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| - Olympic swim coach Jan Cameron has been appointed to a new role to direct Swimming New Zealand’s performance programmes. Swimming New Zealand announced that Cameron will become General Manager, Performance and Pathways, one of several new positions in the organisation. Wellington’s Veronica Garrett is the organisation’s new General Manager Stakeholder Services. It is part of sweeping new plans for Swimming New Zealand that will ultimately involve six new appointments with three general managers for the key parts of their organisation – performance programmes, stakeholder services and business support. Swimming New Zealand undertook a full study of their High Performance programme last year by internationally renowned coach Bill Sweetenham and also reviewed their internal organisation. Swimming New Zealand Chief Executive Mike Byrne said that the organisation needed to take the next step forward in its development across all aspects of its operation. “It’s been well documented that six or seven years ago the organisation was in trouble and Paul Veric as CEO guided Swimming New Zealand in a new direction and established an excellent platform,” Mr Byrne said. “So it was timely to look at ourselves and where we want to be going forward in areas of high performance, coaching and our desire that every New Zealander has the skills to enjoy a lifestyle involving water with the knowledge that they can swim.” “The current economic climate is evidence also that sport faces real challenges to fund itself if we are to achieve our objectives and therefore it is imperative to become more commercially savvy as an organisation.” “We will have three general managers who will have the direct responsibility to produce the goods. Perhaps in the past we have been guilty of not empowering our people with real responsibilities to perform to their optimum.” “It is an exciting time for the organisation as we move forward on all fronts and further build on the excellent foundations.” Mr Byrne said he was delighted to attract Jan Cameron and Veronica Garrett to the organisation. Cameron, who has been head coach of Swimming New Zealand’s High Performance squad and recently Director of Coaching, takes up her new position immediately. She has come off the pool deck from direct coaching and will be responsible for implementing the new high performance strategy as outlined in Sweetenham’s report and most importantly work with coaches around the country to develop more competitive programmes and offer a clear pathway for young swimmers through to the London Olympics and beyond. Cameron, a former Olympic medalist, established the remarkably successful programme at North Shore swimming from scratch before moving to the organisation’s first High Performance Centre at Millennium Institute. Garrett, a keen swimmer and previously marketing manager for the Medical Assurance Society, will be responsible for Swimming New Zealand’s Events programme, Learn to Swim development programmes and Membership services. Wellington-based Lisa Conroy, who has been working in the High Performance unit at Swimming New Zealand, will take on the new role as Support Manager for the Performance and Pathways programme. Mr Byrne said he is expecting to announce the position of General Manager Business Support soon before beginning interviews for new positions of Membership and Club Development Manager and Administration Officer in the near future. As part of the six new fulltime positions under the new organisational plan, Swimming New Zealand has dis-established the roles of HP Coaching Director, HP Programmes Manager, Operations manager, National Education Manager and Executive Assistant Sport. For interviews contact: Mike Byrne - Chief Executive, Swimming New Zealand - Tel 04 5600353/021 249 2162 Jan Cameron - Tel 0273 112299 Veronica Garrett – Tel 021 468496
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