Kevin Brooks

Age: 23

Years in coaching: 6/7

Home town: Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

Current Position: Head Coach, Maxwell SC

Previous Positions: Assistant Coach - Ferndown Otters Swim Club (Sep 2002-2004). Deputy Head Coach - Maxwell Swim Club (Sep 2000- Sep 2002); Assistant Coach Maxwell SC (Sep 1997-2000) 

Coaching Qualifications: ASA Coach - Completing Post Course Work. ASA Club Coach (one of the youngest in the Country to complete the cousre at 19) BSc(Hons) Sports Development & Coaching Sciences at Bournemouth University (Sep 2002 - still ongoing)

British National Champions coached: Home coach to Craig Gibbons whilst he trains full time at Swansea High Performance Centre with Bill Pilcuzk

Other National Champions coached: Edward Downes, Assisted with Paul Turner

Major Championship Medallists coached: None so far

Other International swimmers coached: Edward Downes (Euro Short Course 2004, 200IM and European Juniors 2005, 200IM), I'm also home coach, whilst they are training full time in Swansea to Craig Gibbons (Euro Short Course 2004, freestyle) and, Neil van den Brok (Euro Short Course 2004, breaststroke)

Other Coaching Achievements: 6 Maxwell Swimmers Quailifying for the World Trials in March 2005. Maxwell being ranked 14th top club at the trials. Coaching various national quailfiers of age, youth and senior level since 1999. Countinuing to produce County, District and National Level Swimmers. Head Coach to a highly successfull Western Counties Multi Skills Camp for top 5 swimmers in 11/12 age group (2003).

Representative Coaching Honours: Selected as GB Coaching Staff for the European Junior Team 2005 - Budapest, Hungary. Additionally selected as a group coach on the GB World Class National Youth Programme Training Camp in Callela Spain 2005.

Coaching Influences: Ferndown's Head Coach; Tony Watson. Maxwell's Past Head Coach Janko Gojkovic who was my mentor for many years and owe so much too. Vic Green (my own coach). Also Sue Parker, ASA Senior Tutor - inspiring me to become an Assistant Teacher at the beginning when I was 16. Other inflences have been the likes of; Sean Kelly and Bill Pilzuck. There are many other coaches that I have learnt from but I definately have admiration for the likes of Ben Titley, who like me started coaching very young and he's achieved so much, something which i aim to do.

Favourite Coaching Resources: Other Coaches by far. Various books, the internet and the stacks of notes I've picked up or that I've been given by various people over these 6 years ~ better than any book by far.

Favourite Coaching Venues: Reg Maxwell Pool, in Aylesbury, all those years of my swim training, now closed, it's a special place. Coventry, for the first major championships I coached at for Maxwell. Ponds Forge due to the excitement experienced at National Events.

Most important coaching qualities: Respect for your swimmers and other coaches, as then you'll gain more respect out of it. Belief in yourself and your training methods, but with the willingness to learn new and different approaches. A willingness to share information and help other teachers or coaches reach their goals ~ you never know when you might need there help. A great sense of fun, enthusiasm and dedication - how else can we be on poolside for 5:15AM!?

Best British swimmer of all time: David Wilkie and Sharron Davis for inspiring many young and old people to take up the sport we know and love. I also have a great deal of respect for Karen Pickering, who has been competing at such a high level for so long and is one of the most proffessional swimmers i've seen.

Best Swimmer of all time: Alex Popov and coming up close Ian Thorpe, just for there superb technique and sheer SPEED - like poetry in motion.

Ambitions as a coach: My Tutor once said to a group of other Teacher Course candidates, 'Kevin, is the one person that I know who STICKS to his goals and dream.....' I have fulfilled my first goal of passing my ASA Coach and having my first National Qualifiers, and at quite a young age(19). I have been Deputy Head Coach at two great clubs. I am now a full time Head Coach to a high level club at the age of 23 and i'm lovin it!! - I have had my first selection as a GB coach which is fantastic for me and for my development.... and I quote 'first', because I intend to produce the very best swimmers and one day become a regular on the national team in the future.... watch this space :).