Maurice Cleaver

President

Maurice first joined Malmesbury Marlins ASC in 1982 when his son joined, and he was coerced 2 years later to help on the Teaching staff. He attended and passed the ASA Preliminary Teaching Award and followed this with further teaching and coaching courses. He has been involved with the club as- teacher, coach, lifeguard, Vice-Chairman, Chief Coach and President to the current day.

He first attended the Wiltshire Easter Course in 1989 where he was an Assistant Coach. This was a yearly event until 1996, when one of his children became seriously ill. He resumed working with the Easter Course in 2004 and then ran a group as Coach, until the Easter Courses finished in 2010.

In 1995 Maurice qualified as a judge, later upgrading his qualifications to ASA Timekeeper and Judge, and is currently a licensed J2.  Since 1995 he has officiated at Moonraker Leagues, County Championships and Age Groups as well as Open Meets and other events.

In 2002 he was able to resume bath-side teaching and coaching with Malmesbury ASA. By this time, retired from full time work, Maurice also assisted with school swimming lessons and still occasionally covers lessons at the local Leisure Centre.

In 2002 Maurice accepted the role as Wilts County Welfare Officer, stepping in, when we, sadly, lost Margaret Lewis. He held this position for 17yrs, yet many in the County were probably not aware of this. He covered the role superbly. He had many difficult situations on which to help and advise clubs and individuals. This was done quietly, with great understanding and empathy and handled totally professionally.

In 2004, when we were dealing with many problems with swimmers’ eligibility within the County Maurice also accepted the role of one of the two arbitrators to decide whether swimmers could compete or not. A difficult job, which he covered in his usual fair and unflappable way.

Maurice was elected as Wilts County President in 2005, as Malmesbury’s nomination for their year.

In 2008 he was elected Chairman of Wilts County ASA a position he held for 9 years.  Again, an exemplary example of what a Chairman should be - an iron fist in a velvet glove, always striving to support and promote the County and our sport but always supporting other job holders totally and respecting all the work they did.

As well as the County Executives, he has attended many of the sub-committee meetings covering the same role.   Whatever the type of meeting, Maurice has handled the meeting in his fair and honest way. He is totally trusted by all the delegates, and they know that it does not matter from where you come, the decisions will not be biased, and his only interest is doing the best he can for the sport and the swimmers.

At the end of his term as Chairman he was made a Life member of Wilts County ASA (now Wiltshire Swimming).