Coach Spotlight Series

Making a choice can be difficult, challenging and just might leave a person contemplating about the final outcome.

For Paul Armstrong, it was obvious.

Armstrong has made some arduous decisions along the way, but back in his days as a student, there was one that was rather straightforward.

A native of Saskatoon, he had planned to combine his academic studies in Kinesiology with varsity swimming while attending the University of Saskatchewan.

But there was just one problem.

There was no swim team. It had been cancelled.

A former cross-country runner of the year in high school, the only distance running Armstrong would do at the post-secondary level, was dashing off to the Saskatoon Lasers Swim Club at the Aquatic Centre.

At age 20, he had his first official taste of coaching – and with a successful organization. It was no cushy job, but he knew the younger years of wanting to be a professional athlete were gone. Passionate and enthusiastic about coaching swimmers was his future.

“I had given up competitive swimming too soon, but I was anxious to teach youngsters,” said Armstrong, who recalled a coach who mentored him. “I had a real good swim coach in Grade 7 or 8, Brad Dingey, and he was hard on me, but I benefitted immensely. I would learn in life that good coaches are hard to find.”

Armstrong would develop what he termed “a culture of excellence” in assisting swimmers to adapt, train and develop their own route to success in the pool.

Having received offers to coach in Calgary and Winnipeg, Armstrong – three years after his debut as an assistant coach, earned his first fulltime gig coaching the Southwestern Aquatics club in Tillsonburg and Woodstock from 2003 to 2009.

It would become a foundation for great experience until he learned that a job was opening in Brantford. Tom Langridge had moved on after he and his wife had accepted a job with Swimming Canada.

In March of 2018, having checked the job board for openings on the Canadian Swimming Coaches Association website, he applied and later was chosen head coach of the Brantford Aquatic Club – an organization whose home pool is the posh Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre.

Committed to his work, confident and beaming at the opportunity to lead a new club, he took a deep breath and looked forward to achieving further greatness.

“It was just what I had wanted,” said Armstrong, who had built quite an impressive resume as a coach and builder in swimming in Saskatchewan before heading back to Ontario. “I was a better coach and wanted to also make changes and adjustments, for the better, at how things are done.”

Talk with Armstrong about how he spends his days and what is evident is that he has two homes – one with his family and the other with the 200-plus members of the swim club.

“I have been told that I can be persuasive, and everyone knows that I am always open to learning and new ideas,” said Armstrong, who instantly hit it off with the 15 to 18-year-old swimmers by incorporating pop music to his repertoire of classes.

“We always play music because we want the experience to be one of fun. The kids are committed, the club is growing and there is huge improvement in the pool.”

One swimmer that has created fireworks is para swimmer Angela Marina, who has had notable performances at the international level. Most recently, at the 16th Paralympic Games held in Tokyo, the 22-year-old had a sixth overall finish in the 200-metre freestyle for swimmers in the S14 event.

“The pandemic has made it very hard for everyone – including our swimmers,” said Armstrong. “(Angela) trained by herself for six months and had been given special allowance to use the (Gretzky Sports Centre) pool.

“She used her skills, a race plan and in a stressful environment. To me, that’s worthy of a medal. She did the work, refused to give up and while I was there as her coach, she also had a huge team of specialists supporting her.”

Armstrong has expectations for his club program and Marina at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris.

“We only have a few para swimmers in the program and so we’re looking to attract more swimmers with disabilities,” said Armstrong. “(Marina’s) focus, commitment and success in the water has reiterated our club message that we’re open to everyone.”

Marina had won two gold and a silver at the 2019 Parapan American Games in Lima. It was her first appearance at a major Games. A year earlier, at the Pan Pacific Para Swimming Championships, Marina won a gold medal and broke the Canadian record in the 200m freestyle.

With the Brantford Aquatic Club committed to diversity and enjoyment, Armstrong’s leadership and experience have been a huge bonus with emphasizing excellence for all swimmers at all skills and abilities.

“There are life skills learned in this sport that beyond medals,” said Armstrong. “I always look for ways to upgrade and develop an atmosphere that challenges our swimmers, their parents and our coaches.

“While I am very competitive, and it would be easy to say just go do the best you can, I have a responsibility to reciprocate back to each swimmer when they need guidance. The goal is for swimmers to enjoy themselves and continue to develop their love for this sport.”

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.