University of Stirling Up For Scottish Student Sport Awards…..The coaching combo of Ben Higson and Steve Tigg continue on their roll of accolades, having been nominated for Coach of the Year for the 2017 Scottish Student Sport Awards. Representing outstanding sporting achievement at the highest level during the 2016-17 season, the University of Stirling coaches have been nominated for coaching along with Stirling star swimmer Duncan Scott for his performances. Higson and Tigg were already recognized with Sports Scotland’s High Performance Coach of the Year award, along with Team Scotland’s Coach of the Year Award. Scott finaled in the men’s 100m freestyle at the 2016 Olympic Games, while also notching two relay silvers. Earlier this year at the British National Championships he became the first British male to ever clock a 100m freestyle time under 48 seconds.
Penny’s Old Pool At Risk…..Penny Oleksiak, 2016 Olympic gold medal winner in the women’s 100m freestyle along with Simone Manuel, may see her once-childhood pool close its doors. Earlier this year, its city council voted to withdraw $162,000 worth of programming money from the S. H. Armstrong pool, which is located inside the Toronto District School Board’s Duke of Connaught Public School in Leslieville. At the time, Oleksiak tweeted out support of keeping the pool open, writing, “It’s important to teach kids how to swim. It saves lives and is a good physical activity.’
It's important to teach kids how to swim.. It saves lives and is a good physical activity #TOpoli #saveSHpool #ToBudget Good luck to Duke🏊🏻
— Penny Oleksiak (@OleksiakPenny) January 10, 2017
This week, an independent city committee is asking the Council to restore the programming as part of the 2018 budget process. Says one of the advocates for keeping the pool-made-famous-by-Oleksiak open, “I think the message from the community is ‘give us another chance, let us show you what we can do.'”
St Lucia ASA President Voted In….. St. Lucia Amateur Swimming Association voted in its new President during its Extraordinary General Meeting held on May 29th. Eddie Hazell, an active swim dad with over 12 years of board and council representation was voted in, with his platform focusing on ‘structure, involvement and facility’ while ‘working on the growth of all the Associations swimmers.’
The other executive members include:
Constance Renee – Secretary General
David Peterkin – Vice President Technical
Juliana Destang – Treasurer
Tessa Charles Louis – Fundraising
Sue Monplaisir – Public Relations Officer