Matt Smith

I have been a volunteer swimming teacher at my local swimming club Hornchurch S.C. in Havering for 7 years now. I myself am a competitive swimmer and through my teenage years I began to understand what swimming had given me as a person. It had helped me develop into a responsible, determined young adult and as a result I felt I had to give something back to the sport that has given me so much. I teach ages 3-12 years and have done some swimming coaching with swimmers older than this. I find managing the relationship between swimmer and coach fascinating but the most rewarding part of teaching is certainly teaching new skills to younger pupils. When they, for the first time, understand and perform an action I have taught them it fills me with joy. I thoroughly enjoy my work and will continue to give back for many years to come and I hope to inspire the next generation of Olympians.