Alan the pool's winner

For behind every medal winner, there is a true champion. Behind every record breaker there are those who know that time doesn't matter.

For there are winners and there are winners.

Alan Wilkinson is a winner, although he has never stood proudly on the podium.

That's for others. Usually his swimmers.

His hard work, you would have thought, is for the benefit of others. Those swimmers who do get to climb the podium.

But for Alan, who has been a swimming coach since 1978, nothing makes him feel more proud than seeing one of his swimmers succeed.

"Whenever anyone from the club goes on to win something, it is a victory for everyone involved with that swimmer.

"I have never once felt that I don't get any benefit out of the work I do. Seeing swimmers enjoying themselves, seeing swimmers go on and win is all the benefit I need.

"If someone says to me "Thanks a lot Alan" that means just as much to me as one of our swimmers winning a gold medal."

Alan, like many coaches like him, got in to the sport through his children.

"My children, Geoff and Kristine wanted to join a swimming club and as I was spending so much time taking them to and from the pool, I thought I might as well train up to be a swimming instructor."

While that route might not be too unusual, Alan's journey to the pool came via the ice rinks of Canada!

"I was always a decent swimmer as a youngster but never really thought about going in to teaching it. For me it was always football. But when I moved to Canada through work, the closest thing to football was ice hockey."

In Alan's seven years in Toronto, he helped coach at the local ice rink and got to enjoy the sport before returning to East Lancashire.

Born in Blackburn, Alan's involvement in sport revolved around football in his early years and he played for Fred Skinner's Intac team before joining Tech and Grammar School Old Boys who played in the Lancashire Amateur League.

Alan's playing career was cut short when he moved to Canada when he was 26-years-old.

When he returned seven years later, he eventually moved to Darwen and soon came in to contact with Darwen Swimming Club.

Thanks to his children's love of the pool, Alan was soon involved and there was no turning back.

Having obtained the relevant qualifications, Alan proved his worth poolside were he was coaching children and adults.

"When I first started, I used think wouldn't it be nice to discover an Olympic champion. But then you realise Olympic champions don't come along too often."

Alan has always been a stickler to detail and has read many books and spoken to many people to help improve his teaching techniques.

But they are techniques he applies to beginners just as much as he does to those competing in top competitions.

"If anyone was to ask me what gives me most pleasure, I would have to say teaching adults to swim who have feared water for years.

"My aim is to turn people in to swimmers for life. Whether they come to me when they are eight or 80 it doesn't matter."

Alan's variety makes sure he always enjoys what he does. He has worked alongside fellow Darwen Masters coaches Kath Medd, Paul Cook and Ged Johnson for longer than he cares to imagine.

He works twice a week with Darwen Swimming Club and also holds a one hour weekly swimming session with Holy Trinity Primary School.

And he is also employed by the council to run one of its Swimfit classes.

And all this from a 63-year-old who is looking to cut back on his swimming duties!

Alan doesn't have many unusual methods: "Swim as little as possible, glide as much as possible," is his favourite.

He always says: "Be at one with the water and not fight it."

But Alan's favourite line sums up what swimming means to him.

"As far as I am concerned, swimming is an art. When it is done correctly, using the right technique, it is a beautiful sport to watch."

Alan may not have a cupboard full of medals or records to his name but he is certainly a winner.

The Pride of East Lancashire Spirit of Sport section...