Glen joined DASC as an Assistant Coach in summer 2007 when the club was in a difficult position, with membership, performances, and morale at a low level. In late 2009 he became DASC Head Coach, gaining his Level 3 Senior Coach qualification in 2013.He continued as Head Coach and Top Squad Coach from that time, until his recent resignation. In that period, he has worked with four club Chairmen, and perhaps 20 coaches, and has been a big part of the lives of many young people who have passed through DASC.

If you have seen Glen in action on poolside at training or at galas, you will have witnessed his passion for swimming and for swimming coaching, and the satisfaction he gained from inspiring young people of all ages and abilities to develop their competitive swimming potential. He has also encouraged coaches to share his enthusiasm and develop their skills and effectiveness.

When Glen was on poolside, you could not fail to notice him; he was loud of voice, cajoling, encouraging, demanding, as well as being loud in his choice of clothing. He believed strongly in the need for there to be an element of fun as well as hard work in training, looking to put smiles on swimmers’ faces as a means of helping to get the best out of them.  Out of the pool he enjoyed club social events, often in fancy dress – Lightwater Valley outings, ROF59 Presentation Nights, the annual North Sea Dips at Scarborough, and Ellerton Lake open water swims spring to mind.

Turning around a declining club is neither quick nor easy, and there have been plenty of difficulties and frustrations along the way. Thanks to a measure of stability and leadership that Glen brought the club through over a decade of coaching, and the support of other coaches, volunteers and committee members, DASC has steadily improved.The N&D Championships in February 2020 and the N&D Team Championships in March 2020 just before the pandemic started were the best club performances of his time with us. He has coached 7 (I think) DASC swimmers to qualify for the National Championships, including one current swimmer who has won medals at the National Agegroups and at the Scottish Nationals, and is the only swimmer based in the N&D area currently on the Swim England National Performance Squad. 

Lucy Proctor joined DASC in 2004 and was one of Glen’s Top Squad swimmers for several years, before she turned her hand to coaching at Glen’s suggestion, and now succeeds him as DASC Head Coach. Lucy says, ‘As soon as Glen joined DASC, he made a huge impact. We had an absolute blast and made memories that will last a lifetime. He taught us all a new way of training, working hard whilst having fun. He always managed to get the best out of us and in more recent years, he’s progressed swimmers to a much higher level.

He passed on his enthusiasm for the sport and helped me to become the coach I am today. He will be missed at DASC and I will try to up my sock game!” 

No one should come into DASC as a coach unless they are committed to young people, the club and the sport. The long and anti-social hours both on poolside and behind-the-scenes, while sustaining a day job, require dedication and a willingness to sacrifice sleep, leisure time and family time. 

As Glen leaves DASC, we thank him for all that he has given to DASC, we congratulate him on his successes at DASC, and we wish him well in the future.

Jane Teague and Lucy Proctor
24 March 2021