MATTHEW Lowe has taken over as Bromsgrove Swimming Club’s new head coach.

Lowe has moved from Haden Hill Swimming Club, where he was skills development coach.

A competitive swimmer since he was nine, Bromsgrove’s new man competed in British Championships and National Age Group finals.

He decided to get into coaching to give something back to the sport after getting injured the week before the British Masters Championship, where he was hoping to win a medal in the 100-metre breaststroke.

He is now looking forward to the challenges of his new role at Bromsgrove and is planning to build on the club’s successes.

He said: “It’s been an enjoyable start. I’ve been really happy with the reception I’ve had from coaches and parents.

“There is a positive vibe about Bromsgrove and definitely a ‘we can do it’ attitude from all associated with the club.

“I think we’ve got some decent foundations, and if we all work together and support each other, we can achieve something very special.

“What I like about the coaches at Bromsgrove is that we’ve all been swimmers ourselves, so there’s a real respect and understanding of what the young swimmers are doing, and when they see us drop in and swim at galas ourselves, I think that helps us earn respect back, as we’re leading from the front."

He added: “My personal ambition as a coach is to place swimmers on the England talent programmes with an ultimate aim of representing Great Britain.”