Category: Blog

A: I am an assistant coach, parent, swimmer (sometimes) and committee member!

A: I joined the club in the 90s as a competitive swimmer after leaving a different club. I later returned to the club when my daughter joined in 2015 when she was learning to swim.

A: I was asked numerous times by Amanda, she finally wore me down and then convinced me to go on my assistant coaching course (which was a great decision), she always knew what was going to be best for everyone, and doing that course was the best decision.

A: yes I am a swimmer, it’s my passion and I love it. I will hopefully get back in the pool once all this Covid has passed!

A: I’m an insurance broker! I love sport, especially swimming. My main all time hero are my parents.

A: My main frustration is people don’t see how hard and challenging it can be on poolside, a lot happens down there that is not clear to others and this can be hard at times.

It is such a pleasure to see the swimmers achieve what they want, this can be in training or competition. Also knowing I’m making a difference in their swimming journey.

A: Committee member, Assistant teacher & Poolside helper

A: I joined the club in 1990 at the age of 6 to learn to swim and swam with the club until my early 20’s. Kingfishers became my second family.

A: Kingfishers was a big part of my life growing up, my family where all involved with the club for many years. Now my son is swimming for the club it seemed the right thing to do to join the committee and give something back to the club. I was also persuaded to join by Maureen Dickinson and Charlotte Adams.

A: Yes, swam competitively with the club in open water and open meets/galas

A: Medical Student Coordinator for the NHS,

A: Spending time with my family,

A: My parents, especially my dad (Dave Cracknell) who without him I wouldn’t have been able to travel around the country and compete in the long distance circuit. He was always my biggest fan. He also became a role model to Kingfishers and I hope to follow in his footsteps. Also a special thank you to

for her support and words of encouragement during my swimming years.

A: I wish that more parents would volunteer to help to ensure the future running of the club.

It is lovely to see previous swimmers returning to the club with their own children. Kingfishers has always had the reputation of being a family friendly club.

A: My Roles at the Club are Masters Lead and Swim Manager Administrator and Masters Swimmer!

A: I joined Kingfishers back in about 2013 when a dedicated Masters session started with one swim a week on a Wednesday at 9.00pm, back in the beloved Old pool! I much prefer swimming in coached sets rather than running the gauntlet of ‘early morning madness’ lane swimming! Plus I work much harder and spend less time chatting at the end of the pool.

A: When I first started with Kingfishers after being cajoled into coming to a Masters session by an ‘early morning swimmer friend’ I wasn’t interested in competing at all, I thought I was too old LOL! Anyway after going to a few meets I realised I really enjoyed it and it didn’t matter how old you were you could still compete and have fun and get medals!! The chap that was Masters Lead left Kingfishers and I sort of stepped into the Masters Lead shoes and encouraging masters to enter meets etc, which eventually led to Amanda Lee convincing me I should be on the Committee (apparently I’m not the only one!). I said ok I will but ‘just as a voice for Masters’. Anyway here I am 3 years later still a Committee Member!

A: YES I am a swimmer. I love to swim and can’t understand why anyone would not want to swim!! I learnt to swim in the Old Pool before Kingfishers was started. In fact my Mum did a sponsored walk (with me in a pushchair) to raise funds to build the old Pool. I swam competitively in the indoor and outdoor pool until I was 16 then took a break from competitive swimming until I joined Kingfishers. I also did the Castle Foot swim when I was 14.

A: Recruitment Administration / Walking – Swimming – Biking (no Triathlons I can’t run ) / Hero : My Mum

A: What annoys me is all the people who say ‘well, can’t the committee do that’ but don’t want to be on the committee!! We all have lives and jobs to do, as well as being committee members; and we get to eat cake and drink coffee at meetings! Well we did before Teams Meetings! What makes me happy is seeing everyone enjoying training sessions from Technique Squad with their Teachers all the way up to Masters with our Great Coaches.

A: Trustee/Committee Member, Open Meet Secretary, Poolside Volunteer, Team Manager, SE Judge, Web Site Publisher

A: In 2013, as the parent of Izzy Vasey we wanted her to be able to swim so that we could enjoy cocktails around the pool whilst on holiday. Little did we know then what would follow. Initially Izzy started to swim with Scarborough Borough Council delivered lessons, but learning was frustratingly slow. We were recommended Kingfishers SC by a friend and after a trial session she was up and swimming within weeks. Many thanks to the hard work & teaching by Carly Atkinson & Dave Cracknell.

A: I joined the committee in November 2017 after many months of been harassed, begged & press ganged by Amanda Lee…. At the time the club was struggling to get a balanced committee of pool & open water members (20/80% split). The lack of representation from indoor swimming led to frustration from parents on the balcony as there was no clear visibility/direction on what was happening in & around poolside.

“PUT UP OR SHUT UP” inspirational words of Amanda Lee! Liking a challenge & unable to shut up, that left me with only one option. I joined the committee. This put me in the inner sanctum, the lionesses’ den or the witch’s coven. I was fighting for my life LOL.

On a serious note looking back at the last four years I can safely say it was a good decision, there’s always a challenge, there’s always highs/lows, opportunity for self-development but more importantly the rewards of been able to help young swimmers develop whether your own or others makes it all worthwhile.

If you like any of the above or simply like to be tortured, why not put your name up for election & join our passionate team of volunteers who are all frantically swimming/paddling in the same direction….

A: Yes, up until the age of 10 when I realised my true potential & achieved by mile badge. From there it was professional football for me…… Maybe I should have stuck with swimming! Alas the budgie smugglers no longer fit so you masters can sigh a gasp of relief.

A: Senior manager at Schneider Electric, responsible for Industrial Engineering, Maintenance, Facilities, IT/Cyber Security & Apprentice training & development programme.

Favorite pastime: Football & any form of competitive sport.

All time hero: Daley Thompson – Twice Olympic decathlon gold medal winner (1980 & 1984) a true all-round athlete.

A: What annoys me? Poolside politics internal & external bickering (Kingfishers or Scarborough). As with all competitive sports as parent’s, coaches, managers we all want the best for our own child/swimmer. Often in the quest to get the competitive edge for our child/swimmer we can all be guilty of losing focus on what really matters the child/swimmer. Only by all working together can we give the children the opportunity to reach their true potential.

What makes me happy – After been grumpy…. Hard work, teamwork, success & working together for the common goal.

Assistant coach 2 since 2017

Education and mentor coach recently as I thought the swimmers needed a contact for the various courses swim England are tending to put on at the moment.

I first joined Kingfishers at the age of 9. Growing up with the Kingos family some of which are still members (Jon and Paula especially). Life took over and on my return to Scarborough I drifted back to Kingfishers again in 2017

With family members already in the club, I basically got sucked in from the start. My 2 daughters were swimming and once Jon saw me on the balcony it wasn’t long before I was poolside.

Committee wise…… anyone who had ever⁰ tried to say no to the lovely Amanda Lee will understand!!

Yes I joined the forces at 20 and ended up swimming tri service…..lucky enough to swim in Australia against them, Canada and New Zealand.

I deal drugs for the NHS

Fav pastime…sports of any description unless they involve heights!!

Outdoor activities long beach walks with the dogs

Rude parents who think they know how to coach and that you’re doing it wrong. If they know better why aren’t they poolside???

The smiles and laughs you can have either individually or with the squad. Teaching some new drill watching it be mastered and sharing the sense of achievement it brings.

A: Head Coach

Q: When and why did you join Kingfishers?

A: I joined Kingfishers in the 80s as a competitive swimmer and returned several years later as Head Coach

A: As Head Coach I submit reports on a monthly basis to the committee, sit in during meetings and offer options/ opinions

A: Rumour has it I can swim

A: Senior Duty Manager

A: music, films, sports, football, swimming, scootering

A: Al Pacino, Glen Hoddle, Paul Stanley

A: At times the vision and reasons why we are involved in the club are over looked by issues that shouldn’t warrant people’s efforts

A: All the committee members volunteers helpers and coaches really care about the club and want to move forward.

A: See the swimmers hard work in training come to fruition with a PB or a fantastic swim. Happy smiling faces

The music and style of the Beatles has been a big influence on me over the years.

The old pool has been a massive part of my life. I learned to swim there, attended public sessions, swam, competed and coached, also worked there for a good few years. I probably spent more time in those four walls than anyone else over the years. Some fantastic memories

A: Open Water Coach and Wednesday front desk

A: 1978, a 10 year old swimmer

A: I’ve been on the committee 3 times once as captain in the 1980’s, once for 15 years or so 2000 – 2015 and was the CPD officer and Open Water Coach where I enabled people to take teaching qualifications and upskilling all the volunteers

A: I will always be a swimmer at heart, I have swum many pieces of water around the uk including Windermere in 5hrs 12mins, I have swim all the local sea swims and am still the youngest female to have swum Loch Rannoch in Scotland and competed for Kingfishers indoors for years in Butterfly and Freestyle

A: Teaching Assistant at a special needs school, spending time by a piece of water, my parents, I aspire to follow in their footsteps and always help anyone achieve their swimming dreams.

A: People assuming you have all the answers right there and then and not showing the respect the volunteers deserve. I am at my most happy by a piece of open water, helping individuals achieve dreams in the sport and keeping Scarborough at the forefront of UK Open Water Competitions

A: Committee member, poolside helper and parent

A:2017? The lovely Alex Lee saw potential in Grace and recommended Kingfishers. She even came to the pool to support Grace in her trial. She soon went from 30 minutes to 7 hours in a blink of an eye. Now both my daughters swim with the club and I wouldn’t look back.

A: When Grace started doing lots of galas I volunteered to help, made sence when I’m there anyway. Then Maureen Dickinson approached me and asked if I would be interested in joining the Committee. At the 2019 AGM I decided to put my name forward.

A: No, but I would love to be. I dont like putting my head under water.

A: Teacher and 1 to 1 support teacher/ sport / My Mum.

A: Annoys me that some parents/carers don’t see and realise the hard work of the committee and the coaches and how many hours/days/ months worth of work that they put in. Kingfishers is a family and it fills me with pride watching the young people swim and watching the support they have for each other not just at galas but during training as well.

The yellow rose is sentimental. Means alot to my family.