Janet Henderson
Class of 1969
I am so excited for all of you and jealous that you are getting together in early August. I had full plans to attend BUT my Mom's health is very dicey and my overseas ticket has now changed from Coolangatta-Sydney-Honolulu-Montreal to Sydney-LA-Tampa to spell my father for two weeks in late June.
Yes- I live in the land of ALOT of sunshine, blue skies and NOT MUCH precipitation-Australia. Since graduating in 1969 I attended UNB to obtain a PE degree and graduated in '73. I immediately accepted a post in Lennoxville, Quebec and had 2 fabulous years at Alexander Galt Reg. High. In '76 I decided to return to UNB to do graduate work and after only 2 weeks there was offered a job as volleyball and swim coach at Mt. Allison University in Sackville, NB. A Uni job with just an undergraduate degree was unheard of so I accepted and spent 5 years there leading up to Head Varsity Swim Coach and Women's Athletic Director as well as Aquatic Director. Loved this job and married my University sweetheart.
In 1980, I was awarded a National Apprenticeship Scolarship with Swimming Canada Natation and decided to do this under three Olympic Coaches. One based at Stanford University and two in Edmonton. It was truly a great experience and they also payed for me to do a MA at the Univ. of Alberta in Sports Psychology. Once again I was blessed with being in the right spot at the right time. I got to work with top swimmers in both Canada and US leading up to the World Championships in 1982!
From late 1982-89 I was appointed Head Coach of a large age-group club running out of 4 pools in N. Vancouver! Had alot of fun with the developing kids and put several onto National Touring teams. I also did alot of Coaching Level ! & 2 courses for Swimming Canada and was appointed to a handful of National Teams.
In late August 1989, I made the decison to move to Australia to marry my husband- Don Talbot. He has been in the sport of Swimming Internationally for over 45 years and until 6 months ago- when he retired as Australia's Head National and Olympic Coach. It was a buzz as both of us were on the same staff for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and the Aussie swimmers did so well.
Since being in Australia, I have kept my hand in Swimming but a decision was made between my husband and I that both of us could not be in it at the elite level full time as we would NEVER see each other do to travel commitments. They don't call Australia Down-Under for nothing!!! So.... I have spent the last 12 years utilizing my psychology background and initially worked the first Private Prison System in this Country as recreation Director and Case Manager. We moved to the beaches of the Gold Coast within 18 months so transferred my skills to Behaviour Management for a cluster of Schools on the South Gold Coast. I have learned what weekends are and love my dogs (Old English Sheepdogs)and my Arabian horse-Wynsom. If you can't be home in Canada it is truly magic where we live. Great mix of miles and miles of beaches in front of our home and the Hinterland behind us is tropical and sub-tropical rainforests!!Gets rather hot in January so we fly home to my parents and then spend a week at Whistler skiing!!! I love this yearly jaunt!
Please take lots and lots of pictures on the reunion weekend and put them on the reunion site. If I win the lottery I will definitely do the trip in August. Would love to hear how many of you are doing and will think of you all on Aug.1&2!!
Pat's diary memoirs have brought back alot of fun thoughts from the 60's. I still am great friends with MaryLou Basaraba and see her usually twice per year on LA stopovers! She is quite the accomplished opera singer and choir conductor. I am sure she will fill you in on our my comings and goings if she makes it to the reunion! I will being staying with her the night of June 26th on my trip over and on the night of July 10th on the trip back to the Land of Oz!
My parents dug up the slides of the 1969 grad Hors d'oeuvre party at my place. If my date -Steven Hersey sees this- Hi and we looked pretty good for teenagers. Please say hi to your sister Martha who I always looked up to!
Janet Henderson - Class of 1969