The Sunshine Coast Grammar Pool Lifesaving Club successfully retained their National Club Championships for the third consecutive year, winning 75 medals including 26 Gold.
The Australian Pool Lifesaving Championships brings athletes, teams, volunteers and staff together from across Australia for three days of competition both in and out of the water, including 7 individual events and 5 relays.
Of the 19 athletes representing the Club, 8 were selected in Australian squads, including Sunshine Coast Grammar School student, Byron (Year 11) who was selected in his second Under 16 Australian Squad.
Nine athletes also placed strongly in the overall point score and recorded three National Records.
Year 8 Grammar student, Regan finished in second place in the individual point score for a second year in a row in a very tough Under 14 competition.
Sunshine Coast Grammar Pool Lifesaving Club is the only Pool Lifesaving Club in Queensland endorsed by the Royal Lifesaving Society Queensland.
Club President and Head Coach, Mrs Jeannie Baxter-Reid has been instrumental in the Club’s success having been involved with Royal Lifesaving Society and Pool Lifesaving Sport for over 40 years.
Mrs Baxter-Reid’s success led to the formation of the Sunshine Coast Grammar Pool Lifesaving Club in 2019, which now boasts over 50 members from Sunshine Coast Grammar School and other regions including the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and Northern NSW, with athletes ranging from 13 – 32 years of age.
“What I enjoy most is teaching young people how to look after themselves in and around th water, and how they can assist other people,” said Mrs Baxter-Reid.
From their inaugural season in 2019 where six athletes represented Australia at the 2019 Commonwealth Championships in England, the Club has gone from strength to strength and won over 150 National Championship medals at the 2020, 2022, and 2023 Australian Pool Lifesaving Championships combined.
Four athletes from the Club were also selected for the Australian Lifesaving Team and competed at the 2022 World Lifesaving Championships in Italy last September. The team was highly successful winning the World Lifesaving Open and Youth Teams Competition.
“I am so proud of our young Club for achieving a substantial amount in four seasons,” said Mrs Baxter-Reid.