3 August 2004

All,

The British Swim Team is now settled in to the holding camp in Cyprus at the Coral Beach Hotel. This is a team that is totally focused on achieving an outstanding result at the Athens Olympic Games in 11 days time.

The team goals for the Olympics and the expectation the swimmers have set for themselves, for this is the toughest and most demanding of all competitions, is exceptionally high. These include:

• Being the best prepared unit of any team, in any sport at the Olympics

• Every swimmer contesting an individual event making finals

• Every relay team ranking inside the Top 6 in the world

• Having a strong podium representation
  

I have attached both the results this team has achieved over the last 4 years and the team pledge that each staff member and athlete have signed up to.

This is a team that will represent Britain with a fighting spirit as never witnessed before. The courage and conviction of this team is complete, particularly in our philosophy of superior in skill and invincible in attitude.

I believe this will be one of the strongest teams ever to represent Britain. There can be no question of anything but a complete and totally focused preparation. It is a team that continues to display those special qualities that only a few can aspire to.

I would like everybody to feel involved in this challenge to greatness. One way that you might consider supporting and feeling part of this dedicated committed and enthusiastic team, would be to forward your best wishes to any particular swimmer by fax: 00 357 26 881205, to the Coral Beach Hotel, c/o Craig Hunter or Claire Huddart, British Swimming Team or via email: craig.hunter@btinternet.com or claire@chuddart.freeserve.co.uk .

I have attached a full team list, staff and swimmers, and your support in this matter will assist an outstanding team accomplish an outstanding result for all in British Swimming.

I personally have unreserved faith and belief in this team of fighters.

Bill Sweetenham

Full Team List

Team GB Athletes

Simon Burnett

David Carry
ChristopherCook
Todd Cooper
Ross Davenport
David Davies
Ian Edmond
Adam Faulkner
Robin Francis
James Gibson
James Goddard
James Hickman
Matthew Kidd
Gavin Meadows
Darren Mew
David O'Brien
Stephen Parry
Edward Sinclair
Graeme Smith
Gregor Tait
Adrian Turner
Kirsty Balfour
Rosalind Brett
Lisa Chapman
Rebecca Cooke
Kathryn Evans
Joanne Jackson
Georgina Lee
Karen Lee
Karen Legg
Melanie Marshall
Caitlin McClatchey
Karen Pickering
Sarah Price
Katy Sexton
Alison Sheppard

Olympic Team Staff
Bill Sweetenham - National Performance Director
Ian Turner -Coach
Chris Nesbit - Coach
David Lyles - Coach
Ben Titley - Coach
Tim Jones - Coach
Sean Kelly - Coach
Chris Martin - Coach
Stephen Hill - Coach
Dave McNulty - Coach
Craig Hunter - Team Management
Claire Huddart - Team Management
Jodi Cossor - Sports Science
Pat Dunleavy - Physiotherapist
Gary Phillips - Sports Science

Team Support at the Holding Camp
Bob Treffene - Sports Science
David Fodden - Doctor
Dave Calleja - Coach
David Champion - Coach
Tony Watson - Coach
Mark Perry - Coach
Glenn Lindsay - Physiotherapist
David Haller - Other staff
Bob Smith - Sports Science
Gary vanderMeulen - Other staff
David Richards - Press Attache

Training Partners at the Holding Camp
Rebecca Addlington
Kerianne Payne
Lorna Tonks
Adam Whitehead

Team Pledge

Just something for your diary ………… to live and commit to and to read regularly.

To those aspiring to excellence in sport, the ultimate is the Olympic Games. This event is without question an arena only for those gladiators reflecting a tough and uncompromising competitive attitude. Attitude is everything and winning is the only considered option.

The Olympics atmosphere can be unforgiving and unrelenting. Those who win at the Olympics entered the meet knowing and expecting; hope was not in their vocabulary. To the successful athletes there are no surprises. All anticipated and/or unanticipated obstacles have been previously dealt with in preparation.

The partnership of a talented athlete and driven coach is central core for success; both must have the courage of their conviction and total belief in their expectation. Both together must have positively, totally and unconditionally endured and thrived on a preparation that renders them both superior and invincible in any conditions or circumstances.

Excellence in training – competition and lifestyle are all reflective upon each other in the final outcome.

Soft, compromising, rationalized, unprepared coaches and athletes who do not appreciate that a reason is an excuse and an excuse is no reason, who do not consistently, in training, expose themselves to harsher and more challenging conditions than the Olympic Games themselves, will be found wanting when their OG day comes.

We must be superior in every area, leaving nothing to chance. We will be the best prepared unit at the 2004 Olympics. Hope is not a word to be used by members of the British Swimming Team. Knowing is what matters to us. Visualisation is for ‘hopers’ reality is for ‘winners’.

Between now and the Olympics each training practice will be better than the one before but also knowing the next one must be more challenging. Each competition and camp must be better and more challenging than the one before but with an expectation of perfection at the following.

The Olympic podium does not recognize poor techniques/skill, incomplete preparation, unprepared bodies or negative attitudes. That is why it will recognize your name.

Train well today and everyday. Each day is an Olympic preparation day and your result relies on what and how you do it now – consistently better than ever before.

Success is a decision about attitude, not an emotion, feeling or desire and if made totally from the heart, will outlast everything and overcome all obstacles.

Bill Sweetenham