NZSCTA 2014 Conference

Two international guest speakers highlighted the 2014 New Zealand Swim Coaches and Teachers Association (NZSCTA) conference held this week in Wellington.

Dick Shoulberg (USA), who has coached a number of Olympians, spoke on topics from ‘yearly planning’ to ‘maximising the space you have’. While Australian Julie Stevens discussed ‘what it takes to be an inspiring, engaging and unique teacher’.

Shoulberg also hosted a pool session that proved another highlight for attendees as he went through an individual medley short course session after speaking the day before on the value of individual medleys.

A few Swimming New Zealand (SNZ) staff also presented at the conference. Performance Coach David Lyles, High Performance Director Luis Villanueva and High Performance Development Coach Donna Bouzaid all touching on topics of youth and age group development.

Bouzaid was also at the conference to take coaches through Silver and Bronze accreditation courses as part of the coach accreditation programme delivered by SNZ and NZSCTA.

Event organiser, Graham, Price, said it was great to see so many coaches undergoing their Bronze accreditation.

The conference also saw Judith Wright be made a life member of the association. She is only the second women to be made a life member.

The NZSCTA Awards Dinner also took place on the Monday night of the conference. The awards recognised a number of outstanding achievers including Swim Teacher of the Year, Aleisha Clarke and Swim Coach of the Year, the High Performance Team from Auckland.

Full list of Award winners:

Swim Teacher of the Year: Aleisha Clarke

Rookie Swim Teachers of the Year: Becky Oswald, Brigitta Bonar, Nicki Walker & Stacey Short

Outstanding Swim Schools: AUT Millennium, JC Swim School, Liz van Welie Swim School, Northern Arena, Tepid Baths Auckland & Whakatane Swim School

Open Water Coach of the Year: Judith Wright

Provincial Coach of the Year: Mike Lee

SWD Coach of the Year: Roly Crichton

Swim School Promotion Awards: Northern Arena &Whakatane

Swim School Coach of the Year: High Performance Swim Coaching Team, Auckland

Swim Club of the Year: North Shore Swimming