Jeff Tavendale
BSCTA Scotland

Age: 34

Years in coaching: 16

Home town: Musselburgh

Current Position: Highland Swimming Development Officer

Previous Positions: Squad Coach at Warrender, Swim Development Officer in Stockton on Tees and Bridgend.

Coaching Qualifications: ASA Coach & Tutor

British National Champions coached: None so far.

Other National Champions coached: Rhuaynnd Butcher, Richard Watkins, Rebecca Rowe, Gemma Howells at Welsh Nationals.

Major Championship Medallists coached: None so far.

Other International swimmers coached: None yet.

Other Coaching Achievements: None that spring to mind, although I get a lot of satisfaction at seeing young swimmers develop into National standard swimmers.

Representative Coaching Honours: None to date.

Coaching Influences: Neville Cross, for being brutal in my early coaching years, Ian McGregor for making me Neville's assistant - without this I'm sure I would never had made a professional coach. Frances & Hammy Smith for always being willing to listen and give advice.

Favourite Coaching Resources: Swimming Even Faster, Coaching Young Swimmers, Coaching Young Athletes, old BSCTA Magazines and of course the internet.

Favourite Coaching Venues: Inverness Aquadome, great SC training pool & Competition venue. Tollcross, Glasgow for being a fast LC pool relatively close to the Highlands. Ponds Forge as I think it started the trend of new world class facilities in Britain.

Most important coaching qualities: Listening, have reasons for doing things you do and taking decisions.

Best British swimmer of all time: David Wilkie for inspiring the Nation.

Best Swimmer of all time: Haven't a clue but I guess Ian Thorpe must be running close to it.

Ambitions as a coach: To encourage and develop talented swimmers who want to achieve something by talent, dedication and sheer hard work.