WATERFORD CRYSTAL SWIMMING CLUB
In 1970, Waterford Crystal Limited, a flourishing world-renowned glass-making business, synonymous with quality, excellence and integrity was way ahead of its time in pursuit of a policy of well being and healthy living for its employees. It was through this initiative that the Waterford Crystal Swimming Club was born. The facilities available at the 'Waterford Glass Centre' included a sports hall, sauna, gym, learner pool, a 25 meter 5 lane swimming pool, a lounge & bar, an athletics track, two tennis courts, pitch and putt course and six pitches for various games like soccer, rugby and hockey.
A small number of employees formed a committee to initiate a swimming club where children could learn to swim and participate in water safety. Their primary objective and in time the need to enter the competitive arena was obvious, and a natural progression occurred.
Waterford Crystal Swimming Club aimed to create an environment where the quality and pursuit of excellence would be established to enable children to train and compete, friendships to be formed and champions to flourish. A child-centred ethos continues to be at the heart of all that we do.
Regarding competition, the first breakthrough came when WCSC won a medal in the national community games swimming finals, followed by the first Munster age group and then senior provincial title. During the intervening years, the club also created new Irish junior and senior individual and relay national records, and so becoming a major player in Irish swimming.
The club has had some coaches over the years, the Head Coach for 44 years (from 1972 to 2016) was Brian Williamson. He built on a small young club and brought it to a highly competitive level using his experience and disciplined training sets with many swimmers originating and advancing through the ranks from the club's swimming lessons. It is these swimming lessons which we still provide that provide a solid teaching base.
Our Head Coach from August 2016 to 2019 was Eddie Downey, himself a national swimmer and a member of WCSC since its very early days.
Our current Head Coach is Ciara Dunford.
The club's long-term aim is to continue to create an environment where its members will look back on their swimming careers with pride and fond memories, and feel it was a worthwhile venture in their lives. May it continue to prosper for future generations.
The Committee
Paul Smith - Chairperson- [email protected]
Deirdre Markey - Vice Chairperson - [email protected]
Jacqui Quinn - Secretary - [email protected]
Maria Whyte - Treasurer - [email protected]
Ting Hu - Club Children's Officer - [email protected]
Ciara Dunford - Head Coach - [email protected]
Elizabeth Cowman - Committee Member, Lessons Co-ordinator & Club Accommodation Co-ordinator,
Claire Phelan - Committee Member & Lessons Co-ordinator
Catherine Molloy - Committee Member & Club Gear Co-ordinator
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Gala Secretary - Jacqui Quinn -[email protected]
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Lessons Co-Ordinators - Elizabeth Cowman & Claire Murphy - lessonswcsc@outlook.com
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Education Officer - Fiona Ormond - [email protected]
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Coaches/Teachers
Head Coach, Ciara Dunford - Senior squad, Intermediate squad, Junior B & C Squad
Coach - Marc Sanquest - Senior Squad, Intermediate Squad, Junior B & C squads
Teacher - Lynda Gough
Teacher - Noah Cowman
Teacher - Chloe Buggy
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Squad Reps
Senior Squad - Claire Murphy
Intermediate Squad - Donal O'Rourke
Junior Squad - Julie Fitzgerald O'Connor
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Competitive Squads
Junior C Squad
Junior B Squad
Intermediate Squad
Senior Squad
