Top swimmer will turn to coaching

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32801, 29 December 1971, Page 10

Top swimmer will turn to coaching

The long-term aim of Miss J. A. Wright, a former national freestyle champion and Commonwealth Games swimmer, is to become a professional coach in Christchurch. She hopes to make the switch in the summer of 1973-74. At present she is acting as a swimming instructor and poolside assistant at the Moana pool, in Dunedin, but she plans to visit Germany next year for the Olympic Games in Munich, and then return by way of the United States, to observe as many of the current swimming trends as possible. Her initial target as a coach would be to form a squad in the under-10 group, she said. “I want to get my own feelings across to these young swimmers; my object is to get them really interested the sport. It is hard to change the ways of older swimmers.” Miss Wright, who set a fine example with her spartan training methods dur-

ing her days at the top, was critical of swimmers in the 12-14 age group. “They are not dedicated enough they need to take a leaf out of the Australians’ book,” she said. “If youngsters are handled correctly from their earliest days in swimming they will understand the need for dedication and will apply themselves diligently. Otherwise, they might pick up bad habits.” A former national “Swimmer of the Year” and a winner of English as well as New Zealand titles, Miss Wright also saw the need for improved liaison between swimmers and administrators and coaches and administrators. “Liaison between coach, swimmer and administrator is not as happy as it ought to be, and this can only delay the progress of the sport in this country. “The present programme of tours, both external and internal, is the type of incentive swimmers need, but

it is very disheartening to learn that a team has been selected on the basis of potential only. “I am an advocate of selecting the best possible team for the particular occasion. “There is little consolation in being the fastest in the country and then finding a younger swimmer is chosen purely because he or she might develop in later years. “I must admit, however, that the last team to Australia was the one that I would have chosen.” Miss Wright said that New Zealand might well consider sending a team to New Caledonia, rather than an Australian state meeting. “Too often we have begun as underdogs and finished as predicted, not the slightest bit encouraged by the result. “Contrary to the thoughts of many administrators, you don’t have to be chasing someone to record your best time.”