BRANT'S THE BEST APPOINTMENT FOR MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY SWIMMING
Sydney, February 12: In another major coup for swimming in NSW, former leading Queensland coach Brant Best, has been appointed Swimming Coaching Director at Sydney's Macquarie University.
Best, who brought world champion and world record holder Jade Edmistone to the forefront of Australian women's breaststroking, is the latest top level coach to be lured into Sydney as the State continues its climb up the Australian swimming ladder.
He follows Olympic team coach Grant Stoelwinder, who has established Sydney's "NSWIS International Super Squad" which includes Eamon Sullivan, Libby Trickett, Andrew Lauterstein and Geoff Huegill and has attracted Sweden's world record holder Therese Alshammar.
Swimming Australia, the New South Wales Institute of Sport and Macquarie University are excited about Best's appointment after plying his trade as an Australian Sports Commission scholarship coach under Olympic coach Stephan Widmer over the past two years at the QAS.
With Widmer on three-month's long service leave after the Beijing Olympics, Best was in charge of the QAS program which included Olympic relay gold medallist and former world record holder and world champion Jessicah Schipper, fellow 2008 Olympians Melanie Schlanger, Christian Sprenger and Sophie Edington as well as rising stars Christopher Wright and Jayden Hadler.
"Brant brings with him the experience of working with some of the world's best swimmers including world record holders Libby Trickett, Leisel Jones and Edmistone and a range of other National Team representatives at the Queensland Academy of Sport swimming program," said the University's Chief Operating Officer, Craig Oliver.
"Whilst at the QAS Brant's roles included selection as a head coach on the National Youth Team, squad coach on the National event camp and coach on several international squads.
"Brant has worked at all levels from world record holders to some of the best age groupers in the country.
"His role is exciting as it will result in the development of a tiered swimming pathway program at Macquarie University allowing male and female swimmers to be able to integrate their studies with their swimming training and competition demands."
Based at the Macquarie University Sport & Aquatic Centre, and now working within the NSW Institute of Sport network, the establishment of the Macquarie University Swimming Club is well underway.
Best is developing a squad program for a range of athletes from age group swimmers to the elite level.
Having just completed his induction into the role Best said: "I'm looking forward to the challenge and to be in Sydney will hopefully build up an exciting squad in the lead up to the 2012 Olympic Trials.
"There is no doubt that the Macquarie University swimming program will provide a fantastic opportunity for young swimmers to reach their potential in a holistic high performance training environment."
NSWIS Head Swimming Coach Jim Fowlie said it is paramount for swimming to have a University-based system in NSW.
"Brant's appointment is very exciting indeed and I believe it will be just the start of a much better pathway for our elite swimmers in NSW, particularly those who have attend university," said Fowlie.
"We have to curb the drop out rate in our elite ranks and a university-based system will play a vital role in assisting with this.
"I am working towards the appointment of one elite coach at a university every year to ensure we create those pathways"
Macquarie University will play host to the Telstra Dolphins Australian Swim Team for the FINA World Championships in the lead up to the Swimming Australia Skins on March 24, following the Telstra Australian Championships at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre from March 17-22.