The head coach of the Australian Institute of Sport’s swimming program, Shannon Rollason, announced his resignation on Friday. Rollason will take up the position of head coach for the National Training Centre in Denmark and said leaving the AIS, which he joined in 2005, was a difficult decision to make. ‘Working in a world-class environment like the AIS with world-class athletes and world-class support staff is what every coach dreams of,’ said Rollason. ‘The decision to leave was not easy, but I felt the time was right to change path and accept an international challenge.’
Rollason said he had confidence in the future of Australian swimming and the role the AIS will play beyond 2013 when the planned transition to Swimming Australia’s high-performance network as the National Centre of Excellence will take place. ‘Australia continues to produce a host of world-class swimmers, and they will continue to be guided by an outstanding coaching fraternity featuring highly professional men and women who are passionate and dedicated about producing great results for the sport.’
AIS director Matt Favier thanked Rollason for his years of dedicated service and praised him for his outstanding international coaching record. ‘Shannon has made a tremendous contribution to swimming in Australia and I would like to congratulate him for his work with the AIS program over the past eight years,’ said Favier. ‘We wish him all the best in his new role.’
Swimming Australia’s interim chief executive Jeremy Turner said Rollason enjoyed a great career with national teams, including the Olympic Games. ‘Shannon was a young coach in 2004 when Jodie Henry and Alice Mills exploded in to the limelight at the Athens Olympics, and subsequently he was named the 2005 coach of the year by the Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association. ‘Swimming Australia wishes him well in Denmark and we will no doubt cross paths on the pool deck in the near future.
‘We will work with the AIS to ensure AIS and Australian swimmers continue to get the best possible coaching and support.’
Story from www.ausport.gov.au.
