Hamish Meagher - Canberra. Australia
I am a better person because of my swimming years.
As a parent, teacher, coach, it has been my role to enhance the impact of being in the water. It is this positive experience that keeps me going back to swimming.
“I think the main reason I learned to swim was because I had asthma from an early age and I was encouraged to swim for exercise and to build my lung capacity. My parents knew being able to swim, and being confident in and around the water, would open many other water-based recreational activities for me. Which is very true.
“I can’t imagine what it must be like to not feel the sense of exhilaration when you are about to run into the surf, or the sense of calm anticipation when you are waiting to catch the next wave. Or the pleasure and amazement of snorkelling in places like the Great Barrier Reef. Or have adrenaline pumping, feeling safe when tackling the rapids of the Zambezi River at Victoria Falls.
“Swimming played an integral part in my youth. It was something I was reasonably good at. It gave me discipline and provided an environment in which I felt confident to be myself. It taught me how to be patient, how to work towards my goals, and how to manage the emotions when not achieving goals; how to turn the disappointment into a positive.”
Early recognition spurred me to do more
“I can remember achieving small successes at swimming competitions as a youngster. It made me feel pretty good about myself. It was probably the one individual sport I took part in. I can still remember the day when the head coach of my swimming club team came up to me and said ‘Hamish you swam well at the weekend’. Being in one of the lower squads, I didn’t think the head coach knew who I was, let alone my name. That made a big impact on me. My other sporting pursuits of cricket, basketball and soccer were team based.”
From back yard pool play to the discipline of competitive swimming
“When I was between the ages of three and four years my swimming activities were in family friends’ back yard pools.
“This first step into ‘swimming’ was followed by more formal lessons in a neighbouring suburb, at the Kippax pool. From there I remember joining a few club programs as I progressed, first with coach John at the Boland Bolters and the Capital swim club before moving across town to the Burley Griffin Swim Club (BG). Moving to BG really opened my eyes to what as required to become a more successful swimmer. Initially with coach Kym, and then under coach Scott, the club was developing many promising swimmers who were leading the local ACT swimming scene, being successful at both State (New South Wales, Australia) and national levels. At BG I developed many friendships, which I still have today.”
The steamy pool environment taught me a few tricks
“I can still remember the smell of chlorine at some of these pools. Of note would be the pool at the old Deakin Health Spa, the home of the BG club.
“The facility included a rapidly expanding fitness gym, and the 25m indoor pool. The pool was a basic 1960’s above ground build, a low ceiling with an air heating-extraction system which seemed to work well some days, but not often enough, especially on the cold, cold Canberra days. When I arrived at the complex the wafts of chlorine funnelled out of the windows, reminding me very quickly where I was, and I had better make sure to have my asthma inhaler on pool side.
“Entering the pool area, I was hit by the humidity, the smell and the steam. The air on many occasions was so thick you could not see from one side of the pool to the other. At times this was to our advantage as coach Scott could not be sure all squad members were actually swimming.
“A few of my squadmates missed many laps sitting low in a lane corner as the more diligent squad members completed the prescribed sets. They were exceptionally good at role-playing the effort required to swim the set and making up an elevated heart rate. They thought the steam hid them from our coach’s beady eye. Perhaps it didn’t? “
Mixing basketball into my swimming training sessions
“I can recall a training set I swam in the 1980s. With my good friend Duncan, we looked at ways to bring basketball into our set of 100 x 25m butterfly. We embraced the set challenge by naming a player’s uniform number for every 25m we swam. For example, lap number 6 was Phil Smyth (Canberra Cannons, NBL) because he wore jersey number 6. Lap 23 was Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls, NBA) and so forth. Number 40 was my favourite Canberra Cannons basketball player, Emery Atkinson. He played with a lot of heart and gave his all on the court. There were some creative solutions . . . Magic Johnson (LA Lakers, NBA) minus Jamie Kennedy (Canberra Cannons, NBL). Magic # 32 – Jamie #4 = 28. It kept us going and we completed the gruelling workout. Whenever I see Duncan now, over 20 years later, we still laugh at what we managed to create.”
I was achieving my goals and enjoying myself
“Swimming has been a massive part of my life. As a kid I really enjoyed the competitive aspect of the sport. I did not have a huge amount of success but enough for me to feel that I was achieving my goals and having fun. I loved the lifelong friendships that were formed, and I know the person I am today is a better person because of my swimming years.
“The characteristics and values I am proud to display today as a primary school teacher, and father of three beautiful young children, were significantly formed during my swimming years.
“Being patient, embracing the concept of hard work and priding myself on being a disciplined person were developed through the commitment and drive required to take part in competitive swimming.”
Swimmer to teacher and coach
“Being able to teach swimming allowed me to work overseas, and across Australia, from the time I retired from competitive swimming.
“I ventured into swim teaching and coaching in the 1995, joining my former club coach Scott in Wellington (New Zealand). I spent five years in Wellington supporting Scott in setting up his swim school and swimming club at a very old indoor 33.3yd pool. It was so fulfilling to see young children who I had initially taught to swim, graduate through the swim school and enter the competitive ranks. This may sound corny but the smiles on swimmers faces when they returned from a race having achieved a PB (personal best time) were priceless.
“I also taught swimming at the prestigious Chelsea Harbour Club in London for two years. This job entailed teaching mainly private (one-on-one) or small group swimming lessons for preschoolers to 12 year olds. Once I built up confidence with the clientele I was able to organise quite a few lessons. I pretty much brought my swim teaching knowledge from down under and applied it to the children I taught at the club. Unlike the structured teaching format I was used to, there wasn’t a set program to follow, allowing me to implement the strategies and techniques I knew would be successful.
“I was not the only foreign teacher at the club. Teachers from all around the world, France, Poland, Turkey, Romania to name a few, were teaching swimming. It led to many interesting discussions as we debated and shared out techniques, styles and beliefs of how children learn – a medley of ideas and minds collaborating. Swimming served me well on my working holiday visa.
“I loved the way teaching and coaching swimmers made me feel. I could have a ‘tough’ day in the school classroom, but after an hour or so of swim coaching the challenges of the school day were washed away. I would drive home completely happy knowing I had done a good job, helped the young swimmers develop in their swimming and I hope, influenced them to be better young people. Swim teaching and coaching is where I feel greatly confident in my own abilities.
“It is only in the last 12 months that I have stopped any form of coaching. My family life with three young children keeps my wife, Steph, and me very busy.”
Hamish, what are your best swimming memories?
More than a podium achievement
“Placing ‘third’ at the Australian age championships in the 100m backstroke as a 14-year-old is a significant memory for me. In the previous 12 months I had not qualified for nationals. The disappointment of missing out spurred me on to train harder through the following year. I can still remember phoning my parents from Perth to tell them the result and being aware of their stunned shock. They were delighted for me. A bronze medal had not been on the radar.
“I still have the medal and every now and then use my story and the medal as a talking piece with my young school students, sharing with them the message of trying to do your best and to happy no matter where you finish in a race or competition.”
I nearly beat Duncan Armstrong
“At the 1993 Australian short course championships, it was Duncan Armstrong’s (Olympic Champion in 1988) last competitive event. He stated he wanted to make a final in the 200m freestyle; a tribute to his Olympic gold five years earlier. Duncan and I swam head to head, stroke for stroke with a big final sprint to the wall. We totally matched each other in the morning ‘heat’, with only a 0.01second difference in the times. He qualified last into the finals and I was the first reserve. Gutted! It was the ‘B’ final. But, as they say, do not let details get in the way of a good story!”
I never met Imran Khan
“In London I taught Imran and Jemima Khan’s son to swim at the Chelsea Harbour Club. As a huge cricket fan, I was desperate for Imran to come in and see how his son was progressing, but he never came. I even tried ringing their home but didn’t get past the secretary!”
Priceless friendships
“Many of my fond swimming memories are centred around being away with my mates and squads at training camps or competitions. As a swimmer, training camps at Albury (Australia) and as a coach at Masterton (New Zealand) are great memories. Memories of the actual swimming are strong, but travelling interstate to these meets on a team bus, and, at times, venturing overseas for competitions are even stronger. The comradery was priceless.”
Split togs
“Swim teaching one day when I was in Wellington (New Zealand) and looking over and realising the guy teaching in the next lane had split the back of his togs. Unfortunately, he was facing towards the end of the pool where the parents sat to watch lessons. Strangely he hadn’t realised and I could hardly get the words out to tell him that he had been mooning every parent watching their children swimming!”
Hamish, if a visitor came to your city, what places would you recommend they take a swim?
I have swum at most pools in and around Canberra (Australia), my number one suggestion being “Big Splash”. This is my favourite pool at the moment to have our family swims.
Kitsilano Pool. Vancouver Canada. 137m long saltwater pool, situated by the ocean. A cracking place to swim.
North Sydney pool. I love swimming here and absorbing the unique views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge as you swim. Opened 1936, it hosted the 1938 Empire Games. 86 world swimming records have been broken in the pool.
Balmoral Beach Sydney. My grandparents lived there, with my family spending every holidays down at the beach swimming and enjoying the surroundings.
Many of the beaches in and around Huskisson on the South Coast of New South Wales (Australia) are just spectacular. White, white sand and pristine clear water. Magical.
Tell us about your non-swimming life
“I’m married to Steph and we have 3 beautiful children. Adele, Lewis and James. They are 6, 4 and 2 years so our world is completely busy with kid stuff. Steph and I are both primary school teachers, roles we both enjoy and find very rewarding.
“Being in an around water is something I want my family to experience as much as possible. That is why our number one ‘must have’ is to have a home with a pool. I want to feel relaxed when I see the water. I want to my kids to spend their recreational time in and out of the water having fun, creating memories, and developing friendships. It will encourage them to be outside and active when so much of today’s world seems to be working the other way.
“I’m a mad sports follower. Particularly American sports. NBA, NFL, NHL, MBL. I cannot get enough it. When I spent a year living in Vancouver, I had to force myself not to get cable TV as it would be a recipe for a very strained relationship. Back home I am a fan of AFL and Rugby Union. Hawks and the Brumbies are my teams.
“My life journey has taken me many places. I love where I live in Canberra, but I have loved the time spent in the many other places I’ve called home over the years.
6 months in Japan – teaching English through sport and recreation
5 years in Wellington, New Zealand – swim teaching and coaching
6 months in Namibia on a Safari lodge – Impalia Island Lodge
2 years in London, UK – Swim teaching at the Chelsea Harbour club
1 year in Vancouver, Canada – teaching at a middle school.
“All these experiences have shaped me into the person I have become today. All of them hold very special memories and as I look back at them now I realise they are all centred around the teaching of something and working at a job where you are never sitting down for too long. I do not think I could ever have a ‘desk’ job. It would drive me crazy.
“Swim teaching has been something that I feel greatly confident doing. It’s not rocket science, but it is relational. Swimming, whether it is competitive or recreational, is something you do for the love of it. There are not too many swimmers who are able to make a career of it. It is something you do because of the way it makes you feel. So as a parent, teacher, or coach, it has been my role to enhance the impact of being in the water. It is this positive experience that keeps me going back.”
Before you swim off Hamish, your final words?
“For many people, myself included, being in and around water is a ‘safe’ place. A place where they feel relaxed, comfortable, confident, and happy. To many, the smell of chlorine may be a turn-off but to me, it brings back so many happy memories. It is the environment I feel most confident in.”