JOHN FOWLIE NAMED ASCTA SWIM COACH OF THE YEAR
ASCTA, May 22: John Fowlie, the man who coached Alicia Coutts to five gold medals at last year's Commonwealth Games in Delhi, has been named the Speedo Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association (ASCTA) Coach of the Year on the Gold Coast.
Fowlie joins an impressive list of Australia's who's who of swimming coaches to have won the award, names like the late John Carew, Bill Nelson, Scott Volkers, Doug Frost, Shannon Rollason, Ian Pope, Denis Cotterell and Stephan Widmer.
A packed ballroom at the Sofitel Hotel at Broadbeach on Saturday night acknowledged the announcement made by ASCTA president, Olympian and coach Ron McKeon during the 40th anniversary celebrations of the association.
Fowlie is currently on an altitude training camp with Coutts and his AIS-based squad in North America as they prepare for this year's FINA World Championships in Shanghai in July.
Australia's National Head Coach Leigh Nugent accepted the award on Fowlie's behalf and likened the innovative young coach to a young Forbes Carlile who was in the room with wife Ursula to celebrate ASCTA's 40 years.
"There is no doubt in my mind that John Fowlie is one of the most exciting young coaches in the world of swimming, who has the ability to be up here again accepting this award in the future," said Nugent.
"His work with Alicia Coutts to win gold medals in two individual strokes (butterfly and freestyle) and the 200 IM, as well as her part in Australia's gold medal medal-winning relays was nothing short of fantastic.
"Apart from his coaching ability and his love of the sport he also uses all the tools and technology at his disposal at our National Training Centre in Canberra, where he started his rise to international coaching as a scholarship coach.
"He is quickly developing into a modern day Forbes Carlile with his innovative coaching style.
"John is way on a third altitude training study with his athletes as he prepares his athletes for this year's World Championships and I know he will be thrilled to receive this award and the recognition from his peers."
This year's week-long ASCTA Conference attracted over 700 coaches and teachers to the Gold Coast including guest lecturer, 72-year-old legendary US coach Richard Shoulberg.
Other coaches awarded last night, included Craig Jackson (Melbourne Vicentre) who won the Age Group Coach of the Year; Ken Wood (Redcliffe Leagues) the Open Water Coach of the Year; Graeme Carroll (AIS) the Multi-Class Coach of the Year; while Francis Godden (Doncaster Dolphins) was named the Masters Coach of the Year and Matt Brown (Brothers Qld) received his Platinum License certificate.
The National club awards went to Melbourne Vic Centre led by Ian Pope and Craig Jackson (Go Club and JX Coach of the 
Year Awards) and Carlile Cherrybrook led by Greg McWhirter (JX Gold Coach of the Year Award).
Siria Thomas was awarded the Meritorious Service to the Teaching of Swimming for her work in the Swim Australia drowning awareness campaign hosted by Sarah Murdoch.
The Outstanding Contributions to Swimming in Australia were presented to long standing Australian selector and statistician Tony Woodhouse; former coach, ASCTA CEO and researcher Dr Ralph Richards; ASCTA Insurance broker Marsh and long-standing sponsor and supporters Speedo.
Popular television producer and presenter Jon Harker (Harkattack Productions) was awarded the major Media Award for his work in the Foxtel production - The Spirit of Australian Sport: Swimming, hosted by Ian Thorpe.
Two of Australia's finest sports photographers, Delly Carr (Sportshoot) and Gregg Porteous (Daily Telegraph) won the two annual photographic awards.
Carr won the best Action Photo of the Year for his head-on shot of Olympian Travis Nederpelt while Porteous won the Best Feature Portrait for his underwater photo of Grant Hackett in a business suit, taken at the Sydney Olympic pool 10 years after his 1500m freestyle gold medal at the 2000 Olympics. - IAN HANSON.