Issue 111 - August/September 1998

Spracklen is voted coach of the year

Mike Spracklen, chief coach to Britain's national women's rowing squad, has been made UK and England Coach of the Year by the National Coaching Foundation in recognition of his exceptional achievement in coaching the Great Britain women's rowing team, to three medals at the 1997 World Championships. NCF Chief Executive John Stevens praised Spracklen's exceptional coaching ability over the past 20 years in the USA, Canada and Britain.

Spracklen coached Steve Redgrave to his first two Olympic gold medals in Los Angeles in 1984 and Seoul in 1988 and then worked as head men's coach in Canada where he produced a gold medal eight at the Barcelona Olympics before moving to the USA.

He returned to Britain in January 1997 as women's chief coach. Miriam Batten, world silver medallist in the double scull in 1997, said, 'Mike's coaching talent and dedication has transformed our squad and he has tripled, in just one year, the medal tally for the British women's team.'

David Tanner, ARA international manager, said, 'I am delighted that Mike's talent has been publicly recognised by the NCF so soon after his return to Britain and his appointment to our coaching team. He is an outstanding coach and is spearheading our drive to produce the first ever women's Olympic medal in Sydney in two years' time.'

© Copyright Regatta Magazine, 1998.