Launceston Aquatic Club head coach Peter Tonkin lands national award

The Launceston Aquatic Club head coach was this week presented with an outstanding contribution to the service of swimming award by the Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association.

Tonkin, whose distinguished career included a bronze medal at the 1964 Olympics, said he was proud of his achievements since joining LAC in 2017 and predicted further success despite the impact of the coronavirus.

"There's some great things happening in swimming in Tasmania," Tonkin said.

"Coaching in Tasmania now is more of a team effort than when I was coaching at Mowbray back in 1980. It was pretty fragmented back then but these days the coaches all share information and Swimming Tasmania are very supportive.

"Queensland and Tasmania would be the best state associations in Australia, and I've worked with a few of them.

"And kids in our development squads who have had Rohan Taylor on deck can all now say they've been coached by the national coach."

One of four advanced coaches operating in Tasmania and president of the state coaches' association, Tonkin, of Rosevears, has been involved in the sport for 64 years and was confident it would bounce back from COVID-19.

"Kids will come out of this tougher I reckon," he said.

"They have had something taken away from them but I think it will make them better adults and build their character.

"What I've seen since we've been back in the pool suggests they've held their form really well and some are even swimming better.

"We've got a lot of talented kids and they will perform well."

The ASCTA citation said Tonkin was "a 1964 Olympian [who] has over his lifetime given many hours to the coaching, teaching and instructing of swimming and water safety to our Australian communities".

However, Tonkin was swift to share the recognition with LAC's coaching team of Merodi Jack, Trent McLaughlin, Susie Cramp, Bella French, Abbey Savage, Anna Jarman, Kiaran Gillies and Edward Watson who are assisted by senior swimmers Amy Muldoon, Georgia Woods, Mackenzie French and Stephanie McCullagh.

"When I came back to Tassie I was just planning to play golf at Exeter because my game needed a lot of work. I've only done that a few times ... but I wouldn't swap it for anything.

"It's a team environment at LAC. They have always had a head coach, and I have that title and set an annual plan, but I want people coaching their own style because some coaches get more out of some kids than others.

"Our committee is really supportive. It's a fully functional club and great to be a part of. We had about 45 swimmers when I started here and now we're over 100 and it's been a good journey with no major ructions and pretty smooth sailing.

"I have a habit of ending up in the right place at the right time. It happened when I trained with Dawn Fraser's coach and then worked in indigenous communities and I think it's happened again here."

A 72-year-old father-of-seven and grandfather-of-10, Tonkin said the personal best rate of Tasmanian swimmers at national championships would be among the highest in the country while improved numbers were opening the door to more relay opportunities.

"The state team members all really support each other now, we've got the same vibe at the club and I think South Esk is similar.

"We would have had relay teams at nationals for the first time in years which would have been great and they're getting more and more competitive. There's nothing like relays to make kids go fast."

LAC president Amanda Muldoon said Tonkin had been an integral part of the club's rebuild.

"Peter has mentored our coaches and upgraded their coaching skills," she said.

"Peter has supported our club swimmers at national events and as a state coach has shared his expertise with swimmers from all other Tasmanian clubs. He has helped our swimmers to achieve their goals. He is a wonderful advocate for swimming in Australia and Tasmania."