From 15-16 September and 22-23 September, 120 swimmers aged 11-15 years took over the Coffs Coast Adventure Centre, Lake Keepit Sport and Rec Centre (Tamworth), Lake Burrendong (Dubbo) and Borambola Sport and Rec Centre.
The Swimming NSW Youth Advisory Panel expanded their 2018 Lane Ropes to Leadership program to include four overnight Youth Leadership Camps in regional locations.
The camps were organised by the Youth Advisory Panel (YAP), which is made up of 15 teenaged Swimming NSW members. The YAP was formed to assist the Board of Swimming NSW with ideas on retaining teenagers in the sport of swimming and to try to combat the wide spread dropout rate we see around 13-14 years of age.
This is only the second year of the Lane Ropes to Leadership project, and the growth rate is impressive. A pilot camp last year attracted 30 swimmers from around NSW, and this year’s four camps involved 120 swimmers from 85 Swimming NSW clubs. Its highly successful formula includes educational sessions and activities during the camp which are planned, designed and presented by the Youth Advisory Panel members themselves (aged 13-19).
Participants took part in sessions designed to expand their knowledge of the various aspects of swimming, outside of the pool! The concept of the camps is to provide swimmers with skills they can take back to their clubs to improve the club environment for their peers and encourage retention of members by making club nights more fun, offering social club activities and helping create a team atmosphere that swimmers want to be part of. It is also to open their eyes to the opportunities swimming can offer beyond PBs and gold medals.
Workshops such as communication skills, event planning, time management, Optus Junior Dolphin coaching, Technical Official practical training, personal development and team building activities were part of every camp.
The feedback was extremely positive from all involved and we look forward to hearing success stories from clubs across the state as a result of the camp.
Keep your eye out for the 2019 Lane Ropes to Leadership camp dates and locations, as well as other projects from the Youth Advisory Panel.
A big thank you to all swimmers who attended the camps, contributed so much and represented their clubs exceptionally.
Swimmer | Swimming Club |
Amelia Fauchon | 360 Scully Park Tamworth SC |
Meghan Andren | 360 Scully Park Tamworth SC |
Marcus Ryan | 360 Scully Park Tamworth SC |
Charlie Bailey | Alligators of Armidale SC |
Mitchell England | Bathurst City SC |
Angus Macfarlane | Bathurst City SC |
Tyler Johnson | Bathurst City SC |
Lucy Graham | Bay & Basin ASC |
Jasmine Greenwood | Bay & Basin ASC |
Elise Irvine | Bay & Basin ASC |
Rebecca Hodgson | Bellingen SC |
Adrian Havron | Blacktown City SC |
Marty Mcgrath | Boorowa SC |
Jacob Piper | Boorowa SC |
Diego De Leon Chiew | Camden ASC |
Abbey Whicker | Campbelltown SC |
Gladys Turner | City of Sydney Aquatic Club |
Lauren Young | City of Sydney Aquatic Club |
Henry Hughes | City of Sydney Aquatic Club |
Bethany Crocker | Coolamon ASC |
Summer Buchegger | Coolamon ASC |
Clara Thornton | Cooma SC |
Madeleine Brown | Cootamundra SC |
Abbey Gammon | Cootamundra SC |
Finn Ryan | Cowra SC |
Sarah Buls | Crescent Head Pointers SC |
Shae-ala Marchment | Crescent Head Pointers SC |
Joshua McKinnon | Dapto SC |
SophieMills | Dapto SC |
Aspen Moore | Dubbo City Swimtech SC |
Ashley Steele | Dubbo City Swimtech SC |
Finn Bethell | EZYSWIM SC |
Jack Hendry | EZYSWIM SC |
Ben Chesworth | Finley ASC |
Ellie Mattiske | Forbes Fins SC |
Isla Worland | Forbes Fins SC |
Hannah Carmichael | Forster Aquatic SC |
Kyara McIntyre | Glen Innes Redfins SC |
Maisie Eastwood | Glen Innes Redfins SC |
Beth Arandale | Glen Innes Redfins SC |
Emily Kearney | Gloucester Thunderbolts SC |
Olivia Kearney | Gloucester Thunderbolts SC |
Chloe Douglas-Byrne | Gosford Stingrays SC |
George Mitton | Grenfell SC |
Niamh Mitton | Grenfell SC |
Zaine Della Franca | Griffith SC |
Piper Stewart | Griffith SC |
Sienna Donadel | Griffith SC |
Emily Kneppers | Hunter Valley Allstars SC |
Hunter Romer | Inverell SC |
Sophie Mijic | Inverell SC |
Thomas Pell | Jets SC |
Mirah Larkin | Katoomba RSL SC |
Casper Larkin | Katoomba RSL SC |
Max Farrell | Kempsey SC |
Jacob Curcio | Kincumber Pacific Dolphins SC |
Mercede Cornelius-Feltus | Kinross Wolaroi SC |
Tommaso Cornelius-Feltus | Kinross Wolaroi SC |
Daniel Lawrence | Knox Pymble SC |
Cassidy Wallace | Laurieton SC |
Bailey Whitton | Laurieton SC |
Leah Pickvance | Macksville Marlins SC |
Kate Payne | Macksville Marlins SC |
Brody Faulds | Macksville Marlins SC |
Darcy Welsh | Macksville Marlins SC |
Matilda MacNamara | Maclean Manta Rays SC |
Anna Jenkins | Maclean Manta Rays SC |
Ella Kohl | Macquarie Shores SC |
Joanne Wright | Manildra SC |
Lachlan Thompson | Manildra SC |
Elizabeth Tooley | Manildra SC |
Martha Smith | Manilla SC |
Danielle Vesper | Mingara Aquatic SC |
Macy Willis | Mingara Aquatic SC |
Gabrielle Elbourne | Moree ASC |
Alexander Macey | Moree ASC |
Brooke Wheadon | Muswellbrook SC |
Lillyan Potts | Narooma ASC |
Darcy Gleeson | Narrabri Stingrays SC |
Keleni Treacy | NU Swim |
Lachlan Brown | NU Swim |
Lucy Turner | Parkes SC |
Isabelle Rice | Parkes SC |
Christopher Syrakis | Peakhurst ASC |
Nathan Smith | Port Macquarie SC |
Oliver Howe | Port Macquarie SC |
Freya Doyle | Ravenswood SC |
Jenson O'Leary | Sawtell SC |
Mitchell Hickey | Sawtell SC |
Caitlyn Jones | Singleton ASC |
Ayden Balson | Springwood SC |
Bridgette Street | Swimwest SC |
Olivia Farish | Sydney University SC |
Robert Kanaley | Sydney University SC |
Olivia Dew | Taree Torpedoes SC |
Bevan Smith | Taree Torpedoes SC |
Caitlin Montgomery | Titans SC |
William Carney | Trinity Lismore SC |
Brendan Piccini | Twin Towns SC |
Octavia Coleman | Wagga Wagga SC |
Iesha Mackintosh | West Wallsend Indoor SC |
Samantha Johnston | West Wallsend Indoor SC |
Ethan Tough | West Wyalong SC |
Jai Bischoff | West Wyalong SC |
Thomas Jordan-Downes | West Wyalong SC |
Hanna Agnew | Wollongong SC |
Hannah Pianca | Yanco SC |
Bronte Anderson | Yass ASC |
Lucinda Madden | Young SC |
Thomas McEvoy | Young SC |
And we must pay tribute to our remarkable Youth Advisory Panel members who planned, attended and delivered presentations at the Leadership Camps. Thank you all for your dedication.
Swimmer | Swimming Club |
Lachlan Vane-Tempest | Abbotsleigh SC |
Maddi Robertshaw | Aquabliss Swimming Club |
Lucy Graham | Bay & Basin SC |
John Cosgrove | Hornsby SC |
Rohan Cowley | Inverell SC |
Jayden Redfern | Kincumber Pacific Dolphins SC |
Josie Gillham | Kinross Wolaroi SC |
Walter Boehme | Knox Pymble SC |
Sophia Vicic | Merrylands ASC |
Reece Tomkinson | Merrylands ASC |
Emily Di Donna | Moree ASC |
Jessica Hardy | Parramatta City SC |
Georgia Field | Ripples St Marys SC |
Darcy Andrews | The Hills S & LSC |
Billy Nicholson | Wagga Wagga SC |
Regan Smith | Wests Illawarra Aquatic SC |
Isaak Wilson | Wollongong SC |
Cassandra van Breugel | Woy Woy SC |
Emily Dillon | Young SC |
Josh Madden | Young SC |
Learn more about the Lane Ropes to Leadership Program and our Youth Advisory Panel here.