Denis Purseley, who moved back to the United States to take over the head coaching job at his alma mater the University of Alabama, and Michael Scott, who couldn’t make the commitment to move from his home in Australia to the UK for the next Olympiad.
Mark Perry, the leader of the Open Water and Development Programs, has been promoted to Technical Lead on an interim basis. He led the team that went to the Brazilian School Games last week to the tune of 23 medals and will provide support specifically to the ITC, and more broadly to all coaches within Britain’s elite ranks. He was on the British Olympic staff at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
Graham Bassi, who is currently an assistant at the Swansea ITC that included, among others, Olympian Jemma Lowe among its ranks, will take over Perry’s role with the developmental team. That’s a crucial position for developing the next generation of great British swimmers.
Mark Perry, who has successfully led both the Open Water and Development Programmes for British Swimming will move up from his current position to take up the interim role of Technical Lead.
Ian Mason, the Director of World Class Operations for British Swimming, won’t formally be changing roles, but will be the new direct report for those who previously were under Scott.
Meanwhile, British Swimming Chief Executive David Sparkes has had a discussion with their country’s most high-profile swimmer Rebecca Adlington over her recently-voiced concerns about the direction of the program.
Adlington expressed dismay with how long the review process was taking, and how much time was being taken to find a new head coach (read more about her comments here).
In a statement released today, British Swimming acknowledged that Adlington and Sparkes had a “healthy debate” over her issues, though the exact content of that conversation was not revealed. Sparkes did commit, though, to improve two-way communication between himself and the Athlete Leadership Group.
There was me hoping for John Rudd, he has worked magic as head coach at Plymouth. Just listen to the young names that are from that group…Ruta Meilutye, Achieng Ajulu-Bushell (when she was good, then she went to Ealing SC and didn’t do so well), Grace Vertigans, Antony James, Joseph Patching, Ben Proud and so many more great young swimmers. While most of those names will go in one ear and out the other to anybody not in the UK they have great times and potential for their ages, Vertigans is Britains best young female pure sprinter since Halsall (25.5s) and Ben Proud is arguably the fastest improving young sprinter in Europe (22.6)…his best time in 2011 was 23.40s (50Fr)… Read more »
who are these guys? never heard of them