Peter Carpenter is leaving the Canadian Swimming Coaches Association board of directors with a mixed feeling of satisfaction and guilt.
“Being able to give back is huge,” said Carpenter, 52. “I can’t overstate how much I’ve gotten from it as well.
“I feel guilty sometimes. I realized I’ve probably gotten more than I’ve given. It’s been such a great experience.”
Carpenter, who is the head coach of McGill Swimming, is currently the CSCA’s 1st Vice President - Awards & Recognition and a former board president.
A passion for coaching and a desire to learn from some of the best coaches in Canada resulted in Carpenter joining the CSCA board in the 2009-20210 year.
“I have a lot of energy to give to the support the profession,” he said. “When I started out, I saw it as an opportunity to surround myself with more experienced people.”
Despite his youth the CSCA board was open to his ideas and suggestions.
“I had been in the game long enough that I would have been considered the new blood,” said Carpenter, who had been head coach at the Pointe Claire Swim Club before going to McGill. “Getting some young energy, someone who is passionate and who is obviously invested, I think they saw that in me.”
His time with the CSCA gave Carpenter the opportunity to work with some of the best swimming minds in the world. Working with coaches like Tom and Dave Johnson, Dean Bowles and Bill Humby was a tremendous benefit for his career.
“These are absolute leaders in the field in the country that were on the board at the same time as me, that I got to learn from,” he said. “That learning was sometimes through osmosis, sometimes through the conversations and the guidance I was getting from them.
“It was a really great opportunity to not just be a fan of these people but be a colleague and be in the room, and at the table, when a lot of the important decisions surrounding coaching in this country were being made.”
Carpenter also praised Lance Cansdale and Vlastimil Cerny, two other long-time board members who are also stepping down.
“They are both mentors of mine,” he said. “I consider myself very fortunate to have had them on the board for much of the time that I was on the board.”
Carpenter is proud of the role the CSCA plays to ensure the voices of coaches are heard in Canadian swimming.
“I think being the voice for the coaches at times was really important to everyone involved,” he said. “I think the coaches, by and large, are hugely appreciated. But there are times when we can get to be feeling like we’re a little bit cast aside and overlooked and forgotten. To be part of an organization whose first priority, no matter what, was the interest of the coaches . . . that has your back, that is probably the biggest thing.
“It’s a huge factor. To me, the thing that I’m most proud of was to have been part of (that) organization and to be involved in many discussions that were difficult discussions that had to be made.”
Things have come full circle for Carpenter. He joined the board as the young coach with new ideas. Now, the time has come to make room for other young coaches with a fresh approach to the sport.
“Over the last couple of years we’ve been getting that fresh blood on the board,” he said. “I think the balance is really important. When I came on the board I brought energy, fresh ideas and a fresh perspective. When you’re on the board for a certain amount of time, you get used to doing things a certain way. It’s nice to bring someone who might have a completely different perspective on how things can be done.
“I think turn around is important. It’s great to get some new people that have different experiences, to be able to share those and help bring those ideas to the forefront.”
Carpenter is taking on the role of President _ U Sports Coaches Council. He’s confident the CSCA remains in capable hands.
“It’s been such a big part of my life for so long, I never would have wanted to leave at a time when there wasn’t going to be a good batch of people ready to step up, that have the leadership qualities and the experience,” he said. “I think we’re at that point right now.
“I’m not saying I’m never going to go back onto the board. I might do three or four years (in his new role) and than have a bunch of new ideas.”