Another magic moment for Victoria Masters coach Danielle Brault (seated) when, in March 2003, her 200 medley relay team, women's 160-199 age group set the team's first world record. From left to right, the swimmers are: Judy Woodward, Sarah Macdonald, Avila Rhodes and Cindy Radford.

Danielle Brault needs to coach and teach.

The head coach of Victoria Masters for 11 years has worked with Masters since 1979, helping swimmers across Canada and in Germany during a civilian posting with the Department of National Defence.

"It's nice to do something well," she says from her home in Victoria. "As the years go by I have more confidence in my abilities."

Brault works at Middle School in Victoria where she teaches Grades 7 and 8 French Immersion, Science, Math, and Gym. She enjoys it but laughs that she teaches to make money. "It's a job, a good job!"

Coaching Masters has been a life-long pursuit, something she stayed with because she likes seeing people achieve their goals.

She recalls how, in 1998, Judy Woodward set a world record in the women's 40-44 100-metre breast stroke. Another time, one of her female swimmers broke the one minute barrier for the 100-m freestyle.

"I knew that they were going after (those goals) and they were perfect swims. Everything was right technically and the final times proved it."

Coaching Masters is similar to teaching children, she thinks. Masters Coaches need to be flexible and aware of the differences in their swimmers. They must create workouts that are challenging yet still keep it interesting.

"For Masters especially you can't be rigid."

Brault continues her own training and does not sacrifice her morning workouts. Her focus this year is swimming at the FINA World Masters Championships in Stanford, California in August. She has set aside her marathon running and triathlon training this season.

She finds she can no longer do everything at the same time, or something will suffer, she says. She thinks about completing an Ironman Triathlon when she retires from teaching.

She started swimming in 1973 with the Équipe de Natation de Cowansville in Quebec's Eastern Townships. Although she was an age grouper, she says she wasn't "very good."

By high school, she was already more coach than teacher, she says. She found her affinity for coaching when she began lifeguarding and teaching swimming. She became the Cowansville head coach in May 1977.

As a teen, the pool was a safe place, she says. Now, as she celebrates moving into the women's 50-54 age group, the pool remains both home and social circle.

"I like the pool environment. I walk into a building that has a pool and I can smell the chlorine. Ah, I'm addicted. (It's something) only swimmers can know."

Quick Facts

Family status: single
Number of years swimming: 39
Favourite Stroke: breastroke and IM
Least Favourite stroke/event: distance freestyle.

Top 3 reasons to love Masters swimming:

The friends, the water (the way I feel in it), the hard/good workouts.

Current reading: The Wreckage by Michael Crummey (from Newfoundland).
Other favourite sports: Running and triathlons.

Fave after sport food or drink:

Diet Coke (I know it's bad but I'm addicted - I only allow myself one a day now and I'm proud of myself for that).