Pic Parkhouse off to Canada

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33917, 9 August 1975, Page 48

Pic Parkhouse off to Canada

i By

KEVIN TUTTY)

New Zealand's most accomplished swimming coach. Pic Parkhouse, will leave New Zealand at the end of the year for a five-year coaching contract in Toronto. Canada. He returned yesterday after a week in Canada considering the position he will fill with the North York Aquaitic Club. Mr Parkhouse will be the head coach at the club, which is involved solely with competitors and uses five 25m pools. “I will be responsible for the over-all programme and mv coaching philosophy will be carried through the dub.” he said. Several aspects ot the iob excited him, said Mr Parkhouse. “1 don’t want people to think I’m running out on' New Zealand.| but there is a tremendous amount of incen tive both for coaches and swimmers in Canada.” “If a swimmer is in the top 25 in the country and going to university he or she gets $2OOO towards their coaching because thev are unable to’ work during the summer vacations. This monev comes from the equivalent of our Sport and Recreation fund. If they have to live away: from home thev get an additional $500." "Clubs that get swimmers

t to a high level get large j grants from the Govem- ; ment,” said Mr Parkhouse. “If a coach gets a swimmer a in the Olvmpic team he rer ceives a. $lOOO bonus. If he ror she makes a final the , coach gets $2000; for a ’ bronze medal $3000; for a silver medal $4000; and for r a gold $5000.” Mr Parkhouse said he was 1 sad to have to leave his squad t at the Wharenui club ini Christchurch. which coni tained several promising 1 youngsters. The Wharenui club is i alreadv seeking a replace-: m»nr The president (Mr D. I r W Cain) would not mention! 1 anv names last evening, but I said a coach from Europe; ’ was “verv interested” and it! was hoped to have an answer] > within a week or so. Mr Cain paid tribute to Mr! • Pr-khouse’s work. "He has ! i a tremendous record over the! i last 10 years, and it would | '’omnare to anv New Zealand I onch in anv sport at inter--national level. We are sad; > to lose him.” . ; Mr Parkhouse, aged 50., >; joined Wharenui in 1966 and; ; smce then has coached a host i of national chrnnpions and| ■ was coach of the New Zealand! • ’earns at the Edinburgh Com-! monwealth Games in 1970! and the Montreal Olympics in 1972 and was assistant coach] ■ to the 1974 Commonwealth Games team and 1975 New > Zealand Games team