Swimming WA Awards of Excellence

The Sustainability Award recognises the contribution and achievement of a Swimming WA club member or affiliated club to sustainability in the WA swimming community environment.

The following criteria for the Sustainability Award to be considered:

• What sustainability initiatives or activities have been undertaken in the WA swimming community environment?
• What has been the impact of these sustainability initiatives or activities? How have they contributed to change (e.g. attitudes, behaviours and practices) in the swimming community environment?
• What plans are in place to build on these sustainability initiatives and activities into the future?

Nominations may be received for Swimming WA members (individuals) or clubs. Nominations will be appraised by the H&A committee with the top four (4) nominees, individuals or clubs, being shortlisted.

This being a new Award, Swimming WA will likely seek to modify and improve the award criteria in future years, as well as distribute more information and tools for clubs addressing sustainability in WA’s swimming community environment.

The Pathway Program Award recognizes an affiliated Swimming WA club for excellence in its open and age performance program / squad / equivalent – with particular reference to performance, practice and values.

The following criteria for Pathway Program of the Year to be considered:

1. Performance: Demonstrated performance impact of the Pathway Program

• Athlete: Reference may include athlete achievements, results, improvements. Metrics may include % National finalists and medalists; % athletes selected into Swimming Australia Performance Pathway Squad.
• Coach / Club: Reference may include coach achievements, results, improvements, club retention of athletes. Metrics may include % increase in coaches improving accreditation; # coaches selected for Swimming WA performance pathway; % athlete retention in club pathway; % athletes progressing through club pathway to Open/Age Performance Squad.

2. Practice: Demonstrated excellence, leadership and/or innovation in practices of the Pathway Program.

• Training Environment: Reference may include community firsts, new strategies, adoption of new technologies, culture building, activity that is developmentally appropriate and/or long-term focused for athletes.
• Club: Reference may include broader club support for Pathway Program, stakeholder engagement and collaborations, building future capacity and capability in the Program.

3. Values: Demonstrated alignment and adherence to Swimming WA’s SPIRIT values in the club’s Pathway Program.

Each Swimming WA affiliated Club is required to submit a nomination for their Club. Nominations will be appraised by the H&A committee with the top four (4) Clubs being shortlisted.

This being a new Award, Swimming WA will likely seek to modify and improve the award criteria in future years, as well as distribute more information and tools for clubs addressing sustainability in WA’s swimming community environment.

The 2023 Aqua Technics Age Swimmer Scholarship Award has been established to assist families meet some of the costs associated with the sport of swimming at national level. The Scholarship will be the responsibility of the SWA Management who will recognize one (1) athlete (male or female) who swims with a Swimming WA Club, no matter where that Club is based in the State. Girls must be aged 15 and 16, and boys must be aged between 16 and 17 years of age, as of 31st August 2023.

The Scholarship is designed to recognize the potential of the athlete (in the opinion of SWA Performance staff) to compete at national level or beyond.

The 2023 Aqua Technics Age Swimmer Scholarship will be awarded to an Age SWA Club swimmer who:

• Achieved at least four (4) national times in the long course season.
• Has competed in at least one (1) National competitions during their career.
• Embraces the values and direction of Swimming WA.
• Has demonstrated leadership in and out of the water.
• Does not receiving additional support from WAIS.

Award Prize: $500 for one (1) athlete

Nominations will be appraised by the H&A committee with the top four (4) swimmers being shortlisted.

The SWA Development Coach of the Year is presented to a talented, emerging accredited coach who has demonstrated an ability to coach at a high level across a range of abilities and ages, with a clear vision that reflects a journey towards excellence in all areas of coaching.

Each Swimming WA affiliated Club is required to submit a nomination for a coach within their Club who best deserves this award.

Nominations will be appraised by the Coach Advisory Group with the top four (4) coaches being shortlisted.

The Technical Official of the Year is awarded to a Swimming WA Technical Official who has attained a level of excellence in the field of officiating.

The following criteria is used to determine Technical Officials who will be considered for the award:

• Contribution to the sport of swimming in WA.
• Contribution to the development of WA Technical Officials which includes.
• Officiating achievements attained over the defined period.
• Alignment with Swimming WA values.

Each Swimming WA affiliated Club is required to submit a nomination for an official within their Club who best deserves this award.

Nominations will be appraised by the TEO committee with the top four (4) officials being shortlisted.

The Volunteer of the Year is awarded to an individual who has displayed an outstanding level of volunteer commitment and contribution to the sport of swimming in WA.

The following criteria for Volunteer of the Year to be considered:

• Contribution at Club, Regional and State level.
• Overall contribution to the sport of swimming in WA.
• Volunteering achievements demonstrated within the swimming community.
• Alignment with Swimming WA values.

Each Swimming WA affiliated Club is required to submit a nomination for a volunteer within their Club who best deserves this award. These will be included for consideration along with those winners of the Volunteer of the Month during the defined period, who will receive automatic entry.

Nominations will be presented to the H&A committee with the top four (4) volunteers being shortlisted.

The Club of the Year is awarded to a Metro Club AND a Regional Club that has displayed an outstanding level of engagement within the community across multiple levels.

The following criteria for Club of the Year to be considered for the award:

• Strategic partnerships.
• Club governance.
• Development.
• Performance.
• Profile.
• Inclusion.
• Club Culture.
• Finance.

Each Swimming WA affiliated Club is required to submit a nomination for their Club.

Nominations will be appraised by the H&A committee, with the top four (4) Metro Clubs and top four (4) Regional Clubs (i.e. eight in total) being shortlisted. A winner will be selected for both Metro Club of the Year AND Regional Club of the Year.

The Ben Beale Memorial Award has been established to celebrate and recognise those ‘champions’ of the SWA Club environment. This perpetual award will annually celebrate the ‘Best Club person’ (must be a current athlete) within a Swimming WA Club.

The Award is designed to further the winner’s leadership skills and experience, with the objective that they will not only stay in the sport longer term but will also contribute to their Club in a meaningful manner, well beyond their days as an athlete.

The Ben Beale Memorial Award will be awarded to a Club person who: 

• Demonstrates leadership “in and out of the water”.
• Regularly sets a high standard of behaviour at training, competitions, Club events.
• Assists the Coach in building a positive camaraderie and a ‘sense of ‘team’.
• Exhibits the values and spirit of Swimming WA.
• Volunteers to take on roles within the Club throughout the year.

Each Swimming WA affiliated Club is required to submit a nomination for the swimmer within their Club who best deserves this award.

Nominations will be appraised by the H&A committee with the top four (4) swimmers being shortlisted.

Hall of Fame Induction

The Swimming WA (SWA) Hall of Fame is an alumni comprised of fifty-six (56) of SWA's most respected and celebrated champions who span time and achievement.

Induction into the SWA Hall of Fame is a public acknowledgement of attainment of the extraordinary feats of an individual at an international level that has set them above their peers and made a contribution that is ‘uncommon’.

Induction into the SWA Hall of Fame differs from SWA Life Membership. Life Membership of the Association acknowledges selfless commitment and long-term service to the Association and to the sport of swimming in Western Australia. Inductees into the SWA Hall of Fame do not automatically receive Life Membership of SWA and vice versa.

The SWA Honours and Awards Committee oversees the SWA Hall of Fame nomination process and submits their recommendations to the SWA Board for their endorsement.

Induction into the SWA Hall of Fame is on an “achievement basis” and not necessarily an annual occurrence. 

Criteria for Eligibility

Nominations for recognition may be made from any area of the sport of swimming in Western Australia and shall have no boundaries as to environment (i.e. Club, Technical Official, swimmer, member, etc.), field of endeavour, age, sex or contribution to SWA.

SWA Hall of Fame Membership is divided into four (4) nomination categories:

• Athlete
• Coach
• Technical Official
• Administrator

The following criteria shall be the basis for evaluation and selection of an ‘Outstanding or Enduring Achievement’ by a Member of SWA.

Athlete:

The nominee must meet three (3) of the following four (4) criteria to be considered for induction into the SWA Hall of Fame:

• Retired for three (3) years.
• Must have competed at one (1) Olympic Games representing Australia.
• Swum at one (1) International World Aquatics (Olympics, WORLD AQUATICS World Championships or Commonwealth Games) as an individual or medaled as a member of a relay team.
• Held an Open National record in their chosen event.

Coach:

Has served for a minimum ten (10) years continuous service and may be awarded posthumously, or on retirement, at any time where the Coach:

• Has coached a swimmer or swimmers to an individual medal at Olympic Games or swimmer has medaled at WORLD AQUATICS World Championships, OR
• Has coached a swimmer or swimmers to an individual World Record, AND
• Is well known as an outstanding Coach to the International swimming community (i.e. overseas swimmers would relocate to be coached by this coach).

Technical Official:

Must have participated at both State and National level for at least twenty (20) years and may be awarded posthumously, or on retirement, where a Technical Official:

• Confirmation that the nominee was/is a SWA member at the time of the achievement.
• The level of personal and outstanding contribution the nominee has made to the sport of 
swimming in WA, nationally or internationally (whichever is applicable).
• The level of involvement and effectiveness in the sport of swimming, together with the degree of 
difficulty for the nominee to attain the highest level of achievement.
• Specific examples of the long term and sustained exemplary contribution, that positions the 
nominee above other SWA members.
• The number of years dedicated to SWA.

Administrator:

Must have served the Association for a minimum of twenty (20) years and may be awarded on retirement, or posthumously, for a member/ recipient who is or is not a paid SWA Employee and who:

• Has administered swimming at its highest level (i.e. President or Director) at State level and at National level and/ or WORLD AQUATICS level.
• Is considered to have brought a significant positive standing of WA swimming to the nation and international swimming. 


For more information on this award and the requirements of nominating someone, please click the link below.

Hall of Legends Induction

The Swimming WA (SWA) Hall of Legends is designed to recognise outstanding achievement by Western Australian swimmers on the international stage. Members of the SWA Hall of Legends represent an illustrious group of SWA’s most respected and celebrated champions who span time and achievement. They are the “best of the best” who, (through their achievements), have made an enduring or significant contribution to the sport of swimming, inspiring young and old alike.

Induction into the SWA Hall of Legends differs from induction into the SWA Hall of Fame. The SWA Hall of Fame acknowledges those who have achieved outstanding results at a National and International level. The Hall of Legends celebrates achievements that are of a level that can only be described as elite and world class (e.g. winning an Olympic medal). 

The SWA Honours and Awards Committee oversees the Hall of Legends nomination process and submits their recommendations to the SWA Board for their endorsement.

Induction into the SWA Hall of Legends is on an “achievement basis” and not necessarily an annual occurrence. No more than 15% of the Hall of Fame may be inducted into the Hall of Legends. SWA Hall of Legend inductees are recognised at the annual Awards of Excellence.

CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBILITY

The SWA Hall of Legends is only open to athletes. SWA Hall of Legends Membership is divided into three (3) nomination categories of an Athlete only

• Pool
• Open Water Swimming
• Multi-Class

The following criteria shall be the basis for evaluation and selection of an ‘Outstanding or Enduring Achievement’ by an Athlete Member of SWA. All three (3) criteria must be achieved to be considered for induction into the SWA Hall of Legends.

Pool Athlete:

•  Retired for five (5) years
•  Competed at, at least one (1) Olympic Games
•  Won at least one (1) individual Olympic Medal.

Open Water Swimming Athlete:

• Retired for five (5) years
• Competed at an International-Standard meet
• Held at least one (1) World Record or won a Gold Medal at an International-Standard meet. 

For more information on this award and the requirements of nominating someone, please click the link below.