A NOTABLE RECORD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23866, 21 July 1939, Page 6

A NOTABLE RECORD

VETERAN SWIMMING COACH MR A. GREIG HONOURED Outstanding service over a long period of years to swimmers and to the sport of swimming was fittingly recognised at a function held under the auspices of the Otago Swimming Centre last night, when the veteran coach and instructor, Mr A. Greig, was presented with a New Zealand “ honorary ” blazer. These blazers were awarded by the council of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association to members of clubs or centres who have given distinguished service on the administrative side of the sport, and are an honour that is not granted without careful investigation of the qualifications of the recipient. The president of the centre (Mr W. A. Jenkins) presided, and there were present members of the centre and its constituent clubs, and the president (Mr J. V. Tresize) and representatives of the St, Kilda Beach Improvement Society. Mr Greig, Mr Jenkins said, was the grand old man of swimming in Otago, if not in New Zealand, and for many

years he had closely identified himself with the educational activities of the Otago Centre. He was never happy unless he was helping the younger swimmers, and he had never confined his activities to children of the club of which he was a member, but had always been only too willing to assist the members of sister clubs. His work over the years had been appreciated by the Otago Centre, the members of which were unanimous in the recommendation for the award of a blazer, which went forward to the New Zealand Council. He had taught and coached more champion breaststroke swimmers than any man in the Dominion, and that the Otago Centre was, perhaps, pre-eminent among the centres affiliated to the New Zealand Association, was due in no small measure to the work of Mr Greig. Investing Mr Greig with his blazer. Mr Jenkins expressed the hope that he might long be spared to see his pupils bring further honours to the province. Mr E. C. Isaacs, secretap' of the Kiwi Club, of which Mr Greig is patron, paid a tribute to the work Mr Greig had done on behalf of the club, and said that not only was he a champion at coaching champions, but he was also a champion with tne little ones, the reason being that he held the respect of all of them. There was no phase of swimming in which he was not Interested. and in the broader field of the sport he was recognised as one of the foremost timekeepers in New Zealand. Among Mr Greig’s pupils were no fewer than eight national champions and record-holders, included among them being one who had represented New Zealand last year at the Empire Games. Mr Greig was the oldest wearer of the association’s blazer and that his keenness had not faded with the years was indicated by the fact that he recently celebrated his seventy-sixth birthday by swimming two lengths of the baths. Mr S. Brown, president of the Kiwi Club, endorsed the remarks of the previous sneakers, and eulogised the work Mr Greig bad done on the executive side of the club. Mr Greig thanked the centre for the honour which had been conferred on him, and which, he said, he looked on as a recognition of the work of his club as much as of anything he had done. “With regard to coaching." he added. - I could not have turned out the champions I have if I had not had the material to work on In Otago I consider we have some of the finest material in New Zealand.” , , ... Mr Greig’s health was drunk with musical honours.