Coach Spotlight Series

Don Burton wants to make something abundantly clear.

As a veteran of many competitions, challenges, and the culture of swimming, he not only has earned the trust from others, but it goes well beyond that because of his wealth of positive experiences.

When it gets right down to swimming, Burton knows quite a bit about the sensitivities and pleasures of accomplishments and prosperity.

A Toronto native, Burton has been around the world of swimming as an ambitious swimmer, and as a proficient coach with clubs of all magnitudes. He was also a huge part of the aquatic program fame at the University of Guelph.

When the prospect came about for him to consider becoming the head coach of the Ontario Swim Academy, Burton knew the opening was more than just something that added to his already profound resume.

It was a chance to build on the tremendous effort and commitment of a province-wide wealth of club coaches. The benefactor would be the athletes. When he was offered the career move towards the end of 2016, Burton made the best of the opportunity.

The Ontario Swim Academy, based out of the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre (TPASC), is the creation of a learning and developmental centre. It is funded through the partnership of Own the Podium, Swim Ontario, Swimming Canada, and the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario (CSIO).

As an innovative project, it sticks to a special mandate. It provides identified able bodied and para athletes with the education and experience needed to plan and aspire for international, world and international and Olympic performances. Coaches benefit, too.

It’s that straightforward.

Burton is adamant that the Swim Academy was not developed to lure swimmers from club programs. At the Academy, the swimmers still represent their swim clubs.

“There are more than 140 swim clubs across Ontario, and I want them all to do well, from giving youngsters an opportunity to learn how to swim, to doing whatever they can to advance those capable, and interested, in training for major competitions,” said Burton.

“Simply put, Ontario needs to get more kids involved in the sport and everyone needs to do a better job getting parents to understand that swimming is great for many reasons, ranging from social to physical to educational.”

Trust and a background of wisdom and patience are words that bode well with Burton.

“When I came to the Swim Academy, there was some apprehension,” said Burton, a former Athlete of the Year during his tenure on the swim team at Carleton University in Ottawa. “There were people who thought (the Swim Academy) shouldn’t be around. Others had misconceptions and we needed to do a better job at informing and improving what we were all about,”

Predominant in the Ontario coaching community for many years, Burton is convinced the message is now abundantly clear. The Academy is designed to improve performance with the objective, over the next year, to get athletes on to Canada’s National Junior teams, also prepping for the Canada Games in 2022, and continuing to support local clubs.

A personal goal for Burton is to grow an Ontario Swim Academy that boosts participation and performance of athletes with a variety of physical challenges.

“Development is a big part of what we do and we have the coaching and sport science expertise,” said Burton. “What’s missing is a way of being creative enough to get more young people with disabilities into the water. There is a huge building opportunity here.”

Burton met Aly Van Wyck-Smart in 2018. At the time, he had no idea of her potential. But that changed quickly. Van Wyck-Smart, who has cerebral palsy and became interested in swimming at age 10, has been daring and confident. She’s had a phenomenal growth of success in the sport.

At the 2019 Canadian swim championships in Winnipeg, Van Wyck-Smart set three (S2) North American records. Then, in her debut at the World Para Swimming Championships in London, England, Van Wyck-Smart won a pair of (S2) medals: a silver medal in the 100-metre backstroke and a bronze in the 50-metre backstroke. Both were in North American record times.

“She’s an amazing athlete and person,” said Burton. “She’s had to climb a few hurdles with some personal health matters, then was out of the water for a significant amount of time because of the pandemic. (Aly) is also in a new classification. I know she wasn’t happy with her results in Tokyo, but from what I saw, she did very well. This was a world showcase – and she was competing in it.”

Aware that not every swimmer gets to the awards stage, Burton reminds his swimmers that it’s okay to be bold and want to win.

“I love what I do,” he said. “Watching swimmers get better is fantastic. I work with people who have chosen a dream - and I try to do what I can to make that dream a reality.”

David Grossman is a multi, award-winning communicator and storyteller with a distinguished career in Broadcasting, Journalism and Public Relations in Sport and Government Relations.