Bridgwater Mercury8:12am Saturday 9th February 2008

New Coach galvanizes Bridgwater swimmers

BRIDGWATER Swimming Club have entered a new, exciting era, with the appointment of Mark Rawle as their professional head coach.

Mark, a level-three coach, took over last month, succeeding young local Ricky Hayes, who had a level-two qualification, and left in April. Until Mark started, volunteers had been keeping things running smoothly at the club, which uses the pools at Sedgemoor Splash Burnham and Millfield School.

The West-Somerset-based Mark was appointed following a tough interview process, with applicants over the country.

Mark is from the Watchet area and has coached in Somerset for a number of years, having been Assistant Coach at both the Taunton Deane and Minehead & West Somerset clubs.

The new Coach is a member of the SASP (Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership) Swimming Development Team.

Mark has taken over a club which maintains a very strong and close atmosphere and finished fourth last May in the Cotswold League.

In the Speedo League (October-December 2007), Bridgwater swimmers rose to the challenge, swimming a succession of personal-best times.

Having qualified for the B final, they achieved an outstanding second place in that and tenth overall in the league. That was three places higher than in the previous year and the club's best since 2002.

Under Mark, a new coaching structure has been set up. The benefits have been showing already, pushing elite swimmers at the club to the next level and, at the same time, finding and bringing through talent at a very young age.

His influence and coaching skills are already producing good results. In Bridgwater's first Cotswold gala of the year, the swimmers showed great motivation and team spirit.

Bridgwater won 26 of the 52 races to register one of the club's biggest victories ever. Final placings were: 1 Bridgwater 167pts, 2 Stroud 120, 3 Bristol Penguins 116, 4 Cheddar 108.

Bridgwater Swimming Club is always looking for fresh talent and enthusiasm. For further information, visit the club website at www.bridgwaterswim.co.uk.