Alan Thompson is a former Australian swimming coach, who was once the head coach of the Australian swimming team.[1] He was appointed to the role in January 2005 following the resignation of Leigh Nugent after the 2004 Athens Olympics. He took a redundancy package from Swimming Australia in January 2010 and Nugent was re-appointed to the role.[2] Thompson was also a school teacher at his former high school, Sir Joseph Banks High School.[3]

Thomson was an official Olympic Swimming Team coach for the 2004 (Athens) and 2008 (Beijing) Olympics.[4]

History

Thompson ran his own swim school (Alan Thompson's Swim School), at the Campbelltown Swimming Centre in south/western Sydney from 1987 to 2004. During this period he was also the head coach of the Whitlam Swim Team from 1995 to 2004 and elite training centre coach at the New South Wales Institute of Sport from 2001 until 2004.[5]

Coach/Manager positions held

Thompson has served as coach or manager at local, State and International levels. Apart from Olympic competitions he has worked at:[5]

Office positions held

He has also served as a committee member or office holder of many state, National and International swimming organisations.[5]

  • FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation) Coaches Commission, Honorary Secretary (2000–05, 2005–09)
  • World Swimming Coaches Association - Board member (1994- )
  • World Swimming Coaches Association - President (1998–2001)
  • Swimming Australia High Performance Committee (2000- )
  • Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association - Board member (1987–2004)

Awards

Thompson has received several awards in recognition of his work.[5]

  • 1999 Australian Swimming Open Water Coach of the Year
  • 2001 Commemorative Ring (#54) - Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association
  • 2002 ASCTA Open Water Coach of the Year
  • 2003 ASCTA & Australian Swimming Open Water Coach of the Year

Qualifications

Australian Gold Licence / Level 3, National coaching Accreditation Scheme[5]

Complaint and investigation by Swimming Australia

In early December 2009 Thompson took personal leave following a claim of "inappropriate behaviour". Swimming Australia (SA) chief executive Kevin Neil said an "anonymous and unsubstantiated" claim of inappropriate behaviour had been brought to the national body's attention regarding Thompson, and that the allegation did not involve a claim of assault and was not a criminal matter.[9] An independent investigation found that "there was no evidence found to support the allegation of inappropriate behaviour made against Mr Thompson".[2][10]

Rugby league

Thompson, a long-time supporter of the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs rugby league club, was appointed general manager of its football operations on 15 April 2010.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Swim coach Thompson stood down ", ABC Sport-Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 7 December 2009
  2. 1 2 "Former Australian head swim coach Alan Thompson cleared of alleged inappropriate behaviour", AAP, 14 April 2010, Retrieved 14 April 2010
  3. ↑ "Alan Thompson appointed head coach for Australian swimming ", AP Worldstream, 17 November 2004
  4. ↑ Honour List of Australia’s Olympic Swimming Team Coaches
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Alan Thompson Data Archived 5 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine", WSCA Online World Swimming Coaches Association Website
  6. ↑ Coaches Honour List - Commonwealth Games
  7. ↑ Coaches Honour List - Pan-PacificGames
  8. ↑ Coaches Honour List - World Championships
  9. ↑ "Claims-Force Swim Coach to Take Leave ", News.com.au, 7 December 2009
  10. ↑ "Swimming Australia-News-Latest News: Swimming Australia Statement ", Swimming Australia, 14 April 2010, Retrieved 14 April 2010
  11. ↑ AFP (15 April 2010). "Swimming coach switches to rugby league". Times Live. AVUSA, Inc. Retrieved 15 April 2010.
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