SOPAC Performance Centre - Sydney Olympic Park, Western Sydney

Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre SOPAC starting block

Through a three-way partnership between Swimming Australia, the New South Wales Institute of Sport and SNSW, the SOPAC Performance Centre is an innovative and dynamic performance environment for athletes, coaches, and performance staff. This Performance Centre encompasses the Swimming Australia endorsed NSW Olympic Park Hub program.

The aim of the SOPAC Performance Centre is to provide a high performance coaching environment for athletes residing across the Sydney metropolitan area. The centre has an established tiered squad structure. Each squad’s objective is to optimise the performance of the swimmers where by they gain qualification for the respective competition level relative to the squad.

 Partners

 
  • Head Coach, NSW Olympic Park Hub - Adam Kable
  • Adam Kable head shot

    Having coached high-performance athletes since 2011, Adam Kable leads the Olympic Park Performance Hub's coaching team. He is a four-time consecutive winner of the NSW Swimming Coach of the Year award and has guided athletes onto each and every Australian swimming team, including the Olympic Games, World Championships, Pan Pacific Championships, Commonwealth Games, World Cup events, and more. In 2019 alone, the NSWIS coach guided an athlete to a world-record performance and a World Championship gold and silver medal. Adam holds a Degree in Physiotherapy and a Masters of Coaching.

    Recent coaching appointments include:

    • 2023 World Championships Australian Team Coach
    • 2022 World Short Course Australian Team Coach
    • 2022 World Championships Team Coach
    • 2019 World Championships Australian Team Coach
    • 2018 Pan Pacs Australian Team Coach
    • 2018 Commonwealth Games Australian Team Coach
    • 2017 World Championships Australian Team Coach
    • 2016 Junior Pan Pacific Championships Australian Team Coach
    • 2015 World Junior Championships Australian Team Coach
  • Head Coach, SOPAC Performance Centre - James Greathead
  • James Greathead

    James Greathead heads the SOPAC Performance Hub, bringing a wealth of expertise and a deep passion for optimizing individual potential through challenge, support, and exploration. As a highly skilled performance coach, James has an impressive track record that highlights his dedication and success.

    Previously, James served as the Head Coach of the Wests Illawarra Swim Club for eight years. During his tenure, he led the club to significant achievements, including winning the APV Club Of The Year award for 2021/22. His accolades also include being named National Open Water Coach of the Year, National Event Camp Team Coach (100/200 Women), and Swimming Australia Flippers Squad Coach.

    James has coached notable swimmers such as Jarrod Poort and Wesley Roberts to remarkable successes, including World Championships and Olympic Games representation. Additionally, he has guided multiple swimmers to placements on Junior World Championship and Junior Pan Pac teams.

    His extensive experience contributed to his employment as the AUS Triathlon National Swim Lead and as a key member of the NSWIS triathlon coaching team. James' dedication and passion for developing athletes make him a standout leader at the SOPAC Performance Hub.

  • National Team Members
  • 2024:

    • Australian Olympic Team - Se-Bom Lee
    • Australian Olympic Team - Will Yang
    • Australian Olympic Team - Bradley Woodward

    2023:

    • World Championships Team - Bradley Woodward
    • Australia A Team - Haig Buckingham, Matthew Galea

    2022: 

    • World Championships Team: Se-Bom Lee, William Yang, Matthew Wilson
    • Commonwealth Games Team: Se-Bom Lee, Oscar Stubbs, Matthew Wilson, Bradley Woodward, William Yang
    • World Short Course Team: Se-Bom Lee, Stuart Swinburn, Bradley Woodward
    • Junior Pac Pacs Team: Haig Buckingham

    2021:

    • Australian Olympic Team: Matthew Wilson

    2020:

    • Australian Junior Team: Haig Buckingham
  • NSW Olympic Park Hub Eligibility
  • Eligibility for the NSW Olympic Park Hub may be defined, but not limited by, the below criteria:

    • Swimming Australia Categorised Athletes or Athletes that have achieved the following criteria:
      • A performance equal to, or faster than, top 8 plus 3% of the 2019 Swimming Australia benchmark time for i) female athletes 20 years and above, or ii) male athletes 21 years and above.
      • A performance equal to, or faster than, top 8 plus 5% of the 2019 Swimming Australia benchmark time for i) female athletes 19 years and under, or ii) male athletes 20 years and under.
    • Transitioning age group swimmers: This program is open to athletes that have transitioned, or are transitioning, from age group swimming to open swimming.
    • Collaboration with the athlete’s home coach: To be accepted into the Olympic Park Performance Hub program, consultation and collaboration with the athlete’s home coach and the Olympic Park Performance Hub Head Coach is essential.
    • Recommendations from the NSW Technical Lead: The NSW Technical Lead may, from time-to-time, have conversations with home coaches to create opportunities for their athletes to move into the Olympic Park Performance Hub program.
    • Hub Coach Discretion: Final athlete acceptance into the Olympic Park Performance Hub program is ultimately approved by the Head Coach, in consultation with the NSW Technical Lead, NSWIS High-Performance Manager & SNSW CEO. Athletes must be able to recognise and acknowledge the key identified areas for development and must be willing to commit to addressing them in a Daily Performance Environment (DPE).
    • Training Agreement: For anyone training at the Hub, a Training Agreement, and Medical and Musculoskeletal screening will need to be completed prior to accessing the Olympic Park Performance Hub training facility. Training Agreements will be reviewed biannually, aligned with the NSWIS Swimming Program Period.
    • Code of Conduct: Everyone interacting with the Performance Centres is expected to follow the Swimming Australia Code of Conduct . This includes athletes, parents and coaches. Swimming NSW has the right to refuse or remove any person from the Performance Centre if they are found to have breached the the Code of Conduct. 
  • Contact

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