Nic Sunderland-Baker vividly recalls his initiation as a swim coach.
Making a kid burst into tears isn't easy to wipe from the memory bank.
At the time of the youngster's display of emotional anguish, Sunderland-Baker was a student and swim-team member at New Brunswick's Mount Allison University. He had returned to his hometown of Victoria at the end of his school year and had come north for a summer job with the Mackenzie Rainbows swim club.
"I made a little boy cry on my very first day," said Sunderland-Baker, new head coach of the Prince George Pisces. "He just wasn't quite ready to jump in the water. Since then (I've learned that) the kids respond to your energy and they'll detect your nervousness, just like anyone."
Sunderland-Baker worked for a total of three summers in Mackenzie and was pulled away from there when he accepted a job offer from the Pisces, Prince George's summer swim club. The 23-year-old has been working with local swimmers since the beginning of May and had them in Quesnel this past weekend for their first meet of the season.
Traditionally, the Pisces have found their coaches from within their own ranks. Going outside the club to get Sunderland-Baker is part of an effort to promote growth in the club, said Pisces vice president Bob Lees.
"We've got him on board as our summer coach and our intention is to try to expand the club enough to keep him on, on a yearly wage," Lees said. "In the summer, our kids train up to seven times a week because this is our competitive season. Then in the fall and winter and (early) spring we go to two days a week, and that's considered our maintenance schedule."
As part of the club's growth objective, a new masters (18-and-over) program has been introduced.
"We're looking at different ways to attract more swimmers," Lees said. "We've gone from 51 last year, I think to right around 100 registered this year so, slowly but surely it's starting to expand."
Sunderland-Baker said he himself was ready for a change. But, at the same time, he said he enjoys being in the northern part of the province. Becoming head coach of the Pisces checked both those boxes for him.
"And the Pisces have potential as a club - I was interested to work with the Pisces," he said.
Sunderland-Baker was a competitive swimmer for 15 years, including three at Mount Allison. He then became a Mount Allison assistant coach, a position he held for two years. Now that he's with the Pisces, he envisions a club that is "dedicated to fostering self-confidence, self-respect and teamsmanship in its members via the pursuit of excellence."
The Pisces were formed in 1983. The club is part of the B.C. Summer Swim Association and, during its competitive season, sends athletes to meets every second weekend. The next one for club members is June 10-11 in Mackenzie.
Meets are also scheduled for June 24-25 in Fort St. John, July 8-9 in Quesnel and July 22-23 in Dawson Creek. The regional championships, a qualifier for provincials, will be held Aug. 5-6 in Prince George. The provincial championships are Aug. 18-20 in Kamloops.
Young swimmers interested in joining the Pisces should have completed Swim Kids Level 4 or an equivalent level.
For more information on the Pisces, see the club's website at pgpisces.org.
