Five minutes with Alex Timms

From early morning laps at the pool to snowy slopes and fast-paced water polo matches, Mr Alex Timms wears many hats as the Sports Program Coordinator of Radford’s swimming, snowsports and water polo programs. With more than 15 years of coaching experience and a passion for helping young athletes thrive, Alex brings both expertise and heart to his work. In this interview, he shares what inspired his coaching journey, what keeps him motivated and the goals he’s working towards for each sport at Radford.

You manage Radford’s swimming, snowsports and water polo programs. What inspired you to pursue this role and do you have a personal background in these sports?

I was running a swimming coaching business when I was approached about taking on a full-time coaching role at Radford. I saw it as a great opportunity and decided to take on the challenge. I’ve been involved in all three sports – swimming, snowsports and water polo – at different points in my life. I’ve coached swimming for over 15 years, spent three years living and working in Canada where I had access to some of the world’s best snowfields and I’ve also played water polo.

What would you consider your proudest sporting accomplishment to date?

One of the most meaningful moments of my coaching career was working closely with a student to help him stay engaged with swimming during high school. Years later, he told me that support made a huge difference.

What aspects of coaching young athletes do you find most rewarding?

It’s incredibly rewarding to witness a lightbulb moment – when an athlete suddenly ‘gets it’ and sees the result of their hard work. I also find it powerful to watch students push through challenges they didn’t think they could overcome.

What are your goals for the swimming, snowsports and water polo programs at Radford?

For snowsports, I’m hoping for a good winter season here in Australia so we can complete our program as planned.

In water polo, my focus is on building a strong entry pathway for junior players and developing a pipeline that keeps older athletes involved in the sport and ideally, returning as coaches in the future.

For swimming, a major goal is to live stream our annual swim meet so parents and students can enjoy highlights like the Golden Flipper events, even if they can’t attend in person.

People might be surprised to learn that ...

I actually started coaching at Radford 14 years ago.