BROMSGROVE, UK--The British Swimming Coaches Association (BSCA) has received notification that Coach George Bole died on Saturday. He was 95 years-old. Bole spent years coaching in both the United Kingdom and in the USA (Tampa, Florida), as well as helped found the BSCA.
www.gbswimcoaches.co.uk/.../
Parents
Former Member
This is sad news for me.
George Bole was my first coach in Birmingham, England in the 1960s. He later left us to became the head coach of St Petersburg Masters Club in Florida. He once told me how much he loved coaching in Florida. He said, "When I walk down the street, people pass in their cars, sound their horn and shout, Hi Coach!" He said, "That alone makes coaching worthwhile."
When coaching at the Lucas club in Birmingham, his best swimmer was Geoff Nicholls, I remember George being annoyed with him for missing training. Geoff was also keen on music. He played in a group in a room over the local pub and one night George went along. He opened the door and shouted over to Geoff, who was on the stage. "You'll never make any money doing that. Get back to the pool!" Geoff Nicholls later became a member of Black Sabbath and toured the world.
On another occasion, one of his swimmers told him he wouldn't be training on Saturday - he was going to have his hair cut instead. On Saturday morning, George left the pool to go to the barbers across the road. His swimmer was sitting, waiting to have his hair cut. George rushed up to the barber and menacingly threatened him, and shouted, "I want all my son's hair cut off. It's too long!" The barber shaved the boys head despite protests from the young lad. He kept saying, "Your dad said I've got to cut it all off."
I remember it as though it was yesterday. A lovely man and a great coach. I feel honoured to have been coached by George.
This is sad news for me.
George Bole was my first coach in Birmingham, England in the 1960s. He later left us to became the head coach of St Petersburg Masters Club in Florida. He once told me how much he loved coaching in Florida. He said, "When I walk down the street, people pass in their cars, sound their horn and shout, Hi Coach!" He said, "That alone makes coaching worthwhile."
When coaching at the Lucas club in Birmingham, his best swimmer was Geoff Nicholls, I remember George being annoyed with him for missing training. Geoff was also keen on music. He played in a group in a room over the local pub and one night George went along. He opened the door and shouted over to Geoff, who was on the stage. "You'll never make any money doing that. Get back to the pool!" Geoff Nicholls later became a member of Black Sabbath and toured the world.
On another occasion, one of his swimmers told him he wouldn't be training on Saturday - he was going to have his hair cut instead. On Saturday morning, George left the pool to go to the barbers across the road. His swimmer was sitting, waiting to have his hair cut. George rushed up to the barber and menacingly threatened him, and shouted, "I want all my son's hair cut off. It's too long!" The barber shaved the boys head despite protests from the young lad. He kept saying, "Your dad said I've got to cut it all off."
I remember it as though it was yesterday. A lovely man and a great coach. I feel honoured to have been coached by George.
