As announced this week by Swim Ireland, Mark Fellner has been selected to lead the National Center in Limerick as head of its Development Pathway Squad. Fellner was hired away from Swim Manitoba in Canada where he served as the Executive and Technical Director.
Fellner’s hiring by Swim Ireland is the final piece of the Limerick puzzle, where the Canadian coach will join Senior Assistant Coach Emmet Crowley, Assistant Coach Fiona Doyle and Physiotherapist Scott Murphy. Fellner will serve under the recently appointed Limerick National Center Head Coach John Szaranek.
Per Swimming Ireland, Fellner will take responsibility for the planning and delivery of the Development Pathway squad in the National Center, a group targeted to deliver on a full-time or part-time basis for athletes 13 years & over (female) and 14 years & over (male) from the start of the new 2018-2019 swimming season who have one or more qualifying times for the Irish Summer National Championships
Fellner had served on the coaching staff of 3 Canadian Olympic teams and also served as project lead for the Canadian National Coach Certification Program from 2008-2014.
On his appointment, Fellner stated, “I am very excited to be joining Swim Ireland’s National Centre (Limerick) as the Development Pathway squad Lead Coach. I am looking forward to meeting current and prospective swimmers and their coaches and together we will work to enhance technique, skill and fitness, creating a great swimming environment for all.”
National Centre Head Coach Szaranek said, “It is great to be able to add someone of Mark’s vast experience to our coaching team here in Limerick and we are already working together in terms of our planning for next season. The National Centre in Limerick is such a wonderful resource for Irish swimming and this has just gone up a notch with Mark’s appointment; for the Development Pathway squad to have their own designated coach working alongside myself, things have never been better for young and developing athletes who live within drive-time of Limerick.”
In the last 2 years, Ireland has brought in Jon Rudd as their new National Performance Director, hired away from Plymouth Leander in England; appointed Ben Higson as head coach of the National Centre (Dublin)and National Senior Team Head Coach from University of Stirling in Scotland; and have now picked up Szaranek also from Scotland.
Cant understand why they are not developing their own workforce is it just a quick fix approach to Ireland?