Former Australian swim team coach Leigh Nugent visits Warrnambool to impart knowledge on the next generation

Former Australian swim team head coach Leigh Nugent was in town to provide expertise and tips to the club's pupils and coaches on Wednesday and Thursday.

Nugent, who coached the Australian swim team at the 2004 and 2012 Olympics, said the visit came about through his connection with Warrnambool Swimming Club coach Jayson Lamb.

"Jayson and I go back a long way. I've been down here a few times doing projects with Jayson," he said.

"Before COVID he'd asked if I could come do some professional development with his staff and then do some clinic-like things with his swimmers in the pool.

"This is the first opportunity we've had to re-visit it."

The decorated coach said there were two things he was hoping the students would take from the experience.

"Maybe an approach that's going to stimulate them from someone externally," he said.

"But also (provide) reinforcement of what their coaches are already doing with them."

Nugent has worked with some of the biggest names in swimming, including superstars like Ian Thorpe, Liesel Jones and Libby Trickett, but said he enjoyed working with swimmers in regional areas.

"For a coach you do it mainly because you get satisfaction out of seeing people improve," he said.

"It doesn't change, that satisfaction, regardless of the level you are working at.

"For me to come down and work with these guys and see them respond, it's very gratifying."

Nugent was glowing in praise for the Warrnambool athletes.

"They've been terrific, really attentive, applied themselves well and tried hard," he said.

"Country kids are honest and do what you ask of them and they've been fantastic to work with."

One of those swimmers was 16-year-old Georgia Turner, who said the whole experience had been "amazing".

"He really broke down the strokes - freestyle and breaststroke - and taught us how to teach swimmers how to swim those strokes," she said.

"It was pretty amazing, all the stories that he told and everything was pretty inspiring."

Fifteen-year-old Caleb Vesey also enjoyed his time under Nugent's tutelage.

"It's been good, I'm learning lots of new things, it's very helpful," he said.

"I feel like what he's teaching us is going to help me later on in life."

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