WYCOMBE District Swimming Club head coach Kevin Brooks has predicted grand things for the club after scooping the Coach of the Year gong at the Bucks Sports Awards last week.

Brooks won the gone after a triumphant first year in charge at Handy Cross, but he believes this is just the start of great things to come.

He said: “Wycombe was a club that was not performing when I arrived, but it had had success in days gone by and I knew that success could be returned.

“It’s a sleeping giant and our business plan is to double the size of the club in the coming years.

“Membership now is 300. It was 220 when I arrived but we’re hoping for rapid growth when the new pool arrives, which is meant to be the end of 2015.”

As well as the broadening the base, Brooks has also been bringing out the best of the club’s top swimmers in his first year, an area in which he’s got a proven track record.

“We’re creating a sustainable performance module so the swimmers can achieve their highest level continuously.

“We’re raising the standards generally, and engaging in the community more.

That has been the key. We’re doing more and doing better.

“It has gone better than I could have predicted. It’s been damn hard work, but it’s been worth it.”

Brooks won the award from Nigel Willard or Olney Tennis Club and Shenley FC coach Lee Sadler, Shenley FC, who were also shortlisted.

He said: “I was informed I was on the shortlist about a month and a half ago so I knew I was in the top three.

“But it was still a complete surprise and I’m quite flattered actually.

“It’s an individual award, but I wouldn’t have been able to achieve what I have at the club so far without a team of coaches, lots of volunteers, the committee and the swimmers themselves.”

This isn’t the first time he was won the gong though.

He first collected the award in 2007 after his success at Maxwell Swim Club.

He said: “This is the second time now but I think I’ve won it for completely different things.

“Then I was recognised for training multiple internationals.

“This one is more about changing the fortunes of a club and I think we’ve done a lot in a short amount of time.”