Dean Boxall: Queensland parents and swimmers tell of the genius behind the swim coach’s madness

To millions around the world, he is the man behind the celebration that will go down in Olympic folklore, but to the swimmers and parents impacted by the “crazy” and “infectious” Dean Boxall, there is a real genius behind the madness.

It was a celebration that will go down in Australian Olympic folklore, but the parents of the athletes who train with Dean Boxall say it’s nothing out of the ordinary and reveal the genius behind the madness.

Under the passion and the “crazy” is a coach with an “infectious” attitude that inspires not only the swimmers but the parents, by treating every swimmer the same and keeping the sport exciting and refreshing.

Dean Boxall of Team Australia reacts in a slightly more calm way than usual to Ariarne Titmus' gold medal win in the Women's 200m Freestyle. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Two-time Olympic medallist and five-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Haley Lewis has known Boxall since she was 10 years old.

“We always knew he was crazy … (but) he has this ability to make whoever he is with feel like the most important person in the world,” Ms Lewis said.

“What you see is what you get with Dean, there is no putting on some weird thing for attention, he’s like that 24/7 and he’s always been like that.”

Her son Kai, 18, swims at St Peters Lutheran and has relished every moment under Dean, so much so that his mum wishes she had Boxall as her coach when she was representing the country.

“Hell yeah, (I would want him as my coach), I loved my coaches … but just to see how Kai walks in the door every day and I have sat in the grandstand and just to see Dean and Maxi it’s just this feeling of wow.”

“That atmosphere of fun, they are doing hard work but Dean is able to combine fun and energy into a very tough program.”

Ms Lewis told a story of a school championships meet, where Kai needed to win his race for the school to win on overall points.

“We were watching Dean while Kai was swimming and he was just so, (sic) look, for him winning a school carnival is just important as the Olympics.”

Dean Boxall (coach), Swim Training, Tokyo Olympics Training Camp, Tobruk Pool, Cairns, Australia. July 5 2021.Pic by Delly Carr.

Rob Thorpe moved from Sydney to Brisbane for the chance for his three boys to be a part of Boxall’s program and they haven’t looked back.

“Dean met my son and the two of them really struck a chord and for me what made me feel comfortable about the move was he was going into a squad with a coach who is passionate, enthusiastic and just so knowledgeable about the sport,” Mr Thorpe said.

“The relationship the two of them have is unique and I stand back as a father and I just think wow, how privileged are we that they have struck that relationship.”

“When Arnie is over he she is one of many and he manages to spread his attention across everyone in the squad, I just don’t know how he does it.”

Boxall’s “infectious” attitude rubs off on the whole Thorpe family.

“On the energy point, there are times in the morning where I have woken up and felt sluggish but I think if Dean can do it then I can.”

“It flows through our family, the guys in my team at work hear about what the kids are doing and hear about Dean and they’re even saying when can we get Dean to come and talk to us.

Ariarne Titmus wins Olympic gold in the 400metre freestyle event. Her coach, Dean Boxall, celebrates in the stands. Picture: Channel 7

Louisa Forrester’s daughter Jenna missed out on the Olympic Games by one second, she said Boxall has rode all the ups and downs.

“Dean is as passionate at the QGPSSA competition as his is at the Olympics, I’ve seen him take his hat off throw it on the ground and stomp on it, we weren’t surprised at all what we saw,” Ms Forrester said.

“When you entrust your child to a coach for such a long period it is a big thing, so certainly he has had a big influence on Jenna.”

“He makes her cry, makes her laugh and knows what it takes to get the best out of his swimmers.”

“He is a really, really intelligent guy and he has an unbelievable memory, he is so smart.

his passion is felt by everybody, not just by the squad.”