Coaching

Chief Coach Terry Davies took an interest in competitive swimming and water polo on joining the Royal Navy and swam Breaststroke and played polo for the North Command, and in numerous Royal Navy Fleet events around the world.
He began Coaching in 1969, gaining formal ASA Teaching and coaching qualifications during 1974. Over the next few years Terry visited Russia (Moscow school of Breastroke swimming), Canada, Germany and three USA University programmes, working and studying under world wide National Coaches, in addition he attended many courses in a wide range of swimming subjects at Universities and Sports Institutes.
Terry's first swimming coaching appointment was as Chief Coach to the Port of Plymouth ASC, and to the City of Plymouth Training Squad, with some 1500 swimmers in the programme. They produced many County, District, National Age Group and Open Champions. It was during this period his daughter Sharron made the GB Olympic Team as the youngest swimmer to achieve this honour and in 1978 Sharron won 2 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games in Australia.
In 1978 Terry established a National standard squad at KELLY College, Devon, and over a five year period, 23 of his swimmers made Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth Games Teams, winning medals at every games. Two of his Squad won Silver Medals at the Moscow Olympics, daughter Sharron in the 400IM and Helen Jameson at Backstroke, and during this time squad members broke and re-broke hundreds of British and Commonwealth records at all strokes and the IM.
In 1983 Terry moved to London as Principle Watersports Officer to the London Borough of Southwark and in 84 was appointed as Chief Swimming Coach to the British Blind swimming team. Terry established a National network of training groups and a National Training scheme, this programme eventually led to the British Team the World No.1.
In 1986 he took on the responsibility of co-ordinator for the overall National Disability swimming programme and severed as Chief Coach at the European, World and Paralympic Games. The Seoul Paralympics saw the GB Team rise to 3rd position of 89 Nations and in Barcelona 1992 the British Team was the most successful team. At the Barcelona Paralympics Terry was asked by the Spanish to be joint Chief Technical Referee and he has sat on a number of International Committee's including that of the Paralympics.
In 1993 Terry developed a London based swimming programme in conjunction with the Sports Council and ASA South, and in 97 he moved to Swindon as Chief Swimming Coach to Swindon Dolphin ASC, where in 1998 the club became Wiltshires top club at County, District and National AG level, with swimmers regularly making National AG finals.
Terry joined Watford in 2003 as Chief Coach and with 20 years Coaching at International level and with his vast knowledge of swimming is a great enhancement to Watford Swimming Club's future.

Development Squad Coach

We have appointed Paul Jones as our assistant to Terry as Development Squad Coach.

Paul has been swimming since the age of about 6 months when he was taken to Gurnell pool and thrown in by his parents. The sink or swim approach they called it. Well he says he learnt to swim and has enjoyed it greatly ever since. Paul joined (Ruislip and Northwood SC) and trained there for a dozen or so years. While there he made county times and attended various galas and competitions. He has also competed in the London Triathlon, which includes a 1000 metre swim in the docklands then a 25 miles cycle followed by 6 mile run. Paul's coaching career started when he was asked to demonstrate a tumble turn – lots of studying and numerous courses later ….. Paul's teaching and coaching experience has been wide and varied from teaching children at Watford Springs to club swimmers and during a visit to Australia he assisted with teaching a group of children in the outback to swim. Paul has moved to Watford from Borehamwood Swimming Club where he set up their Development squad. This increased the number of swimmers they have attending the County organised events. Paul says he can still compete and can occasionally be seen getting into a pool for a training session (a rare sight though). He knows what it’s like standing on the blocks waiting for the start of a race and he hopes that he will be able to bring his previous race experience along with his enthusiasm and commitment to the fantastic work that has already been set in place by the club. Paul says he is really looking forward to working with Terry and all the Watford coaches. He hopes that he will be able to help in producing some fantastic swimmers and allow Watford Swimming Club to go from strength to strength.

Mesdames		Messrs
C Rudge	ASA Adv Tchr, ASA Pre Coach, ASA Tutor	J Martin-Dye	ASA Club Coach, ASA Adv Tchr
J Petchey	ASA Ast Tchr, Lane Coach	Dr P Barrie	ASA Tchr
S Astbury	ASA Tchr	M Wildey	ASA Pre Tchr
.	.	P Cuthbert	ASA Ast Tchr
.	.	S Chambers	AA Tchr

WSC is always in need of new Timekeepers and Judges, without these officials we are not able to run champs and we expected to take s number of officials to open Meets we attend as well as to County Events. If you would be interested in attending any of the courses the club will fund the cost of the course if applicable, in return for you helping out at galas as able. For further information please see any of the coaching staff of team managers.