Olympian Craig Stevens has come back home to work in the Sutherland Shire being appointed as head coach of the Maroney Swim Team based at the Engadine Leisure Centre. Craig was the bronze medalist in the 1500-metre freestyle at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and until recently was the head coach at Sans Souci pool. Now, 42, he is charting the fortunes of swimming hopefuls who are chasing their own dreams. Stevens went to the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics. He won a silver medal in 2004 as a 4 x 200-metres relay team member and made the final in the 1500-metre event. At the world championships, he finished second in the 800 meters in 2007 and was part of the gold medal-winning 4 x 200 meters team in 2003. He unselfishly relinquished his place in the 2004 400-metre freestyle team for world record holder Ian Thorpe, who was disqualified in the event at the Australian trials, so Thorpe could swim in the event at Athens. Stevens said he has now been coaching for 15 yrs and it was an extension of his swimming days and a role he enjoyed. He has always lived in the Sutherland Shire and was coached by Greg Hodge, Doug Frost and Tracey Menzies at Sutherland Pool during his competitive career. Stevens enjoys the challenge of coaching and helping people achieve their goals not just in swimming but pursuing their careers and using swimming to get where you want to go. He said helping coach a swimmer and improve their skills was important and the Shire is a big area with lots of inspiring athletes. " We have built a program and a structure so these athletes don't have to go somewhere else. "Im just doing my best to help people get to their best level." he said Stevens also teaches a couple of days at his old school, Endeavour High helping out when help is needed. Justine Maroney said they had signed a new two year contract to swim out of Engadine so the squad was settled and they needed help with their elite swimmers moving forward. " We have a squad of around 180 swimmers-60 competitive and developing and also community swimmers so we needed a professional structure and that's where Craig comes in." Maroney said " To look after the top end " Craig is on the Engadine pool deck six days a week and brought some swimmers with him from San Souci like 17 yr old backstroker Tameeka Johnson who is a member of the Junior Australian squad and has been trained by Stevens for ten years. "I watch these kids grew up and its good to keep them in sport" he said "I nurture them, get them to a point and see if they want to go on with it" Info: Justine 0417 285 777