Pirates Swim Club
Coaches
Darny Olalde Hernandez,
Head Coach
Recipient of Coach of the Year Two Years Running
Swim Groups Coach:
Seniors & Intermediates
I started swimming at the age of five on the recommendation from my doctor after I contracted meningitis and later developed asthma. At nine years old, I was selected to become a part of the beginners’ provincial sport school E.I.D.E. Hector Ruiz in Santa Clara, Cuba. By 11 years old, I left my family and joined the National School of Swimming “Marcelo Salado” in Habana, and by the age of 14 I was selected to become a part of Cuba’s CCCAN team. Two years later, I joined Cuba’s National Swim Team. In 1991, I competed at the Pan American Games placing 5th in the 800M Freestyle Relay while setting a national record that remains today.
I have a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education, Sports and Recreation.
I joined Pirates Swim Club in 2011 and was promoted to Head Coach in 2017. I have been awarded the ‘Coach of the Year’ from Barbados Aquatic Sports Association in 2018 and 2019.
Rolando Consuegra Garcia
Received Top Class honors at the Olympic Solidarity Course presenting the most advanced scientific-methodological technical training
Swim Groups Coach:
Seniors & Advanced Beginners
My first contact with swimming began at the age of seven when I was recruited by the E.I.D.E. (School Sport Initiation). At the age of 14, I started showing interest in being a teacher and I began my studies in 1974 to become a Physical Education Teacher. During that period, I worked as a Swim Coach. I graduated with a specialty in Swimming from ISCCFD (Institute of Science, Physical Culture and Sport) in 1982 at the age of 22.
In 1995 I was selected to attend the first course of Olympic Solidarity (because of my results as a coach) where the 40 best technicians of the country received the most advanced scientific-methodological technical training. I scored the highest in course results.
By 2002, I was assigned from the Government of Cuba to assist the National Sports Council of Barbados for a period of four years.
I have worked hard to make Pirates Swim Club the best club in Barbados. In 2019, we won the Aquatic Centre International swim meet for the first time.
Dave Farmer
Winner of two gold medals and set world record at 1985 Masters’ World Swimming Championships held in Canada
Swim Groups Coach:
Seniors & Intermediates
I started swimming competitively at about 10 years old and swam competitively for my school – Harrison College, for Brighton Swim Club and for Barbados.
I attended Towson State University where I swam for four years, becoming the first swimmer from the institution to qualify for the NCAA Championships. In 1973 I graduated with a B.A. in Physical Education and a minor in Spanish, and continued my studies to earn a Masters in Education while providing coaching assistance to the swim team there.
In 1971, I was selected to compete at the Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia in both swimming and water polo.
In 1978, with a group of young swimmers from Harrison College and the Ursuline Convent, I formed Pirates Swim Club.
In 1985, I competed at the first World Masters Swimming Championships winning two gold medals and setting a World Record in 4x50M Freestyle Relay for the 16-20 years age category. I became the first Barbadian Masters swimmer in 1986 to win a US Masters National title in the LC 50M Freestyle.
My other achievements include being awarded a Commonwealth Games Scholarship to the National Coaching Institute of Canada to study High Performance Sports Science. I completed my NCCP Level 5 Diploma and assisted with the coaching of the Canadian Swim Team as they prepared for the 1995 Pan American Games. And in 2008 I accepted the position of National Olympic Academy Director for Barbados, which I occupied until my retirement in 2019.
At present, in addition to assisting Pirates Swim Club I deliver coach education programs for FINA and the Caribbean Coaching Certification programme within the Americas.
Vincent Smith
Coach to a bronze medal winner at the Pan American Games
Swim Groups Coach:
Beginners
I got involved in swimming through rehabilitating congenital conditions such as Cerebral Palsy and injuries via water therapy. In 1998 I began using competitive swimming as a means of improving the whole individual. This included registering swimmers with the Barbados Paralympic Association, of which I am a co-founder and was the association’s President.
After being certified through the Australian and Canadian Paralympic Association in Swimming I began working with local able-bodied swimmers.
My swimming career as a coach has taken me to Argentina, Brazil, Canada, the U.S.A., Trinidad and a number of other countries. As a coach, one of my swimmers won bronze in Pan American Games that lead Barbados to be qualified for the 2018 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.
I continued to improve my swimming education and was certified in FINA swim courses Level 1, 2, and 3, coaching certifications in: Canadian Level 1 Paralympic Swimming, Australia’s General Paralympics and Swimming, an IPC Swimming and Wheelchair classifier, and I have attended several other swimming coaching courses and seminars in the U.S.A. and Latin America.
I have a rich multisport background which includes certifications in Hockey Level 1 certified, a third degree Black belt in Olympic Taekwondo, Level 1 Olympic Wrestling, Level 1 Kick Boxing, Level 1 Athletics including blind athletics and wheelchair racing, Mixed Martial Arts Coach, Brazilian Capoeira, Caribbean Coaching Development Programme 1 and 2, and Canadian Coaching Certificates Level 1 and 2.
Isabel King
Learn To Swim coach with more than 20 years experience
Swim Groups Coach:
Learn to Swim
I came to Barbados from Venezuela when I was 16 years old to study English. This was an exciting time in my life as you can imagine. I got involved in the sport of swimming and synchronized swimming over 30 years ago. I am a Level 2 American Swim Coaches Association coach and qualified in CPR and Pool Safety.
I was a member of Barbados’ Masters swim team which competed in the 2001 & 2003 Caribbean Masters Swimming Championships in Puerto Rico and Barbados, respectively.
Krystle Lynch-Regret
Former Barbados National Swim Team member. Certified as a Level 2 coach from the American Swim Coaches Association and qualified in CPR and Pool Safety
Swim Groups Coach:
Learn to Swim
I began swimming at four years old with Pirates Learn to Swim, then under Madelaine Mercure and my mother, Isabel King. I was soon winning the title of ‘Age Group Champion’ and even went on to break several National and school records. Throughout my competitive years, I trained with two top coaches: Mr. David Farmer and Mr. Abdul Sharif. I swam alongside many elite swimmers including Bradley Ally and the Fordes: Martin and Ryan.
I began coaching at the age of 16 years and to this day. I coach way more than I swim. Teaching is a very rewarding career…I love to see my swimmers advancing and more importantly, having fun while they learn.