Chief Coach (Swimming) Barry Evans

Marlins Swimming Club has a proud tradition of excellence in swimming and I am equally proud to lead the swimming coaching team.

I see Marlins swimming programme as a partnership between the club, the teachers, the swimmers and their parents. We are one team striving towards the primary focus of encouraging each and every member to achieve his/her peak individual potential as a competitive swimmer whilst at the same time, developing a love of swimming as a life-long source of fitness, health and friendship.

We have a strong dedicated coaching team blending youth and experience, and I believe success will be achieved by a coordinated approach to the delivery of quality across all our training sessions.

I also believe that swimmers get out of swimming what they put into it in terms of commitment to training, regular attendance, effort and cooperation; and we will do our best to motivate and enable swimmers to progress to the highest possible level to fulfil their ambitions.

The rewards for swimmers come first in the form of success in competitions. However, there are many hidden benefits to becoming involved in swimming, other than competence in the sport itself.

The lessons of commitment and hard work, disappointment and success are lessons that positively contribute to an individual's physical and emotional development in building self-confidence, fitness, time-management skills and self-discipline that will carry over into life outside the swimming pool. We have a strong and active Committee, some of whom are current or past parents of club swimmers; and a whole host of volunteers to whom we are indebted. We could not continue as a club without them and I would like to thank them here for their support.

Finally, we could not have achieved what we have over the years without the unflagging support of the parents who spend their Monday evenings on poolside. Again, your support is much appreciated and I like to think that together we can create a pleasurable learning experience, and a thriving, successful environment which will allow us to reach our goals.

For more information, see the Coaching and Swimming section of the documents library