Herald 20181218

SPORT
PERSONALITY with JACK WATERS
Take time to share the moment
BOWLS
DDLBA milestones
Bowler of the Year Tracy Foster, West Toowoomba Club, with DDLBA president Bonnie Gordon,
the donor of the trophy Patroness Bev Higgins, and Margaret Morris also a trophy donor.
Gail Walker - Life is about evolving, opening up and trying new experiences.
Q. Tell me about yourself
and what you do.
A. My name is Gail Walker.
I have been in Highfields since
2001 and my favourite hangout
is the Gail Walker Swim
School because we have a lot
of fun down there.
I have been a professional
swimming coach and business
owner for 40 years and started
teaching when I was 13 years
old when I taught my baby
brother how to swim.
I was a motor mechanic by
trade and I have had lots of
variable jobs and experiences
which, in turn, have evolved
me into the person I am now,
happy and still growing.
Q. When did you figure out
that you may be able to make
a living off being a professional
swim coach?
A. I was a swimmer and
swam at state and national level.
It all started unexpectedly
when I had a severe car accident
and was incapacitated for
a considerable amount of time.
Water played a large part in
my recovery. During my therapy
sessions one day the pool
lessee was short staffed and
asked for my help.
I didn’t have a lot of use of
my legs at the time so I asked
him if he had a tyre tube and
a couple of pieces of rope so I
could pen the kids into a safe
environment.
From that moment I was
hooked.
I have been fortunate to represent
our country and have
taught overseas.
I have enjoyed many a journey
with babies through to
adults and produced swimmers
to regional, state, national and
international level and those
swimmers have gone on to win
medals here and overseas and
set records as well.
Incredibly, some of my
swimmers have achieved these
levels out of a 13m pool. A moment
in time.
Q. How important is it to
connect on a personal level
with both the athletes and
children you teach?
A. My personal belief is
that you need to become at
one with the water and to do
that you have to build a relationship
with the swimmer on
how their body responds in
the water. You have to be very
calm and patient and guide the
person into building up their
confidence.
The one thing I pride myself
on is to be a lateral thinker and
keep an open mind to the experiences
and try not to rush
them.
Q. What is one piece of advice
you’d give to someone
who wants to own their own
business one day?
A. Have fun, stay open
minded and set realistic goals.
A community is our village and
our connection to each other.
Life should be about people
and when you get involved in
a business you will find that
when you open yourself up
and come with a plan of being
honest, true, excited and willing
to learn then you will grow
forward.
Be unique, keep coming up
with concepts and ideas and
involve the community into
your business. Be fair in your
honesty and you will find that
you will grow strong in yourself,
business and community.
Q. What is something you
would change about Highfields
to make it an even better
place to live?
A. Personally, I’d like to see
roads built for pushbikes. Get
people to walk and ride without
being on the highway, have
their own highway. I’d also
like to see a train come back
out this way, so we can actually
sit, relax and enjoy the moments
of travel.
Q. Your family is known
for being extremely sporty,
did that help you chase your
goals growing up?
Absolutely. For every action
there’s a reaction and for
everything you try, it changes
you into something new.
Life is about evolving, opening
up and trying new experiences
and who better to share
it with than family and friends.
Q. What is there left to
achieve for Gail Walker?
I’m climbing the age calendar,
but I still have a great passion
for what I do.
I also do a lot of work with
rehabilitation and its been a
lovely pleasure to do that.
I’m very driven by people
and I think the learning never
stops. I’ve always come from
the family background where
its about giving and helping
people. As long as I still have
the passion, I will continue to
do what I do.
Newly appointed life member of the DDLBA, Imelda Brumpton, West Toowoomba Club, seated,
with Karen Livingstone, Pauline Handley, Joyce McGeorge, West Toowoomba President Karen
Pratt, Bev Higgins, DDLBA life member Betty Cullinan, and Tracy Foster. - Joyce McGeorge.
Oakey indoor sport
RIFLE SHOOTING
CROWS NEST GOOMBUNGEE: December
15 - 300 yards. It was a calm humid day with circling
winds for the 11 members who shot.
Target rifle: John G. 102.12, Ash B. 100.7, Nikk E.
98.5, Darryll M.73.1. F standard: John L. 115.6, Neil
A. 113.3, Doug T. 105.3, Paul O’G. 94. F Open/ FTR:
Riley H. (FTR) 114.6, Rodger H. 113, Karon D. 111.5.
The range is now closed until the New Year following
the Christmas shoot on Sunday, December 16.
SOUTHERN DOWNS: December 16 - 500
yards F class. Neil S. 124.9 open, Bruce McA.
122.8 open, Kevin J. 117.5 standard, Dave T.
113.2 open, Daryl R. 110.5 standard, Margaret T.
109.1 open, - Cont. next column.
From previous column
Gavin H. 105.4 standard, John D. dnf.
A very hot, steamy morning with a chance of
rain greeted the shooters last Sunday. Leading
from the front, club captain Neil had a great day
with an excellent score for first place with
Bruce close behind with another good score.
December 23 - Christmas fly shoot at 600 yards
followed by a barbecue and prize giving at the
clubhouse.
Bring along a lucky dip prize about $10 value
for the prize giving. Sign on at 7.30am for 8am
start. Contact Margaret 4666 1018 for more information.
Tuesday night all the extreme junior indoor sports players had their presentation night for 2018. Cricket,
netball, beach volleyball, dodgeball and more. Thanks everyone for coming. We have had a great time
and can’t wait for 2019. If you would like the children to be involved, phone 4691 1691. Cost is $5 for
primary school age. - Nick James.
To advertise phone 4615 4416 or email herald@highcountrynews.net.au
HIGH COUNTRY HERALD - DECEMBER 18, 2018 - 23