In this edition of Beyond the Blocks we explore the legacy of the famous Carlile Swimming Club that on the back of an outstanding recent performance at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre has become Australia’s #1 Age Group Club.

Swim. Inspire. Legacy.

The little club that could.

“OUR object is not to produce a champion but to provide an atmosphere where champions are inevitable.”

And so it was in the immortal words of Forbes Carlile that the Carlile Swimming Club claimed the point score trophy at the recent Australian Age Championships to become the number one age group club in the country.

Carlile – a name that has been at the forefront of swimming since 1946 thanks to founders Forbes and Ursula Carlile – won on 2009 points ahead of St Peters Western (1787) and Knox Pymble (1757).

In doing so, Carlile – based in Sydney – broke the decade-long dominance of Brisbane’s St Peters.

Head age group coach Michaela Pattinson, who oversaw the frantic nine days of racing at Brisbane Aquatic Centre, said it was a privilege to carry the iconic Carlile name and wear the distinctive orange cap.

“Their work ethic and training standards are second to none. Four years ago we finished 21^st, last year we finished 7^th and now first,” Pattinson said.

“It’s a credit to everyone involved in the club and the program – from our head coach Chris Nesbit and Adam Mallet … to the coaches here – Daniel Marshall, Jodie Armstrong, Jeremy Lagonilla and also a shout out to our sport scientist Gina Sacilotto.”

Pattinson also highlighted the dominance of the 13-year-old age group with Charlotte Lim, Lexi Mulcahy and Hannah Jamieson winning 16 medals between them: “We’ve just really concentrated on technique and being competitive with each other – every single session.”

“To have someone like Liv Wunsch go through our system and become an Olympian in Paris is a great example of persistence and perseverance.”

For the Carlile club, it was the first time in 36 years that they had topped the point score but the influence of Forbes and Ursula has forever changed the sporting landscape.

Forbes revolutionised training techniques with the development of interval workouts, log books and heart-rate monitoring, he also introduced the pace clock. This innovation has left the Carlile stamp on virtually every pool deck around the world.

Forbes and Ursula also introduced the first lane ropes and goggles as training aids for competitive swimmers.

Ursula was the first and only woman to become the head coach of the Australian swimming team, leading the squad at the 1974 Commonwealth Games and 1975 World Championships, and coached Shane Gould at the 1972 Olympics to three gold medals and three world records.

The late pair are the only husband and wife duo inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Pattinson said: “I am just so proud of our swimmers and this club. You can’t be involved in swimming and not know the legacy of the late Forbes and Ursula Carlile … as a club we always hope to do them proud and this group has really stood up.”

“This started out as a backyard business, and we are so proud to be a competitive club … but also this little club in North Sydney provides more than a million-swimming lessons a year … and I am equally proud of that.

We hope you enjoyed this Beyond The Blocks read!

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