BEHIND every great athlete there is a great coach, and Queensland has seen plenty.

Take John Buchanan, who has guided the world-beating Australian cricket team and led the Bulls to the state's first Sheffield Shield, rugby's John Connolly, Alec Evans and the innovative Des Conners, rugby league's Bob Bax and golf guru Charlie Earp.

Or swimming coaches like John Carew who coached Kieren Perkins, Joe King who nurtured a young Hayley Lewis, and Grant Hackett's Denis Cotterell.

Thousands of unsung heroes guide youngsters through their early days in sport. But for all those who have helped athletes reach their potential, three stand out as representative of the Queensland coach.

Son of the operator of the Townsville Baths, where the great Australian swim teams of the 50s and 60s trained, Lawrence first made a name for himself as a rugby halfback.

He took up swim coaching in 1966 and shot to prominence through the performances of his young world-beaters, Steven Holland and Tracey Wickham.

Lawrence first tasted Olympic gold when his swimmer Jon Sieben shocked the world with a record-breaking swim in the 200m butterfly in Los Angeles 1984.

Four years later the exuberant Lawrence went berserk when Duncan Armstrong swam the perfect tactical race to win 200m freestyle gold in Seoul.

Now championing the cause of water safety for children, Lawrence remains one of sport's most colourful characters.

Considered the epitome of the true spirit of rugby union, Bob Templeton was a coach whose love for the game was infectious. Revered by every player who ever played or toured under him, "Tempo" was synonymous with Queensland rugby for more than 40 years.

He had two stints as coach of the national side; even when deposed, Templeton showed no bitterness and was happy to work behind the scenes in whatever capacity he was needed.

As much as his efforts as a coach, it is memories of him on tour – sitting in front of the open fire with drink and cigar in hand, ready and willing to talk rugby with anyone and everyone – which tell his story.

The former policeman overcame personal hardship to become the most successful coach in rugby league history and an inspiration to many through his attitudes to life.

His taciturn demeanour to the media belies a natural warmth and dry sense of humour, and it took an insightful television documentary to reveal the real Bennett to the public.

An innovative coach whose Broncos have won five premierships and who has led the Queensland team to nine wins out of 15 matches, his win-loss ratio is the best of any coach in the history of the game.