British water polo has suffered a major loss with the death of Grantham’s Jim Caulfield, whose career included coaching England under-17 squad to fifth place in the Euro Nations competition in 2015 – a tournament that provided the building blocks for many players to become senior internationals.
He joined the teaching staff of King’s School, Grantham, in the early 1970s and, for more than half a century, guided the school to an unprecedented number of ESSA and ASA titles.
Between 1998 and 2002, King's School water polo merged with the newly formed Grantham Water Polo Club and this enabled Jim to follow his dream and set up Grantham Water Polo Academy (linked to Grantham College). In addition, he took on many regional, national and international coaching appointments.
BWPL President Trevor Pledger writes: “I joined the sixth form as a pupil at Kings School in 1973. Jim was a young PE teacher then and water polo was developing fast as a school sport with full colour blazers awarded for the first time in 1974.
With Jim as the driving force, the School became a dominant force in ESSA water polo, winning numerous age-group titles. He was one of the first to take part in the ASA coaches programme in the early 1980s and went on to coach England women at the Commonwealth Games and the ESSA under-18 boys in Malta in 2003.
The sport has lost a significant driving force but the players and coaches he mentored remain as a legacy to the sport.”
A service will be held on 15 November at St Wulfrum’s Church, Grantham (1.30pm) followed by refreshments (from 3pm) at the Chequers Inn, Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir. Jim’s son Ben and Nick ask those attending to wear a water polo shirt, rugby shirt or a touch of colour to “reflect Dad’s love of sport.”
Photo: Jim in relaxed mood at a BWPL event a few years ago.
He joined the teaching staff of King’s School, Grantham, in the early 1970s and, for more than half a century, guided the school to an unprecedented number of ESSA and ASA titles.
Between 1998 and 2002, King's School water polo merged with the newly formed Grantham Water Polo Club and this enabled Jim to follow his dream and set up Grantham Water Polo Academy (linked to Grantham College). In addition, he took on many regional, national and international coaching appointments.
BWPL President Trevor Pledger writes: “I joined the sixth form as a pupil at Kings School in 1973. Jim was a young PE teacher then and water polo was developing fast as a school sport with full colour blazers awarded for the first time in 1974.
With Jim as the driving force, the School became a dominant force in ESSA water polo, winning numerous age-group titles. He was one of the first to take part in the ASA coaches programme in the early 1980s and went on to coach England women at the Commonwealth Games and the ESSA under-18 boys in Malta in 2003.
The sport has lost a significant driving force but the players and coaches he mentored remain as a legacy to the sport.”
A service will be held on 15 November at St Wulfrum’s Church, Grantham (1.30pm) followed by refreshments (from 3pm) at the Chequers Inn, Woolsthorpe-by-Belvoir. Jim’s son Ben and Nick ask those attending to wear a water polo shirt, rugby shirt or a touch of colour to “reflect Dad’s love of sport.”
Photo: Jim in relaxed mood at a BWPL event a few years ago.
RSS Feed
