www.communityvoice.ie - All the top news stories from Dublin 15

New general manager for Europe’s biggest indoor water centre

When you are actually called after a river, it probably is no surprise that you develop an interest in water sports. Teifion Williams, the recently appointed manager of the National Aquatic Centre sums it up saying “I suppose you could say that water is in my blood”.

The name Teifion comes from the River Teifa in Wales and Teifion himself was born in the coastal resort town of Portcawl in South Wales. Teifion Williams

Teifion has been working in swimming pools since he was 15 and doing his O levels. “I was recreation services manager with Cardiff City Council where one of the pools we managed was the Wales Empire Pool.” As a rugby fan with a passion for water sports the subsequent fate of Empire Pool holds bitter sweet memories for Teifion – it was demolished to make way for the magnificent Millennium Stadium.

Her subsequently worked for eight years as national sales manager for Coors Brewers in the UK while his wife Linda worked with Irish Distillers. When their daughter was born three years ago they wanted to bring her up in Ireland so they moved here and took up residence in Robinstown near Trim.

“I wanted to get back into the leisure industry when I came to Ireland and I worked for an Irish company called Coral Leisure which operated contracts for local authorities. We managed pools in such places as Arklow and Monaghan.”

For the past two years Teifion was a member of the National Aquatic Centre. “When I lived in Wales we knew all about the centre which really had a very high profile. It was a fabulous development and I always thought it would be my ideal job,” he said.

When the position of general manager was advertised, he had no hesitation in applying. “What excites me is that this is not just a standalone aquatic centre but it also forms part of the whole sports campus.

“People should really appreciate what we have here,” he enthuses. “This is actually the biggest indoor water area anywhere in Europe.”

The National Aquatic Centre has a brief to cater for both national and local demand. Does this pose problems for management?

“Well actually we really have to provide for three separate markets,” says Teifion. “Our competition pool aims to principally develop swimming in Ireland at an elite level and also to bring on young swimmers. We currently have 1,300 young swimmers in our swimming academy. I would like this to be seen as the hub of excellence for swimming in Ireland.”

Meanwhile the leisure pool, now rebranded as the Aquazone, with its slides and flumes is primarily aimed at the family market, while the gym and shortened sections of the competition pool is targeted at the keep fit and health markets.

One of the issues that Teifion would like to address is to cater for the more casual user. Whereas most gyms and keep fit clubs levy an annual membership charge, he is examining ways of attracting such users on an occasional non-membership basis.

“There are so many opportunities for people to participate,” he says, “it’s not just an elite centre. Membership options can be restrictive so we want to wide it for as many people as possible.

We would also like to encourage greater community use and we welcome bookings from local groups and clubs.”

Obviously for Europe’s biggest indoor water centre, the management is a major operation with 120 full-time and part-time staff employed. According to the new manager, “what we are trying to do is similar to the Australian Institute of Sport model which is recognised as the model for sporting development and excellence throughout the world.”

If ever a man landed a job in a country that suited his temperament and passions it’s Teifion Williams. A dedicated surfer he waxes lyrical about the facilities for indulging this passion in the wets of Ireland and is a regular visitor to Bundoran and Lahinch.

His passion for rugby is well catered for by his support of Leinster for whom he has a season ticket. “They have a fabulous set up in the RDS,” he says.

However as a Welsh man he can be troubled by divided loyalties such as during the recent game against Cardiff. He was ultimately hugely impressed by the Leinster victory. “It was a great achievement to come back and win after being two tries down. While I am very patriotic and proud to be Welsh, I am also very proud of my Irish connections. I would always passionately support Ireland – except when they play Wales!”

With next month’s Croke Park clash between Ireland and Wales likely to decide the destination of this year’s Triple Crown, the National Aquatic Centre’s new general manager is going to be sorely troubled indeed.

Community Voice, Media House, Church Avenue, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
Phone +353 1 822 1432 - Fax +353 1 640 4444
info@communityvoice.ie