Today Major General Shaun Burley CB MBE Director Army Sport Control Board had great pleasure in presenting DASCB Coins to three outstanding members of the Army Swimming communities in recognition of their continued excellence in support of Swimming and Waterpolo.
WO1 (ASM) Emma Argue started her swimming career in 1996, competing in the REME and the Inter-Corps Championships at swimming and waterpolo. Consistently performing to a high standard, she has been selected to represent the REME at the Inter-Corps events every year for over 20 years. Concurrent with her participation, has been her promotion of both disciplines through the organisation of events and training camps from unit to Army level. For the last seven years, she has planned and delivered the annual Inter-Corps Swimming and Waterpolo Championships.
As a competitor, she remains a dedicated Corps swimmer; however, her success as a stalwart for the REME in the pool has arguably been surpassed by her contribution to both sports outside the pool. Since 2015, she has organised the Army’s Inter-Corps Swimming and Waterpolo Competition on behalf of the Army Sports Control Board (ASCB). This monumental undertaking requires substantial planning and outstanding organisational skills and would normally be delivered by a committee. Impressively, WO1 Argue has undertaken all the planning and delivered the annual championships without significant ASCB support, principally through drawing on her REME contacts. It is a reflection of her commitment and enthusiasm that the popularity and particularly the female competitor base has grown year on year under her tenure. Her ability to professionally run such a prestigious event, whilst also competing at it for her Corps is outstanding.
WO1 Argue’s personal contribution to Unit, Corps and Army swimming and waterpolo is unparalleled. She has displayed a breath-taking level of selfless commitment to her chosen sports for over two decades. She is a shining ambassador for swimming and waterpolo and her contribution is fully deserving of ASCB recognition.
Mr Robert Kubath has served at 3 Royal School of Military Engineering since Feb 2002 as the Pool Manager. Over the past 19 years, his personality and influence across the Corps of Royal Engineers are almost immeasurable, with almost every Sapper and Officer in the Corps at some point coming under his scrutiny in the swimming pool. Throughout his tenure, My Kubath has taken on several roles within the Corps, notably as a Coach, and has helped to pass on these skills and qualifications to countless numbers of Sappers.
Instrumental in the re-introduction of a Royal Engineers Swimming and Water-Polo Championship in 2004, Mr Kubath has been a force-multiplier when it comes to Corps Aquatics events. Be that lifeguarding, officiating or Pool Management – without him, the Royal Engineers Swimming and Water-Polo teams would have struggled to grow and develop into the organisations they are today. His impact can also be felt at Army Level, with his tutelage and encouragement at the Grass-Roots level having significant influence on generations of Army level Swimmers and Water-Polo players.
Mr Kubath has been a consistent stalwart of the Corps of Royal Engineers Aquatics Team and although his success cannot be measured in terms of what he has done in the swimming pool, there can be little doubt that his personality, attitude and dedication to Corps and Army Sport can be demonstrated in his long-term commitment to the organisation, teaching and enhancing of swimming and water-polo across the Army and Corps of Royal Engineers.
For his outstanding service and dedication to Corps Swimming and encouraging swimming at the ‘grass-roots’, Mr Kubath is worthy of recognition from the Director of the Army Sports Control Board.
WO2 Daniel Lane has been an integral part of Corps and Army Water-Polo since 2014. He has been an influential figure within the Army Water-Polo Community, culminating in his position as the Ladies Team Manager and as a driving force behind improved RAF and Navy representation in the sport.
A stalwart of the Corps of Royal Engineers Swimming and Water-Polo Management and Coaching team from 2014, WO2 Lane has previously taken on responsibility as the Army Men’s Water-Polo Fitness Coach, National League Manager and Assistant Manager. Most notably, he was a key driving force behind the establishment of a credible Ladies Army Water-Polo Team, starting as Team Manager and now serving as the Assistant Manager. His dedication to Water-Polo at all levels is immeasurable and the successes of the Ladies Team now can, in part, be put down to the initial drive and determination displayed by WO2 Lane.
At Armed Forces level, WO2 Lane has also established a Joint-Services Ladies team to compete against National League opposition. It can be easy to rest on your laurels and laud your successes; but WO2 Lane’s dedication goes beyond this to the point where his passion and competitive nature has driven him to aid the other services to establish their own teams. A commendable attitude and proof of his passion for Water-Polo.
WO2 Lane balances his military sporting commitments against his roles and responsibilities within local and Regional Swimming and Water-Polo Clubs, acting a Squad lead for the Nottingham Leander SC, a Junior Squad Lead for the Nottingham Leander Water-Polo Team and as a Swim England East Midlands Performance lead for Water-Polo. Although outside the sphere of Army representative sport, his attitude and demeanour show exceptional community engagement and a positive advertisement for the Army within the local community.
For his outstanding service and dedication to Army and Corps Water-Polo, WO2 Lane is worthy of recognition from the Director of the Army Sports Control Board.
Congratulations to WO1 Emma Argue, Mr Robert Kubath and WO2 Daniel Lane all extremely deserving recipients of the DASCB Coin.