Today we're diving into Auburn SC - home of Australian Paralympic Team members Tim Hodge, Ricky Betar and Coach Clinton Camilleri!
Located near an inner west train station that never sleeps is a Metro North West club that never stops. Newly refurbished Auburn Swim Club based at Lidcombe was established in 1959. The club is currently home to three members of the Australian Paralympic Team, including club Head Coach Clinton Camilleri, Paralympian and Commonwealth Games silver medallist, Tim Hodge, and para debutant, Ricky Betar. A Tokyo native, these Games will be extra special for Ricky! Join Auburn SC in cheering on Tim, Ricky and Clinton as they represent Australia. Channel 7’s Paralympic coverage starts on August 24.
Auburn SC’s devoted Life Members, including Carol McDonald and Ruth Everuss, ensured the club’s survival from 2014-2017 whilst their pool was undergoing refurbishment. The club has increased its membership from a mere five members at the start of 2017, to the current 100 members split amongst three squads.
To find out a bit more about the club, we spoke to Club President Judy Wartmann, Head Coach Clinton Camilleri and Club Secretary Nori Betar.
Auburn SC in Depth
Auburn SC currently runs three squads which cater to members of all ages and abilities, whether they are newly graduated learn to swim members, members of the Australian Paralympic Team, or Junior Australian Open Water Team. Athletes from Auburn’s Bronze, Silver and Gold squads are all encouraged to attend club races.
Equality and a strong team-focus are two of the club’s most important values, their motto “Inspiring swimmers to achieve their personal best in the sport of competitive swimming”. Auburn SC is especially proud of their hard working, tight-knit culture. Swimmers of all ages and abilities are pitted against each other at Friday club nights, with Australian Para Team members Jenna Jones, Ricky Betar and Tim Hodge, or Australian Junior Open Water Team member, Bianca Walton, diving in next to junior grassroots swimmers. This cross-squad exposure has been part of a greater junior development strategy, which aims to eventually feed swimmers into higher-level squads.
Auburn’s fundamental focus on the club as a team was bolstered at the 2019 NSW Winter State Championships, where the club placed third on the overall pointscore despite having one of the smallest teams, made up of around 10-12 athletes. This was a proud and pivotal moment for the club, reinforcing what can be achieved when everyone works together and plays a unique role in carrying the team.
Youth and young adult retention is an area Auburn SC has had great success in, contrary to trends at clubs across the state. Head Coach Clinton says the club’s membership stability comes from providing a training environment with like-minded people. As a coach, he prioritizes school results during the HSC period, building flexibility and autonomy into athletes’ schedules. Once finished, Clinton again works with athletes to determine when they can continue training at a competitive level based on how much free time they have available.
What's next for Auburn SC
Join Auburn SC in cheering on Tim, Ricky and Clinton in what is set to be Australia's biggest-ever Paralympic broadcast! Channel 7’s coverage starts on August 24.
Ricky Betar will be swimming in four events: Men's 100m Butterfly (S14), Men's 200m Freestyle (S14), Men's 100m Backstroke (S14) and the Men's 4x100m Freestyle Relay.
Tim Hodge will be swimming in the Men's 100m Backstroke (S9), Men's 200m IM (SM9), Men's 100m Butterfly (S9) and the Men's 4x100m Medley Relay.
Clinton Camilleri will be looking after four athletes on the Australian Team including Tim, Ricky, Liam Schluter and Emily Beecroft. He is also the lead coach for the Men’s 4x100m Medley Relay.
All are welcome to try racing at Auburn SC at one of their fortnightly club nights.
The club also tries to host two qualifying meets a year in November and January (COVID-permitting), which usually attract competitors from all parts of Sydney.
Find and contact Auburn SC
Club pool: Auburn Ruth Everuss Aquatic Centre, Church St, Lidcombe
Club website: https://auburn.swimming.org.au/
Want to be featured in the next Clubs in Depth?
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- Purpose of Clubs in Depth initiative
Contact Olivia Kapocius (admin@nsw.swimming.org.au) to organise an interview.
The purpose of Clubs in Depth is to promote NSW-based clubs to both the Swimming NSW and broader community in order to increase engagement and participation. The article is distributed via our website, social media channels, the Hot Off the Blocks Newsletter and Swimmer Magazine.
Swimming NSW will also provide featured clubs with a modified copy of their article so it can be distributed to local media outlets as a new member and community engagement tool.
