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TWO long-serving members of Weston-super-Mare Swimming Club were
honoured at the recently held annual general meeting, Mike Coles and
Julian Davies.
Mike Coles was given a life membership of the club for his services to
them in Water Polo.
He is presently the club’s Chief Water Polo Coach. A former competitive
swimmer for the club, which he joined in 1960; playing water polo at
most levels since taking up the sport with Weston in 1968. He has
coached water polo for the club since 1983, as well as being a former
swimming teacher for them. He is also the present secretary of water
polo for Weston, a post he took up in 1980.
He is a former chairman of the club (2002-2005) and also has done a
stint as the club secretary (2006). Apart from his roles with Weston, he
is also present secretary of Somerset ASA Water Polo, ASA South West
Region’s Water Polo Development Co-ordinator; a former elite water polo
coach with the ASA and Western Counties water polo coach. For a number
of years he was the ASA’s National Competition Administrator,
controlling water polo competitions across the country, and sat on the
ASA’s Technical Water Polo Committee.
He is presently the Bristol & West Water Polo League’s Match Secretary
and website administrator; as well as being a National Water Polo League
referee and international table official, attending the Len European
Nationals Trophy for Men, held in Manchester in 2007.
He is one of first water polo personnel to be given the honour of a life
membership, and follows in the footsteps of his father, Doug Coles, who
is also a former club captain and life member. Mike also presently has
two sons in the club, and also his wife, Joy, is an international water
polo table official and National Water Polo League table official.
Julian Davies, also a former water polo player, joined the club in 1966,
and also swam competitively with Mike. He also represented both club,
county and region at water polo, and was also an international trialit
in water polo. He is the club’s assistant chief swimming coach, was
presented with the honour of Clubman of the Year for his hard work on
both poolside and with helping the swim squads at competitions. He
presently has three daughters who swim for the club.
Mike and Julian were introduced to the sport of water polo by the
present National Water Polo League Secretary, Chris Ducker, a former
Weston-super-Mare Water Polo member.
Both were presented their awards by Neil Harper, who was re-elected for
a second term as the club’s chair. |
