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SportsOakville Beaver SPORTS EDITOR: JON KUIPERIJ Phone 905-845-3824 (ext. 432) Fax 905-337-5571 email sports@oakvillebeaver.com WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2010 33 New OAK coach embracing the challenge Theres a new face at the helm of the Oakville Aquatic Club. Sean Baker took over as head coach of the club last month from Alex Wallingford, who moved to the Toronto Swim Club after 14 suc- cessful years at OAK. During Wallingfords time in Oakville, the club won provincial champi- onships in 2000, 2008 and 2009 while consis- tently placing high at the national level. The Beaver caught up with Baker last week to ask him about his previous experience, his styles and philosophies, and where he hopes to lead OAK in the future. (The Beavers questions are in bold italics.) What are your most notable accomplish- ments as a coach? Ive coached athletes to pretty much every professional competition. Ive had four different international medalists, including a world championship bronze medalist, and Ive been involved with the senior national team and provincial team coaching staff. What is your previous experience as a coach? I spent nine years in Hamilton with the Hamilton Aquatic Club. Before that, it was six years in Nanaimo with the Nanaimo Rip Tides Swim Team. What brought you to Ontario? It was an opportunity to move to Hamilton, a larger population base and a 50-metre pool with a university attached to it. I went from a small club of 100 swimmers to a medium club of 200 swimmers, so it was a good career decision. And its worked out really well. I met my wife here, and we have a child, so it was a nice life move. What brought you to Oakville? I was recruited to apply for the position. They had some people in mind, and I got a call from Alex Wallingford. He encouraged me to apply. The whole experience has been really pos- itive. Theyre a very welcoming and extremely professional organization. Do you and Alex share the same philoso- phies? I would say were continuing the journey of success. Alex did a fantastic job and is a success- oriented coach, and I am success-oriented as well. Although were headed in the same direc- tion of trying to put people on the Olympic team, we have many different styles. But we are headed in the same direction. What do you think of the state of the club as you inherit it? Its very, very stable. We have waiting lists in almost every age group. The main issue were trying to tackle is pool time availability. The health of the organization is tremendous, and the professionalism in the way they have policies and procedures is excellent. Oakville has more than its fair share of really talented swimmers and lots of diamonds in the rough. Im really happy with it. What are your responsibilities as OAK head coach? Part of my responsibilities is that I do book- ings and cancellations of all the pool times with all the different pools we use. My job also encompasses coaching the staff, being responsi- ble for all the staff. With 500 swimmers, theres a lot of technical programming. My hands-on coaching is the top echelon of the swim club, but my programming is complete through the Blades early struggles continue By Jon Kuiperij BEAVER SPORTS EDITOR It's only a few weeks into the season, but the Oakville Blades have already accomplished some- thing they haven't done in more than five years. Unfortunately, it's not an accomplishment they're happy about. Oakville is currently on a three- game losing streak after dropping home games against the Stouffville Spirit and Aurora Tigers last week- end. The last time the defending Provincial Junior Hockey League champion Blades (4-3-0-1) even went winless over a three-game stretch was at the start of the 2006- 07 season, when they tied their first game and then lost the next two. Ive spent a lot of time going over the video, and its just mis- takes were making, said Blades head coach Mark Jooris, who called a team meeting after Saturdays 3- 2 shootout loss to Aurora. Its just attention to detail, and weve got to address it. Not all is doom and gloom in Bladesland. Oakville outshot its opponents last weekend by a com- bined count of 69-39, and the Blades got out to early 2-0 leads in both games. But, as the old hockey adage goes, a two-goal lead can be the toughest lead to protect. Stouffville scored two goals 1:10 apart in the first period Friday to tie the game 2-2, then went on to a 4-2 triumph. Saturday, the Tigers scored twice in a 30-second span to square things 2-2 in the second period. Weve said to our guys, when were up 2-0, we (shouldnt) change the way we play, Jooris said. The two-goal lead is tough. You give up one and there could be a sense of panic, and the momen- THE NEW HEAD MAN: Sean Baker (right), pictured with a few of his athletes, is the new head coach of the Oakville Aquatic Club. MICHELLE SIU / OAKVILLE BEAVER See Fatherhood page 35 See Upcoming page 35 www.aplushomes.ca Adam Campbell Broker of Record 905-844-4444 B R O K E R A G ER E A L T Y C O R P . INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED