Scarce appointment huge boost for swimming resurgence in NSW

The resurgence of swimming in NSW continues with Richard Scarce, a long-serving member of the Australian Dolphins coaching staff, appointed as the Head Coach of the Sydney University Sport Swimming Performance Centre.

The newly created position by the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS), will allow Mr Scarce – who has been involved in multiple Olympic and World Championship campaigns over the last 13-years – to help NSW in its quest to reclaim its mantle as the powerhouse of Australian swimming.

Mr Scarce, who guided Cameron McEvoy to two Olympic bronze medals, as well as plotting the careers of Olympians Maximillian Giuliani, Elijah Winnington, Jenna Strauch and Alex Graham, said he’s excited to relocate from his Gold Coast base to Sydney.

“I want to get things established very quickly in terms of culture and environment,” said Mr Scarce when asked to identify his priorities.

“I want to build on what’s already at Sydney University Sport and hopefully attract athletes to the program – and I’d like to do that sooner rather than later.

“I want to get some early results in my first year to get things underway because there’s not much time until the LA Games. “That finetuning should allow us to be in the groove by the second year, and the third year will be all about getting athletes on the Australian team . . . having people on the podium, winning medals.”

Coach Scarce said he was inspired to ‘sign on’ with Sydney University Sport following his discussions with Swimming NSW CEO Kirsten Thomson OLY and NSWIS High Performance Manager Andy Burns and the vision for the future in NSW. His resolve was galvanised after seeking insight from Swimming Australia’s President Chris Fydler OAM OLY and the highly respected Ron McKeon OLY.

“I took the goals and improvements of NSW into consideration when I spoke to Kirsten and Andy, and then Chris and Ron,” said Mr Scarce.

“The view was NSW has been a sleeping giant, and while it’s on its way [to greater things] there’s still lots of work to do.”

“There have been some promising results for NSW, including Chris Nesbit [former Australian and Great Britain national coach] overseeing Carlile taking out the National Age Club title earlier this year.

“That’s a sign of what’s happening, and if NSW can get a few more results like that I have no doubt things will snowball and I’m keen to play my role. I’m not impatient, but I am someone who likes to get things moving quickly. While the ship is turning, I’d like to increase the rate of knots.”

Mr Scarce was mentored by three of Australia’s coaching greats – John Carew – who guided Kieren Perkins OAM to Olympic gold; Laurie Lawrence, who coached Olympic gold medallists Jon Sieben and Duncan Armstrong OAM, and Doug Frost, who coached Ian Thorpe AM. He learned from them the value of passion, energy and understanding how to draw the best out of athletes.

“The energy I bring is high, and I’m very passionate about the sport – and Australia,” Mr Scarce said. “I have a good track record thus far, and that’s a result of the athletes believing in me and me in them.

“The athletes at Sydney University Sport should know my philosophy is I’m not a closed book or a dictator. I just want us to get in together and get that culture, that environment, going and create the training group we want.”

“My approach is to engage with everyone, and I also believe everyone deserves a go – particularly when they’ve bought into the program; they have goals and are willing to fight to achieve them. And in me they have a coach who’ll back them.

“I’ve learned to get to the top in swimming you need to do your best work together. It’s a team effort.”

Mr Scarce said his time with luminaries Carew, Lawrence and Frost reenforced his belief a swimmer needs one personal trait that’s just as important as cutting edge systems, strategies, methodologies and science.

“Heart,” he said. “The small things, those one-percenters, are vital in a swimmer because they’re what will allow them to push off when things get hard.

“I’ll bring what I bring to Sydney University Sport, and I really look forward to working with the group. There’s some great talent down there and, as I’ve said, I also look forward to attracting swimmers to the program.”

Swimming NSW CEO Kirsten Thomson OLY, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Richard to NSW and kick start the Sydney University Performance Centre. Richard’s unmatched energy, coupled with his demonstrated record of producing world class swimmers, will be a huge asset to our state. His willingness to be part of something bigger and work with coaches and athletes across NSW will place us in a good position as we build towards the 2028 Games.”

Dolphins Head coach Rohan Taylor said: “I would like to congratulate Richard Scarce on his appointment to Sydney University. NSWIS and Swimming New South Wales are gaining a passionate and driven coach who brings a wealth of experience and proven success.

“Richard’s appointment will strengthen the coaching expertise within the state, helping to drive performance growth at both the national and international level. His leadership will be an important asset in ensuring New South Wales continues to build momentum on the performance pathway.

“I look forward to supporting Richard in this next chapter and to celebrating the successes that will undoubtedly come from his work with Sydney Uni and the broader NSW swimming community.”

NSWIS CEO Professor Kevin Thompson said: “I am absolutely delighted Richard is joining TeamNSWIS and that this partnership with NSWIS, the University of Sydney and Swimming NSW has come together to provide another high performance swimming environment in NSW. NSWIS continues to increase its investment in swimming coaches and additional athlete support services to ensure NSWIS scholarship holders receive the support they need to be world’s best.”

NSWIS High Performance Manager Andy Burns said: “NSWIS is setting bold ambitions for the future of swimming in New South Wales. Our investment in world-class coaching is central to building a pathway to success on the road to Brisbane 2032 and beyond. With Richard at the helm, we are confident this program will become a powerhouse at Sydney University, and we are fully committed to backing him and the athletes to achieve at the highest level.”

Chief Commercial Officer Sydney University Sport Ian Riddick said: “Sydney Uni Sport is delighted to welcome Richard Scarce as Head Coach of the Sydney University Swimming Performance Centre. Richard’s proven track record in developing athletes to reach their highest potential, both nationally and internationally, aligns perfectly with our vision of creating a world-class high performance environment. We look forward to the positive impact his leadership will have on our swimmers, our program, and the broader University community.”

*Any athlete considering a Sydney University Sport’s Elite Athlete Program should visit Apply here: https://susf.com.au/scholarships/

Daniel Lane, NSWIS