Good Bye and Good Luck Winsford Swim Team
Now that my final session and gala has been complete it is time for me to say goodbye and good luck for the future to all swimmers, teachers, coaches and members of Winsford Swim Team. It really has been an honour to coach at this great club, and coach so many hard working, dedicated and motivated swimmers, I will miss everyone so dearly.
My time at Winsford started in 2011 when Dave Pettengell brought me over to the team to assist him. Over the years I have learnt a tremendous amount under his tutelage, and using this knowledge to full affect when I was appointed Head Coach when Dave took his well deserved retirement. 13 years later with less hair on my head (yes I used to have a bit of hair), and eyes more baggy than a Luis Vuitton shop (due to all the 4am get ups), I am sadly leaving this wonderful club and some outstanding talented athletes and coaches.
Over the years as a club we have had tremendous success, punching well above our weight on both a Regional and National level, and this is down to us all, the team. There are so many people over the years who have contributed to our success; coaches, parents, committee, team managers and officials who have supported me and our swimmers over the many years I have been at Winsford. There have been many stalwarts who have been at Winsford for a decade or more, or even in Barrys case multiple decades of work. Your work, dedication and drive has been massively appreciated by me and I am certain all of Winsford Swim Team, we all can’t thank you enough.
I have been very fortunate to work with so many great coaches over the years starting with Dave all those years ago, and many more who followed over my time. Hand on heart it has been a joy to work with everyone who has assisted poolside, thank you for your help because being Head Coach for so many years has not been easy.
My final thank you is for all the swimmers I have been so very lucky to coach over the years. The reason I have been at Winsford for so long is because of you, our swimmers. It has been a very hard job I am not going to lie, the weight on the shoulders is great, and it did feel at times like I was a hamster on a wheel running frantically and unable to keep up. BUT it has been a fantastic job at the same time, and one I wouldn’t have changed for the world. Working as head coach and helping children and young people to achieve their potential has given me so much joy over the years, thank you to all swimmers YOU kept me going.
On another note, it was very kind for the coaching team, Barry, Lee, captains team and all the swimmers to organise a little presentation on Wednesday evening, I was very touched. The gifts and cards I have received over the week were massively appreciated, and the messages from our swimmers and members did bring a little tear to my eye, thank you.
It was also lovely to welcome back some old faces back to the pool on Wednesday evening, who I have loved coaching over the years, thank you to; Eleanor O’Grady, Lauren Haves, Rebecca Alderman (who I believed organised it), Grace Farr, Domi Dean, Alex Law (Izzy’s future husband), James Mitchel, Alex Mitchel, Adam Blackshaw, Oli Rose, Jordan Gaskell (the barber), Josh Wilson, Jacob Robson, Jamie Young, and one of our brilliant ex coaches, Nigel Woodbridge. I think I have mentioned everybody who came down, if I have missed anyone, I do apologise. Again it was so lovely to see you all.
Winsford will now look forward to the future with tremendous enthusiasm, Winsford will retain some incredibly exciting coaches of the future, and a new Head Coach in time will come in and bring fresh and inspiring ideas which will be very exciting for everyone. I have no doubt at all Winsford Swim Team will go from strength to strength and push on for many more years to come, as they say "the future is bright, the future is orange".
Good luck to you all, I wish everyone at Winsford the very best for the future.
Enjoy every minute of your time here, there is no other club like it.
Good Bye, I will miss you all.
Dan.
