Swimming Canada

Swimming Canada may not be achieving the results it desires (yet) but you have to applaud the organization from the athletes right up through to the management.

From an athlete stand-point no other amateur sporting organization in Canada has done as much to garner attention. Consider that at the 2005 World Championships in Montreal athletes marched on the pool deck wearing Montreal Canadian jerseys which energized the home crowd. Some 6 years later at the Pan-American Games in Mexico athletes were seen wearing traditional Mexican wrestling masks which earned the athletes an ovation from the crowd.

From a coaching standpoint the organization has the respect of this blogger to recognize those coaches who are developing world class athletes. Randy Bennett - who is the swim coach of Canada's Star Pupil will head Canada's Swim Team into the 2012 London Games. Contrast this to Athletics Canada who has gone with the same staid coaches to the past 5 Olympiads. Swim Canada

And then there is the Executive Level of the organization who recently announced Vision 2020 - a road map for the organization to be amongst the top 6 nations at the 2020 Olympic Games. The plan itself looks to strengthen the grassroots program while creating a top development model.

No wonder the organization that virtually imploded in 2004 has done a complete 180 in the past 7 years and will look to win three Olympic medals in 2012. Here is hoping they succeed. They certainly deserve it!