Jayson Lamb.
WARRNAMBOOL swimming coach Jayson Lamb has spent a week learning from the best — and he’s adamant south-west juniors are in good hands.
Lamb was one of 43 coaches and 120 swimmers who took part in Swimming Australia’s (SA) national event camp on the Gold Coast.
The Warrnambool Swimming Club mentor was a “scholarship coach” and worked with Australia’s best female butterfly swimmers under head coach Rohan Taylor.
Lamb said the camp, from January 28 to February 2, was an opportunity for the Australian swimming team to train and review a below-par result at the London Olympics.
He said the swimmers trained at eight pools on the Gold Coast while the camp also featured team meetings and coach meetings. “It was a full-on week but it was good to know that the majority of things we did we’re already doing here in Warrnambool,” he said.
Victorian Marieke Guehrer and New South Wales’ Nicole Mee were among the high-profile swimmers Lamb worked with during the week.
Australian champion Susie O’Neil also spoke to the participants, discussing what it took to achieve at the highest level.
“She was fantastic,” Lamb said. “Her thoughts on swimming were you don’t have to be an extrovert to be a swimmer.”
Lamb said the chance to meet people running the sport at the highest level was rewarding.
“The best thing I got out of it was the networking,” he said.
“There were no phones in the mess hall so that meant people talked.
Even the Olympic coaches were getting ideas off us. What I’ll try and do is bring that here.”
afawkes@fairfaxmedia.com.au