The History of New Zealand Masters Swimming - Meet the Author, Roger Eagles

NZMS, wishes to congratulate Roger Eagles on the launch of his book The History of New Zealand Masters Swimming 1973 - 2013 which he started writing in 2012. This is a fantastic 40 year historical overview of NZMS.  Roger says that this was a great experience and he has learned a lot from it. The History of NZMS is the first book ever written by Roger, but he is hopeful that it won't be the last and is waiting for another subject to grab his interest to start his second book.

Roger kicked off his swimming career at the young age of 7 years old, he went on to represent the Bay of Plenty for many years at the National Championships and captained the team for the last two years of his younger career. After this he joined the Foveaux Masters Swimming club of which he became the first President.  He was elected Vice-President of NZMS in 2003 and went on to become President in 2005 and served for three terms. He broke many records in his younger career and has broken five NZMS records in his masters career.

In 2006, Roger was appointed as the first Chairman of Aquatics New Zealand Inc where he served as Chairman until 2011.  In 2009 he was appointed to the FINA Committee and has recently been re-appointed for a further four years.

Who is Roger when he is not competing in every NZMS National Championships?  Four years ago he married his lovely wife, Lily, in China. Roger has two sons, Marshall and Morgan and one adorable 18 month old granddaughter, Elena.  Lily has one son, Yan Xin, who is currently a tennis coach in Beijing.  Eight small finches and canaries
form part of the Eagles household and when Roger is not listening to his birds' cheerful singing he is a successful lawyer in a firm he founded in 1978 and has no intention of retiring anytime soon. Apart from swimming four days a week, Roger enjoys indoor rowing, which he says makes a nice change from swimming. When he is not in the pool or rowing you can find Roger on his VFR1200, being a bike fanatic he has owned thirteen bikes throughout his life and likes nothing more than a long road trip.

Roger in his own words:  "Masters swimming has been wonderful for me. Not only do I enjoy the sport of swimming so much, but the making of friends and contacts has been so beneficial and after getting appointed to the FINA Masters

Committee contacts with other Master swimming enthusiasts from all around the world followed, together with trips to fascinating destinations like Gothenburg and Riccione. This year it will be Montreal and next year Kazan in Russia. Being on the FINA Committee has made me more aware of the world-wide nature of swimming and where Masters fits in"

Well done Roger, what a fantastic effort! If any of you would like to purchase this book please email Mike Bodger on m.bodger@xtra.co.nz