Masters Swimming News

Jock Noble 1922 - 2009

A pioneer of masters swimming in BC, Jock Noble, left us this past December in his 87th year. As a young man, Jock was a member of the British SAS and was awarded many decorations for his valor during the Second World War, serving behind the lines in both North Africa and France. After the war and a stint as a London bobby, Jock and his family moved to Canada where he became a member of the Canadian military and was posted to Edmonton. In Edmonton, he became involved in swimming when the two volunteer coaches of his children's swim team both moved away at the same time. After being posted to Victoria, he carried on coaching with the Juan de Fuca Coho Swim Club. As many do, Jock decided to stay in Victoria when he retired from the military and carried on coaching the Coho club. Realizing most swimmers after age 19 did not have an organized program available for them to be able to carry on swimming and competing, he founded the Victoria Masters Swim Club and encouraged the formation of other clubs on the Island. For many years he was the coach and mentor of VMSC. Jock also created the Victoria Crystal Silver Streaks with the focus on the older swimmers for whom evening practices were not ideal. Jock stepped down from coaching the Streaks a few years ago. Many swimmers who joined masters because of Jock's encouragement and were coached by him, are still swimming, competing and setting records. VCSS is one of Jock's legacies and the strength of masters swimming in BC is a reflection of Jock's vision and contributions to our sport.

Posted at 02:28PM Mar 02, 2010 by Lindsay in General  |  Comments[0]