Swimming WA's Annual Conference, held from Friday, 6th October to Sunday, 8th October, marked an extraordinary success with over 100 attendees across the course of three action-packed days. The venue lineup included HBF Stadium, SportsHQ, and the Subiaco Football Club's Function Room.
Day 1: Focusing on Athlete Preservation
The first day was divided into two streams to cater for our swimming Coaches/Teachers and Technical Officials. In Stream 1, dedicated to the "Physical and Emotional Preservation of Athletes," Coaches/Teachers gathered at SportsHQ in Floreat and HBF Stadium in Claremont. The sessions included a session from our State Technical Director Mel Tantrum discussing "Making the Grind Fun" which included some on pool deck training with athletes and session planning education. Then, Sports Physiotherapist Chris Perrey taught us how to keep swimmers swimming through evidence-based practices utilised by athletes in the Western Australian Institute of Sport (WAIS) program. General Manager of Performance Pathways Gary Barclay delivered a masterclass on managing athlete training load – highlighting the importance of sensible overloading, a vital training principle for athlete performance and fitness enhancement. Amanda Schonfeld from WAIS closed the day and made sure swimmers' welfare was a top priority through both nutrition and mental health intervention.
Later in the day, in Stream 2, Technical Officials convened at the Subiaco Football Club's Function Room. The evening featured service pin recognitions for Maricel Van De Nadort (5 years), Tony Ball (25 years), and Robyn Arblaster (30 years). Desiree Jones from Gymnastics Western Australia presented to the officials on "Self-Regulation and Management in Pressure Situations” with Kaye Bolger finishing off the evening with an informative session on the protest process, making for an informative and celebratory evening.
Day 2: Building Communities and Belonging
The second day of the conference was dedicated to "Building Communities and Belonging", which is the real core ingredients to any successful club. General members and non-members gathered at a table setting at Subiaco Football Club's Function Room. The schedule for the day started off with a warm welcome from Sophie Row, CEO of Swimming WA, Gary Barclay came along again to discuss "The Three C's - Culture, Collaboration & Communication" and emphasised their critical role in the swimming community. Executive Manager Game Development & Community at West Australian Football Commission, Troy Kirkham elaborated on "Successful vs Unsuccessful Clubs," shedding light on the benefits of community sports. General Manager of Participation from Swimming Australia, Matt Simpson provided insights into "Refining the Participation Pathway." Then, a panel discussion brought it all home and attendees enjoyed a roast lunch. The day concluded with the Swimming WA Annual General Meeting.
Day 3: Prioritising Psychological Safety
The final day centered around a priority topic for swimming across the state – psychological safety of athletes. Gary Barclay shared insights on why it is vital for athletes and how as coaches we can assist our swimmers to maintain a healthy relationship with swimming, and Swimming Australia’s Nutrition Lead, Ali Disher and Performance Dietitian at WAIS, Emily Eaton ran a hands-on workshop about positively influencing a swimmer's physical development. The workshop delved into the crucial topic of relative energy deficiency in sport.
The Swimming WA Annual Conference provided a valuable platform for learning, networking, and celebrating achievements within the swimming community. Thank you to all our guest speakers and the support from the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries for making the Swimming WA Annual Conference a tremendous success.
