Vision & Mission of KWS Swimming

Cultivating strong leaders and competitors through superior instruction

The KWS Swim Club seeks to help each student-athlete realise his or her full potential, both as a competitive swimmer and as a leader in the community. Team work and spirit are among the most highly prized virtues. To develop integrity and responsibility, coaches strive to foster self-awareness in all stages of the training process and encourage athletes to take ownership of their preparation and performance. With the right inspiration, our kids can make their dreams come true.

Peter GRIFFIN
Director of Competitive Swimming
Head Coach

Coach GRIFFIN is registered as a Level 2 coach under the Australian Sports Commission and holds a current Level 2 in Canada under the National Coaching Certification Program. In his tenure as a Head Coach, Coach GRIFFIN has enjoyed remarkable success internationally.

In Coach GRIFFIN’s last nine years, Coach GRIFFIN has accomplished the following:

UNSW Swim Club Head Coach - 2003-2004

Coached Luke Trickett (Australia), Michael Aungle (Australia), David Jenkins (Australia), David Rifkin (South Africa), & Shun Asukura (Japan) to 13 medals at the 2003 Australian University Games, with Luke Trickett winning a Gold medal at the World University Games in South Korea that same year. These swimmers also qualified for the Green and Gold Merritt Teams.

Assistant Head Coach under Brian Wilkinson - 2004-2007

Several Sate Age & National Age group National medallists and National qualifiers.

Canadian Coaching Record as a Head Coach in Ontario, CANADA - 2007–2009

Collin Russell:
(Ontario Cup, Ontario Provincials, Open Nationals, Eastern Canadian Championships, Olympic Trials 2008, 2008 Beijing Olympics)

Sinead Russell:
(Ontario Cup, Ontario Provincials, Age Group Nationals, Snr Nationals, CAMO Natation Meet, Eastern Canadian Championships, European Championships, Olympic Trials 2008)

Isabelle Nat:
(Ontario Cup, Ontario Provincials, Age Group Nationals, Snr Nationals, CAMO Natation Meet, Eastern Canadian Championships, Olympic Trials 2008)

Alexandra Van Ommen:
(Ontario Cup, Ontario Provincials, Age Group Nationals, Snr. Nationals, CAMO Natation Meet, Eastern Canadian Championships, Olympic Trials 2008)

Colden Van Ommen:
(Ontario Cup, Ontario Provincials, Age Group Nationals, Snr. Nationals, CAMO Natation Meet, Eastern Canadian Championships)

Peter Kruzyk:
(Ontario Cup, Ontario Provincials, Age Group Nationals, Snr. Nationals, CAMO Natation Meet, Eastern Canadian Championships)

Joey Weatherill:
(Ontario Cup, Ontario Provincials, Age Group Nationals, Snr. Nationals, CAMO Natation Meet, Eastern Canadian Championships)

Maggie Burns:
(Ontario Cup, Ontario Provincials, Age Group Nationals, Snr. Nationals, CAMO Natation Meet, Eastern Canadian Championships)

James Richards:
(Ontario Cup, Ontario Provincials, Age Group Nationals, Snr. Nationals, Eastern Canadian Championships)

Alexandra Newton:
(Ontario Cup, Ontario Provincials)

Callum Ross:
‘Deaf athelete’ (Ontario Cup, Provincials, Eastern Canadians)

Sarah Gillard (Provincials, Eastern Canadian Championships)

Adrian Bunyi (Provincials, Ontario Cup, Age Group Nationals)

Samantha Kaczor (Aged 10 years with 6 Age Group National Qualifying times)

These are just some of the swimmers Coach GRIFFIN coached during his time as a Head Coach in Canada.

Coach GRIFFIN was also hired on as the Provincial and National Coach at Richmond Hill Aquatic Club, Toronto. These two groups are RHAC’s high performance groups that represent the club at Canadian AGE Group and Senior National Championships. Coach GRIFFIN’s responsibility was to revise the group’s annual plan, design practices and execute the plan established. The results that RHAC achieved during this period were unbelievable; with swimmers gaining entry on full Swimming Scholarships to university programs in Canada and the U.S., along with podium finishes at Senior Canadian Nationals, & Eastern Canadian Championships. Some of these swimmers have now qualified for Olympic trials for a place on the 2012 Canadian Olympic Team.

Coach GRIFFIN is a true example of a talented and knowledgeable coach given his tutelage from Australia and in Canada. The outcome has resulted in a consistently nationally recognised program both in the pool, administratively and academically.

GRIFFIN earned his B.A. – Psychology from the University of New South Wales, Kensington Campus, Sydney.

COACHING Philosophy

My basic philosophy for age group swimming has many components. I have been fortunate to work with so many great athletes and coaches over the years, and I have taken bits and pieces from all of them. I believe in "Excellence Through Individuality." When a training group of mine is really going, it looks like a multi-ring circus. Every person is different and "one training set fits all" will leave all short of their full potential. I use my vast experience to tap into each athlete's imagination of where he can take his swimming. While there are common themes to any great program, there are no short cuts. Proper training takes planning, time and commitment!

From a physical standpoint, I believe in teaching “technique, technique, technique” at the beginning stages and continually refining the stroke through the years of training. It is critical to make sure kids have the fundamentals of basic body position and core body movement in all four (4) competitive strokes. With proper technique at a young age, the kids will maintain their stroke integrity through periods of rapid growth and interest in other activities. As the children progress through the program, more aerobic conditioning is introduced as well as an excitement for trying new, many times longer events. I feel it is crucial to train all four strokes and not specialize at a young age because all swimmers develop at different rates; hence, emphasis on development of the IM is always stressed and praised.