Aquatic Mentors

Podcast Episode – Fiona Stewart

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview an industry professional who in a short time has gained extensive experience in the aquatic industry so please extend a big welcome to the podcast for Fiona Stewart.

After graduating Learn to Swim lessons Fiona moved onto a competitive swimming team at the age of 13. Under the guidance of her coach Rob Moon, Fiona developed her love and appreciation for swimming and shared this with her teammates and the community.

Fiona completed her Austswim Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety in 2014 and moved quickly into coaching in 2015 where she has support local swim teams with their coaching efforts.

One of her personal highlight’s was coordinating and managing a team for the 2012-2014 24hr MS Mega Swim’s where participants swim in teams for 24 hours raising funds for Multiple Sclerosis.

In 2017 Fiona completed her Bachelor of Sport Development and used the skills gained to take on management roles including her now current role as Swim School Manager at Core24 Health Clubs.

Fiona is a strong believer that exercise can be used as a tool to develop individuals and the community for the better.

Since retiring from competitive swimming, Fiona has found a passion for triathlon and holistic health.

Through today’s episode Fiona shares some insights into her work as well as her thoughts on swimming in Australia and where she see’s swimming moving to in the future.

Please share what inspiration you draw from Fiona’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find her details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story than please contact me via my email: [email protected] as I know we can all learn from your experience.

So, let’s jump in and find out more about Fiona’s journey in swimming.

Fiona Stewart’s Contact Information:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fiona-stewart/

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email - [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Podcast Episode – Jason Hellwig

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview an industry professional who has had years of experience in sports administration and development so please extend a big welcome to the podcast for Jason Hellwig.

Jason’s achievements in the administration of sport began early in his career when he took on the role of Development Officer at Athletics Australia. He moved up the ranks and continued to have a impact on sport by taking on the role of Director of Sport at the Australian Paralympic Committee.

In 2010 Jason became the Chief Executive Officer for the Australian Paralympic Committee where he was responsible for leading the corporate and sporting strategy of the organisation to consistent and internationally competitive standards.

After taking a year off to pursue private consulting Jason moved into the role of CEO for Swimming Victoria in 2016. His work at Swimming Victoria is aimed at driving growth in the sport Victoria wide.

Jason believes strongly in being compelling in our proposition, excellent in our delivery and strong through our culture and values.

In 2012 Jason attended the London Paralympic Games as the Chef de Mission for the Australian Paralympic Team.

Jason is a performance and values driven leader with a compelling set of experiences including strategic sport business development, brand and public proposition growth, change and innovation in complex, competitive and fast changing landscapes. He is highly focused on setting and achieving commercial outcomes with substantial corporate and government relationships.

Through the 5 years Jason has been involved with Swimming Victoria Jason has progressed and improved the services offered while empowering his staff and those involved in the industry.

In today’s episode Jason shares his love for swimming and also some great insights as why he finds our sport so amazing. I am excited to bring you Jason’s vision for Swimming in Victoria and Australia and his thoughts on making the front door into the mansion of swimming bigger. Jason shares with me his experiences during COVID and how these experiences will impact how Swimming Victoria works into the future past COVID lockdown.

Please share the inspirational insights you find in Jason’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find all his contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected]

So, let’s jump in and find out more about Jason’s journey in swimming.

Jason Hellwig’s Contact Information:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonhellwig/

Email: [email protected]

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email - [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Podcast Episode – Ross Gage

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview an industry professional who has learnt from the best in the industry and has made a massive contribution to the way the aquatic industry runs today.

Please welcome to the podcast Ross Gage.

Ross started his swimming journey in learn to swim lessons with the legend Laurie Lawrence in country Queensland where he developed his love for swimming and teaching. Ross has since had a list of roles in the aquatic industry including owning his own swim school, coaching, CEO of Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association, Swim Australia, and Australian Swim Schools Association.

Early in his career Ross received a Bachelor of Human Movement Studies (Education) specializing in psychosocial aspects of children in sport and physical recreation and became a Tutor of Physical Ed. Student teachers in the Dept. of Human Movement Studies. He continued to develop his skills by completing aquatic courses and qualifying as a Silver licence coach for swimming.

Ross’s list of professional positions, events he has played a role in developing, achievements as well as lectures and publications he has written in his aquatic journey is enough to make anyone’s mouth drop. He has had a massive impact on the aquatic industry in so many diverse ways and he has not finished yet.

During our talk Ross mentions his induction into the United States Swim School Associations Hall of Fame in 2017 as one of his biggest highlights and I can understand why.

Even though Ross has reached big heights in swimming career he is still very humble and enjoys watching his partners grandchildren take part in their first swimming lessons.

Normally when I record my interviews with guests, I spend time getting to know them before rolling into the podcast questions. This includes small talk and a quick catch up for those that I have met before. I do not normally include these introduction conversations in the podcast, but Ross shared such amazing information with me that I new I needed to include it in the recording.

I learnt so much from my interview with Ross and I would love to learn what comments or points inspired you so please share them on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find all of Ross’s contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected] as I would love to know my audience better by sharing your journey in swimming.

So, let’s jump into my interview with Ross Gage as he is sharing his thoughts on the advantages of technology in swim schools.

Ross Gage’s Contact Information:

Email: [email protected]

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ross-gage-41b37817/

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email - [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Podcast Episode – Amanda Maher

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview an industry professional who has had years of experience in the aquatics field and volunteering for community organisations so please extend a big welcome to the podcast for Amanda Maher.

She has been teaching swimming since 2002 and during this time she has used her skills to develop her swimmers as well as staff.

While working as the Aquatics Coordinator for the Kingston City Council Amanda undertook her Diploma in Business Administration and Management and used the skills, she learnt through the course to enhance her role at the council’s aquatic centre.

While in her role at the Kingston City Council the Aquatic centre won the 2009 ARV – Swim School of the year award.

Amanda than moved on to coordinate the VICSWIM program with Aquatics and Recreation Victoria. VICSWIM is a state-wide intensive 3-week swim program which runs through January and employees a large workforce at one of the busiest times of the year.

She now dedicates her time to her roles with the Kingston City Council at their aquatic facility which covers all areas of the Aquatic program through customer service to aquatics supervisor and mentoring new swimming teachers working at the venue.

In 2018 Amanda was awarded the National AUSTSWIM Teacher for Access and Inclusion award which she holds as one of her biggest personal achievements.

Through today’s episode Amanda shares some insights into her work as well as her thoughts on swimming in Australia and where she see’s swimming moving to in the future.

Please share the hidden gems you find in Amanda’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find all her contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected]

So, let’s jump in and find out more about Amanda’s journey in swimming.

Amanda Maher Contact Information:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-maher-13932245/

Email: [email protected]

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email - [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Podcast Episode – Emma Lawrence

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview a woman who has dedicated her life to swimming and water safety, the amazing Emma Lawrence.

Emma joined the family business during her years in high school and made a big impact on the business while studying at University bringing the knowledge and skills she developed through her Business degree into the family swim school helping expand and develop it into what we see today. This achievement includes 3 Swim School venues, an online swim training website for swim teachers, parents and coaches as well as the Kids Alive Do The Five program and other water safety programs.

Emma has had a passion for baby swimming but after the birth of her two girls Emma wanted to share this passion with as many mums as she could. Watching her girls develop a real joy for the water while acquiring their water safety skills has offered her the opportunity to learn so much more about children and swimming.

Through the connection with major Aquatic Training organisations in Australia and the world Emma has been able to share the connection her and her girls have with the water by running in person training sessions for swim teachers as well online sessions.

Emma looks forward to documenting the develop of her new baby niece and nephew as they learn to swim and experience the joys of swimming.

Through today’s episode Emma shares some insights into her work as well as her thoughts on swimming in Australia and where she see’s swimming moving to in the future.

Please share your thoughts on Emma’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find all her contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected]

So, let’s jump in and find out more about Emma’s journey in swimming.

Emma Lawrence’s Contact Information:

World Wide Swim School Website: https://worldwideswimschool.com/

Kids Alive Do The Five: https://kidsalive.com.au/

Learn to Swim Week: https://learn2swimweek.com/registrations-open-soon/

Email: [email protected]

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email - [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Podcast Episode – Kelly Perkins

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview a young lady who has been involved in many levels of the Australian aquatic industry and who also spent time swimming and coaching in USA.

Kelly Perkins is an experienced Marketing Research Consultant with a demonstrated history of working in the management consulting industry. Outside of swimming Kelly is skilled in Event Planning, Customer Service, Coaching, Advertising, and Sales. She has a bachelor’s degree focusing on Business/Commerce from University of New England (AU).

In 2016 Kelly developed a boutique swim school called Nu-Swim in Queensland which caters for children, adults, and competitors alike.

At Nu-Swim her students are not trained to a level-based structure. The ‘technique-based program’ is developed to the personal strengths and weaknesses of each student and focuses on the individual’s stroke development and continued improved skills, challenging them to perform well in all situations.

I am so pleased to be able to share Kelly’s story and her views on the aquatic industry both pre and post COVID.

Due to technical difficulties we had to rerecord the second half of this interview so there may be some changes in our conversation regarding the first country wide lockdown for COVID and then the second COVID lockdown currently being experienced by Victoria.

Please share your thoughts on Kelly’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find all her contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected]

So, let’s jump in and find out more about Kelly’s journey in swimming.

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email - [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-van-eyk-261851124/

Kelly Perkins Contact Information:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-perkins-28b06898/

Website: https://nu-swim.com.au/

Email: [email protected]

Podcast Episode – Taya Phillips and Kathy Parton

Hello and welcome to the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview two ladies who are at the head of the Aquatics and Recreation Victoria Office. Taya Phillips is the Member Services and Event Coordinator and Kathy Parton is the Chief Executive Officer at ARV.

While not having a background in swimming these two ladies have brought the experience and skills they acquired through previous roles to ARV.

Kathy’s experience covers local, state, and federal government in the areas of Community Wellbeing, Community Capacity Building, Health and Disability Services, Children’s Services Planning and Development as well as many more roles in government.

Taya’s experience lies in event management and marketing which has included roles for guest services and events at Walt Disney World and Hospitality and Special Events at Cricket Australia.

Kathy has experienced a baptism of fire into her role of CEO at ARV being only a month into her role when the 2019-20 fires hit Eastern Victoria. During ARV’s star VICSWIM program Kathy and Taya with the help of all the VICSWIM staff had the challenge of moving, cancelling and rehousing daily swimming lessons for the intensive 3-week program.

ARV is now playing a large role in supporting the Victorian Aquatic Industry as we endeavour to come out of the COVID lockdown as a stronger more unified industry.

I hope you enjoy my interview with Taya Philips and Kathy Parton from Aquatics and Recreation Victoria as much as I did.

Please share your thoughts on Kathy and Taya’s interview on our Facebook page, Aquatic Mentors and you will find their contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story, please contact me via my email: [email protected]

So, let’s jump in and find out more about Taya and Kathy’s journey in swimming.

Aquatics and Recreation Victoria:

Website: https://www.aquaticsandrecreation.org.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aquaticsandrecreation

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aquaticsandrecreationvic/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/aquarecvic

Email: [email protected]

Kathy Parton’s Contact Information:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-parton-486b2b32/

Taya Phillips Contact Information:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taya-phillips-6ab66468/

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email - [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Podcast Episode – Danielle Taylor

Welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I am your host, Katrina van Eyk.

In this episode I interview a young lady who is a big advocate for the regional and rural swimming industry.

My guest, Danielle Taylor swam started her swimming journey in her small country town of Alpha which is 14 hours west of Brisbane. Danielle developed her swimming ability in towns seasonal pool and then was given the opportunity to swim for a bigger squad when she moved to Brisbane for boarding school.

After her swimming career Danielle moved onto University and studied Medicine and has completed her master’s in Public Health.

Danielle draws on the information she has learnt outside the pool to enhance her swim school and the local community. The 8-week swimming program her swim school provides is complimented with her presenting skills when she offers training courses which help residents stay safe and respond to emergencies.

In 2019 Danielle received the prestigious Swim Australia Swim Teacher of the Year Award and the Alpha Swim School won the Swim Australia Outstanding Community Service Award.

I am so pleased to be able to share Danielle’s story and her views on the regional and rural swimming industry.

Please share your thoughts on Danielle’s interview on our Facebook page Aquatic Mentors and you will find all her contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story please contact me via my email: [email protected]

So, let’s jump in and find out more about Danielle’s journey in swimming.

Danielle Taylor’s Contact Information:

Alpha Swim School: https://www.facebook.com/alphalearntoswim/

[email protected]

Link to Danielle's published article for the International Journal of Safety: https://www.mdpi.com/2313-576X/6/2/31?fbclid=IwAR0rHmNa-VIgyVyBkfsITvCK3dSnWYRAT_NVg-FZAoKxNsQi9AbNDO51TR4

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email - [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Podcast Episode – Tori Karg de Almeida Interview

Hello and welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. I’m your host, Katrina van Eyk.

Today I chat with a lady with many talents and a strong passion to help the aquatic industry.

Tori Karg de Almeida has been teaching swimming for 20 years and is the owner of Aquamad Swim School in South Africa.

During her years of swim teaching Tori used her marketing skills and talents to help other swim schools to promote their services and fill their classes. Tori realised she could impact many more swim schools by expanding her marketing services so she founded Shine Swim School Marketing, a digital marketing company that specialises in helping entrepreneurs grow and scale their swim schools.

Tori shares some amazing insights with me regarding marketing your swim school and how we can come out of Covid a bigger and better industry with a marketing message which is streamlined for all of the aquatic industry.

Please share your thoughts on Tori’s interview on our Facebook page Aquatic Mentors and you will find all her contact details listed at the end of the show notes.

If you want to share your aquatic story please contact me via my email: [email protected]

So, let’s find out more about Tori’s journey in swimming.

Find Tori's free downloads by clicking on this link: https://value.shineswimschoolmarketing.com/

Tori Karg de Almeida’s Contact Information:

Website - https://shineswimschoolmarketing.com/

Email - [email protected]

Facebook – Shine Swim School Marketing

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/torikargdealmeida/

Katrina van Eyk's Contact Information:

Aquatic Mentors - https://www.aquaticmentors.com.au/

Facebook - Aquatic Mentors

Regional Swim Clinics - www.regionalswimclinics.com.au

Email - [email protected]

Facebook - Regional Swim Clinics

Podcast Episode – Michael de Souza

Hi, and welcome to another episode of the Aquatic Mentors podcast. It's great to have you onboard, I’m your host Katrina van Eyk and today we're going to be talking to the amazing Michael de Souza. Now Michael de Souza is a Caribbean born man who lives in London. He's fantastic swim teacher, who's using his background to expand and encourage kids to swim in a really fun and exciting way.

So, we talked today with Michael about how he learned to swim and how his journey started and what he brings to the swimming industry and to the kids that he teaches. So, Michael's had a lot of time teaching celebrities, children to swim. So, quite a few celebrities in London and around the UK, got him to teach their children to swim and they had a lot of farmers, a lot of entertainment, a lot of joking and a lot of rhymes brought into his teaching and we talk about the future and what he sees for it. And we also talk about his amazing talents as a writer. Now Michael wrote books about a mouse called Rastamouse and his crew Da Easy Crew and his books are fantastic, and they have been made into a TV series, which is played here in Australia called Rastamouse. He is now developing other books that are related to swimming as is one of his main passions and I really can't wait to be able to read them and show them to my students and my children.

So, I hope you really enjoy this episode. I had a lot of fun and I learned a lot from it. He has a lot of wisdom and knowledge to share with us, but I've also left the little sacred in the end of the episode for you, just for a bit of laughs. Alright, enjoy it. And we started at podcasts with Michael de Souza and we are asking him where he started his journey and swimming.

How did I start my swimming?

Yes, your journey in swimming.

Well, basically as a self-taught swimmer, I was very, very scared of swimming, petrified actually and, I eventually taught myself. That's how I got into swimming, just teach myself.

Wow, good work. So, you just threw yourself in the deep end and off you went.

Well, I wouldn't say deep end. I would say very much the shallow end.

Good point. Do you find that helps you when you are teaching other kids that are scared?

Well, absolutely, totally and completely, because I would say I understand fear of water very, very, very well. Like I can recognize it from 500m, to be honest with you, I've seen it in all forms, guises. People pretend with ego and they say I'm all right, but, you know, because I know it couldn't have been anyone more frightened than myself in the water. So, you know, I more say to myself that I'm more about someone that eradicates fear as opposed to just being a swimming teacher, specialising in eradicated fear.

Wow, I really like that. That's a good way of putting it, eradicating the fear from swimming. What a good idea. What's been your biggest lesson that you've learned through swimming?

I think what I've learned that it's a great equalizer. It doesn't matter what you look like, sex, age, height, build it doesn't matter. Once you got the love of the water, anyone could really enjoy it and look wonderful in water.

Perfect! I really liked that and I feel the same and I know on land I'm not so elegant, but once I'm in the water, I feel as elegant as dolphin and a mermaid and that's the same for everyone, I think.

Absolutely, yeah. That's one thing I've definitely done.

And what's been your biggest highlight of your swimming journey?

There were a couple of things, right? One student, people was said that he didn't concentrate and what not. Anyway, after teaching him, he entered this new competition in Spain, held by the King of Spain and he won a gold medal.

People, found it difficult to teach him, but I didn't find it difficult at all. That is the main one really. And then the biggest thing for me was going to Sri Lanka after the tsunami in 2005, 2006, I was invited over there to teach 69 children to get them into the water. It’s as a big highlight.

Wow, 69. That would be just amazing, the whole fear factor involved in that would just be amazing to be able to push them through that and get them in.

Yeah, completely and the thing is, some of them hadn't been in water before. Some of them were going to return to the water, but equally as well, they've never been in a swimming pool and fortunately for us, there was a, one of the people that sponsored me. She had a friend, I think his name is Jeffery Bauer, an architect. He owned a property in Sri Lanka. So, I asked him if we could use the swimming pool and we got the students in there. It's the first time they'd ever been in a swimming pool and I managed to get 65 of them in that week in the swimming pool in the deep end.

Wow, that’s fantastic.

Yeah, it was fantastic.

That's great and that shows a lot to the power of swimming and your teaching skills and what you've been able to do to be able to get people in there, and especially not coming from Sri Lanka and having to deal with sort of the cultural background and be able to get them in the water and get them skills. That's fantastic.

Yeah, it is quite interesting as well, because obviously there was a language barrier, but what I decided to do was try to have a common language that neither of us knew too great, which was Italian. So, when they did something, I'd say ‘Fantastico and Bravo’ and they loved it.

What a great way of looking at it. I would have never thought of something like that.

Yeah, because they don't speak my language, I don’t speak their language. Do you know what I mean? I thought let's meet in the middle, you know, it's like that.

Yep, oh wow, so smart. So, no wonder the kids relate to you so well to be able to think outside the box like that.

Yeah, that's what you got to do with children. You know, you have to, you have to think outside the box also, it mustn’t be predictable. Cause I think when you are predictable swimming could be a bit boring, you know?

Yeah, that's right. And that's the thing I think for teachers, a lot of swimming has to be repetitive because that's how kids at that age learn. But it's about being repetitive with the skills, but the way you teach it being different.

Absolutely. Look, the thing is right. At the end of the day, when you're swimming, your arms bends and straightens, your legs bend and straighten and they'll kick up and they don't do much else. So, it's how many different ways you can persuade someone to do that. So, I've been dealing with children, their whole world is about play. You've got massive scope there. So, you know, it's just a blank canvas, really? That you can fill up.

That's brilliant. Wow, that's great thinking. And that is it. They are a blank canvas. Swimming is something that we can fill their lives with and expand in so many ways. It becomes, you know, a lot of people I've spoken to have said that swimming, it's not just confidence in the water. It's confidence in their whole life as well.

Most definitely. It seemed to me like you were gonna say that. And I said, if you weren't, I would have said it because there's been many, many occasions where I've had taught children and the parents have said to me, listen, it's made such a difference right across the board is lifted up their confidence in every aspect of their life, which is brilliant.

Yeah, it is great. And I find that here in Australia, because we're such a water based society that, there's so many different aquatic sports, and even, people go on holidays to the beach, people go on holidays to the rivers and they water ski and a jet boat and they do all sorts of things like that. I think having that skill and that confidence in the water, they can then do so many other activities, whether they'd be water-based or whether they're not the, they can feel confident and know that they're going to be safe while they're participating.

Yes. Yeah, exactly.

So, was there anyone that played a big role in your swimming journey? Like a mentor or family member?

Yeah. Well, when I looked at that question, I thought there were two people that influenced me and they were both when I was in primary school, one was one of my peers, Tony Nash. He was an English fellow and you know, when we come from the Caribbean, obviously none of us can swim very well, but he was like the original little English fish. He was a proper little fish. He swam good, he dived well plus he looked good in his trunks.

The other person that really was a massive influence was a teacher called Mr. Limerick. He was from Australia and in our primary school every Friday, he used to show us real to real life films of Sydney, films of Australian divers, swimmers, Mexican cliff divers and that's where I got my love for diving and swimming. Cause I loved diving. Anything to do the water by that time.

Yeah, it was funny. Cause it was the first time I'd met an Australian. This w...