In the latest of our Beyond the Blocks series we feature South Australia’s Janine Molloy, who as South Australia’s longest serving technical official is keeping time for the spirit of club swimming and documenting the rich history and stories of one of Australia’s oldest swimming clubs. 

Keeping Time

JANINE Molloy OAM didn’t know the first thing about competitive swimming when a stopwatch was first placed in her hands at Henley & Grange Swimming Club – and the club also didn’t realise the precious gift of time that they were about to receive.

Now 45 years later, a mother of three, grandmother of six and one of South Australia’s longest serving technical officials is still saying: ”I can’t walk away just yet”.

It was Janine’s middle child Sarah who first pulled her into the world of swimming in the summer of 1978-9. When Sarah was eight she announced: “Mum I want to swim races, here’s the man to ring…” and pulled out an article in the local paper about the Henley & Grange Swimming Club.

Adelaide’s Henley & Grange Swimming Club is one of the oldest clubs in the nation and boasts a rich history through the course of Australian swimming.

A club that has survived for over 110 years and along that journey from a wooden clubhouse on the beach at Henley, has created a traditional and well known annual swim from the Henley Jetty to the Grange Jetty, created champions, created legends, endured storms, gained a magnificent filtered seawater pool, endured more storms, lost that pool, found a new one and converted that into a thriving community indoor aquatic centre.

In fact, some of Australia’s greatest have swum at the club including Dawn Fraser who trained at the Henley Swimming Pool in preparation for her first Olympic Games – Melbourne 1956.

Fraser went on to win her first Olympic gold medal in Melbourne for the 100m freestyle, she also won silver in the 400m freestyle and helped Australia to a relay gold in the 4x100m freestyle.

Decades later, in the midst of a storage move at the South Australian club, Janine, together with Lyn Carmichael, felt inspired to preserve the club’s history and co-wrote the book: Salt in our blood: 100 years of Henley and Grange Swimming Club, 1912-2012.  They were recognised as SA Heritage Heroes in 2013 for their conservation of SA History.

Janine, who was previously a Research Economist at the University of Adelaide, never would have anticipated the officiating path on which she was about to descend when Sarah first dragged her to that pool.

And even more so the role she would come to play to ensure that Henley & Grange is the oldest surviving amateur and competitive swimming club in South Australia.

Aside from being a member of the H&G Club Committee for 19 years, including roles of President, Club Nominations Officer and Records Officer, she has also been a board member of Swimming SA and a member of a number of SA sub-committees including 15 years on the State Technical Committee, with 8 years as the Chairperson. It is these countless volunteered hours as an administrator and technical official that has earned Janine a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).

Janine said: “To be recognised at that level is a huge honour.”

“When I found out I was absolutely delighted but so desperately wanted to share the news with my friends and family… for three months I had to sit on it!

“As a technical official for over 40 years I’ve had the privilege to travel all over Australia, to meet and join a passionate community and to witness young swimmers aspire and achieve. I guess my OAM represents all those who volunteer their life to the sport, like I did.”

Janine has officiated at all levels of competitive swimming, from grassroots to international, including the 2014 Gold Coast Pan Pacific Swimming Championships and a number of World Cup Series meets held in Hobart. However, despite the prestige that comes with the national and international meet selection, it’s the clubs at home she always comes back to.

“I’ve seen the cream of Australian swimming up close, and I’ve also seen the heart of Australian swimming,” Janine said.

“At club level is where I can truly help to make a difference for Australian swimming through officiating. By being on deck, officials play an important role in educating athletes and assisting coaches to prepare, swimmers for the high-performance levels.”

Over the 45 years of her involvement, Janine has experienced the sport move from stopwatches and the Judges Stand to the Dolphin Systems and the Touch Pad timing.  She has also had the opportunity to see the basic Hawkeye system and to envisage what this can offer swimming in the future.

When asked what advice Janine has from her own experience as one of South Australia’s longest serving technical officials, she wants parents to get more involved.

“It is far more inspiring to watch your kids on the pool deck, in the splash zone, than up in the grandstand. As an official and a parent you are learning and helping at the same time,” said Janine.

“Don’t wait to be asked, just ask yourself and others ‘Could I try?’.”

Pictured: Janine Molloy (right) receiving a Life Membership of Swimming South Australia from the Governor of South Australia the Honourable Kevin Scarce (left) in 2012 

We hope you enjoyed this Beyond The Blocks read!

Dive into more Beyond The Blocks stories below:

Full Throssell: Why this triple Olympian is flying business class and plunging into a whole new world of suits.

(Featuring Brianna Throssell)

Podium to Platform: Why an OAM means almost as much as Paralympic gold to world-record holder Tim Hodge

(Featuring Timothy Hodge)

Buddy Brilliant: How learn-to-swim classes inspired an LA story

(Featuring Decan Budd)

Surf and Perf: How the black and gold inspired the green and gold

(Featuring Lani Pallister & Callum Simpson)

Going for Bigger than Gold: How a young open water swimmer is paving the way for the Sri Lankan community

(Featuring Tharusha Perera)