Dean Boxall has been named the 2019 Australian Swimming Coaches And Teachers Association (ASCTA) Coach of the Year.
This comes after his success at the 2019 World Championships, where he coached Ariane Titmus, Clyde Lewis, and Mitch Larkin onto the medal stand.
Titmus won Australia’s only individual gold medal at the championships with her victory over American Katie Ledecky in the 400m freestyle. Her time of 3:58.76 not only broke the Oceanian Record, but also made her only the second person to break the 4:00 barrier in textile. She also earned individual medals with a bronze in the 800m freestyle and a silver in the 200m freestyle in addition to a world record in the 800m freestyle relay.
Larkin found his way to an individual bronze in the 100m backstroke and a gold medal as a member of the 400m mixed medley relay.
Lewis finished 6th in the 200m freestyle, though his semi-finals time of 1:44.90 was actually the fastest of the whole competition. He also won a gold medal as a member of the 800m freestyle relay and a bronze medal as a member of the 400m freestyle relay.
Boxall coaches at St. Peter’s Western. Despite this award, the year has not been perfect for him as he’s faced a lot of controversy. This first began when his swimmer Shayna Jack tested positive for the banned Ligandrol, sparking controversy within the Australian federation after her abrupt withdrawal from the World Championships team. Then, he faced bullying accusations from several athletes at St. Peter’s, who claimed that they were being fat shamed among other things.
Jack’s case is still unclosed, as she will face a hearing with CAS to determine if she can get a reduction on her four year ban.
All ASCTA Award Winners
- Coach of the Year: Dean Boxall (St Peters Western, QLD)
- Outstanding Coaching Achievement: Adam Kable (SOPAC Hub, NSW)
- Open Water Coach of the Year: John Rodgers (Noosa Aquatic, QLD))
- 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, SE Qld)
- 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 Center
- SwimSAFER: Airlie Beach Swim School by Danielle Shae;
- Best Swim School- Marketing, Promotion and Customer Service: SwimSations (Goonellabah Sports And Aquatic Center, NSW); Jayson Lamb’s Splash Factory
- Best Swim School- Innovation: Barker Foundation Aquatic Center); Kirby Swim Karrinyup
- Swim Australia Teacher of the Year: Lyn Barrett (Yeppoon Aquatic Center)
- Swim Australia Teacher of Learners with a Disability, Teacher of the Year: Trish Bailey (Goonellabah Sports And Aquatic Center, 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, FNQ)
