bscta : Ian Wright

Other International swimmers coached: Richard Hope (Scotland Team 1996), David Leith (GB Junior Squad 1996), Mervyn Faassen de Heer (Scotland Team 1998), Lewis Smith (GB Team, European Junior Championships 2005; GB Youth Squad 2003-05), Emma Harrison (GB Age Squad 2002), Jamie Griffiths (GB Age Squad 2001), Malcolm Kerr (GB Youth Squad 2004), Billy Purnell (GB Youth Squad 2005)

Other Coaching Achievements: Warrender ~ SASA East District Age Group Champions 2000-2005; Scottish Championships: Top Club 2005, 2nd 2004, 4th 2003; British National Youth Championships: 2nd Top Boys Club 2005, 3rd Top Boys Club 2004, 7th Overall Club 2004.

Representative Coaching Honours:
GB European Junior Team Group Coach 2005
GB Youth Team Group Coach, Australian National Age Championships 2004
GB World Class Potential Girls Age Group Squad Head Coach 2003-04
GB World Class Potential Girls Age Group Squad Skills Coach 2002-03;
GB World Class Potential Boys Age Group Squad Group Coach 2001-02;
Scottish National East District Squad Head Coach 1999-2002;
Scottish National East District Squad Assistant Coach 1997-1998;
Scottish Team, Commonwealth Games preparation training camp, Florida, 1998

Coaching Influences: All coaches really but in particular, Hammy Smith and Neville Cross have both helped greatly since I started coaching and my previous coaches when I swam, Paddy Garratt and Ian Armiger, both set me up with good values and principles.

Favourite Coaching Resources: Swimming Fastest by Maglischo and all good swimming websites.

Favourite Coaching Venues: For competitions its definitely Ponds Forge, Sheffield; for training it would be Leith Academy School pool in Edinburgh or the pool at the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Most important coaching qualities: Decision making skills and motivating swimmers.

Best British swimmer of all time: David Wilkie without doubt; however, I never saw him swim.

Best Swimmer of all time: I now consider Michael Phelps to be the best swimmer of all time for his 2004 Olympic results, his versatility and his domination of several events at the same time. Mark Spitz is not far behind though but I cannot praise him as highly as I never saw him compete. For other swimmers who I have observed competing, Ian Thorpe, Alex Popov and Inge de Bruijn have all impressed me greatly.

Ambitions as a coach: I split this into two parts: to enable all swimmers I work with to achieve their potential in swimming and to coach swimmers on to Olympic Games and other major international event teams.