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John Beckworth  ….. Swimming Coach
Qualifications
John graduated from Melbourne
University with a Bachelor of Science Honours in Chemistry. Before retiring John
was a  teacher for  35 years, the last 15 as an Assistant
Principal of a large secondary school in Geelong. He also has extensive
experience as a School Sport Administrator.
John is a Nationally accredited ASCTA
Gold licence swim coach with 25 years experience.

Club, State and National Experience:

John is currently Head Coach of the Geelong Swimming Club which caters for all levels of swimmers.

He has coached Club teams at National level with gold medal success. In  2011 he had six swimmers compete at the Australian Open Swimming Championships and fifteen swimmers at the Australian Age Championships.

John’s experience at a Victorian State level is extensive both with School Sport Victoria teams (1992-2008) and
Swimming Victoria Development squads.

In 2009 he was  Head Coach of the Victorian Team for the Australian Paralympic Junior Games held in Melbourne.

This season he has swimmers in the Swimming Victoria Bronze squad because of their success at the 2011 Australian
Age Swimming Championships.

For the past two years, John  has been the swimming Program Manager for  for the Barwon Sports Academy.  Ten swimmers from his squad are members of the 2011 Barwon Sports Academy swimming program which is designed to promote
and enhance the development of Geelong’s elite swimmers.

John is the BeckworthRacing.com specialist swim coach. He oversees the swim program for BeckworthRacing.com specializing
in  Stroke  Analysis and Under Water Videoing.

International Experience
John  was a Team Coach of the Australian Paralympic team at the  Athens Paralympics in 2004 where his swimmer, Daniel Bell  won two individual silver medals and a relay Gold. Daniel is preparing for the 2012 London Paralympics

He was also Team Manager of a Swimming Australia Disabled team at an  international meet in Berlin in 2006.

John coaches Phoebe Mitchell, an Australian representative at the World Downs Syndrome Championships in 2010.
Phoebe swam thirteen World records last season.

John has been appointed as a Coach/ Carer of the Australian Downs Syndrome for the 2012 World Championships in Loana,  Italy.

He has also coached Age group triathletes for  many World Championships, including his son Adam who won a silver medal at the World Championships in Hawaii in 2005.

He helped to prepare Scottish and Welsh triathletes for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

John coached Austrian tri-athlete, Kate Allen, during 2007 and 2008 for the swimming leg of the triathlon culminating in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. He also prepared Kate for European Triathlon Championships in Lisbon while she was recovering from a serious accident, and the World Triathlon Championships in Vancouver where she finished eighth

He has also provided specialist coaching for Yvonne Van Vlerken who held the World Ironman Record in 2008.

John’s sets high technical standards for his swimmers in developing a mechanically efficient stroke that maximizes
propulsion and minimizes resistance. He builds power  through speed and strength training which he develops into speed endurance.
REBECCA BALM
Head Coach – Competition Target Squad
  • AustSwim Teacher since 1992
  • Qualified RLSS swimming proficiency examiner since 1998.
  • Began coaching with Geelong Swimming Club in 2004.
  • Assistant Coach at 2004-2005 Age National Development Squad.
  • Green licence coach 2004-2007.
  • Bronze licence coach since 2007.
  • Geelong Swimming Club Committee member 2004 – 2006.
  • Assistant Coach with Swimming Victoria 2004-2005 Age National Squad.
  • Assistant Coach at 2006-2007 Australian Open National and Australian Age National Championships
  • Swimmers with Disability Coach since 2010.
  • Assistant Coach for Swimming Victoria, Victorian swimmers with disability.
Rebecca coached Phoebe Mitchell in 2008. Phoebe was selected to represent Australia at the World Down Syndrome games in this year.
Rebecca first became involved with Geelong Swimming Club when her son Trevor decided he wanted to try competitive swimming. Trevor swam for Geelong Swimming Club at Country Championships, Victorian State Championships, Australian Age Championships and Australian Open Championships.  When she saw the thrill, confidence and enjoyment that her son gained from swimming she decided to take to take a more active role and assist other aspiring swimmers to reach their potential.

WENDY SVETNIK
Coach – Skills Development Squad
  • Austswim teacher since 2001
  • Infant Austswim teacher since 2004
  • Associated as a parent with Geelong swimming club for 3 years
  • Volunteer assistant to Fiona Skinner with starter squad for 2 years

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