Swimming Club
A major focus of Artemis Aquatics Swimming Club is to encourage our swimmers to lead healthy and balanced lifestyles for optimal wellbeing.
Meet the Coaches
Program Manager and Head Coach
As Program Manager and Head Coach of Artemis Aquatics, Luke provides leadership and direction across our development pathway from Learn-to-Swim through to recreational, competitive and performance squads.
Luke is a Bronze Accredited Level Swimming Coach and is in his final year of completing his masters in sports coaching whilst working towards his Silver Level Accreditation. As an athlete, Luke was a national level swimmer achieving medals at the National Age Championships and Victorian Age State Championships in freestyle, backstroke and butterfly, before transitioning to water polo where he represented the Senior Men’s Australian water polo team.
- Bronze License Swimming Coach
- Bachelor Economics and Finance
- Masters in Sports Management
Coach
Garth hails from WA and comes to Artemis Aquatics as a high-level swimmer and successful coach. As an athlete, he was a member of the Australian Dolphins Swim Team as a butterfly and freestyler.
He held the role of senior swim coach at St. Hilda’s Anglican School in Perth. More recently, Garth was assistant swimming coach at the Western Australian Institute of Sport and part of the team who coached Tamsin Cook to a silver medal in Rio (4 x 200 free relay.)
- Silver License Swimming Coach
Coach
Natalie is a previous freestyle Victorian State Champion and captained the Melbourne Vicentre Swimming Club to the Australian Age Championships.
Natalie is a Bronze Accredited Level Swimming Coach with experience coaching the National Development Squad at Wyndham City Swimming Club.
- Bronze License Swimming Coach
Coach
Campbell joined Artemis Aquatics in 2018. He comes to our program as a former high-level breaststroker and finalist at the Australian Age National Championships whilst competing for Melbourne Vicentre.
Campbell has extensive experience as a Learn-to-Swim teacher and coach, so his skills will be applied across both areas of Artemis Aquatics.
- ASCTA
Coach
Hi. My name is Jorden. My swimming experience stems from a love for all water sports and 14 years of competitive swimming. I’m a current member of the Australian Dolphins Swim Team.
The water is a true passion for me, and this extends outside the pool where I am a member of Torquay Surf Lifesaving club and also enjoy getting out for a surf. Outside of the water, I’m a sports nut (rugby, golf, basketball). I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Coach
Luke is a professional triathlete, specialising in long course racing over an incredible 17 year career which has seen him place in the top 10 on four occasions in World Championship events.
Combined with his teaching background and triathlon coaching in clubs and schools, Luke’s passion for lifelong physical activity is demonstrated by his encouragement for our youth to become involved, stay involved and achieve their goals within both competitive sport and recreational physical activity. He leads by example to bring the best out in his peers, athletes and students.
The Dolphin Squad program is the perfect entry level Swim Squad program. The Squad caters to those who are beginning their swimming journey in a fun, friendly and educational environment. Swimmers in this Squad are encouraged to join Artemis Aquatics however club membership is not a requirement to be a part of the Dolphin Squad.
Dolphin squad is available for any students in Year 4–6 who would like to:
- Develop their overall swimming technique, skills and endurance;
- Participate at swimming carnivals within a club environment;
- Participate as part of their middle years pathways.
Dolphin Squad sessions focus on:
- Developing the foundation of competitive technique in all four strokes;
- Developing the foundation of competitive skill in all four strokes;
- Developing an understanding of how to function in a squad environment;
- Introducing participants to competition with a focus on learning and fun;
- Athletic development
Commitment and training frequency is fundamental to improvement in skill and fitness, so coaching staff would like to see Dolphin swimmers training 2–3 times per week.
The Development Squad program provides opportunities for swimmers to strengthen the foundations of competitive technique and skill. Swimmers in this squad must have the ability to train for 90 minutes with sound technique in all four strokes.
Development Squad sessions continue to focus on the education of competitive technique and race skills in an environment that encourages consistency, learning and enjoyment of racing.
Swimmers in the Development Squad must become members of the Artemis Aquatics Swimming Club in order to compete at club meets. Members of this squad will also have access to equipment and technology (e.g. SwimPro) to further refine technique, and systems to track their weekly training and performance progression.
The Development Squad caters for swimmers in Years 6–8 who have a proven record of participation in competition swimming, and would like further opportunities to compete more regularly at club meets, GSV competitions, district competitions and work towards qualifying for State Championships.
Commitment and training frequency is fundamental to continued improvement in skill, fitness and performance, so coaching staff would like to see Development Squad swimmers training 3–4 times per week.
The Performance Squad assists in the development of committed athletes to plan, prepare and perform at GSV Competitions, State Age and National Age Championship meets. Performance Squad swimmers are generally aged 13–18 and train a minimum of 4 sessions per week. The coach will work with individual swimmers to determine their training and competition schedule.
Participants will focus on developing all aspects of stroke technique, mental training, racing skills and strategies to prepare for competition.
Swimmers in the Performance Squad must become members of Artemis Aquatics Swimming Club in order to compete at club/ state/ national meets. Members of this squad will also have access to equipment and technology (e.g. SwimPro) to further refine technique, and systems to track their weekly training and performance progression.
Swimmers must have a state qualifying time (or be within 2 seconds) in order to train with the performance squad.
The GSV / SSV squad is a seasonal squad only and designed specifically for students in year 3-12 who train and compete to represent MGGS in the GSV / SSV swimming competitions.
Swimmers in this squad are expected to attend the designated training sessions to ensure that MGGS girls come together to train and develop as a team. Sessions are sprint-oriented and relay change-overs form a main training focus.
The Gourlay Pool will be closed to the GSV / SSV Swim Squad during these designated training sessions, and girls will be allocated to a lane appropriate to their age, ability, events and swimming fitness.
In honour of our School’s history, the Merton Squad is the name chosen for our adult swim squad and we are thrilled to extend an invitation to Old Grammarians, parents, staff and friends.
The swim squad caters for participation in all aquatic pursuits from triathlon, to surf lifesaving, masters swimming, ocean swims and general fitness. Regardless of what inspires you to swim, our coaching staff will work with you to assist in your skill development, endurance and speed.
As a guide, distances covered during the sessions range from 2000m – 3500m. If it’s been a while since you’ve swum in a group before, our adult squad sessions are designed to help you commit to a regular swimming routine within a fun and encouraging environment.
Click here to register your interest in the Merton Squad.
Triathlon squad swimming sessions are designed to prepare girls to compete in triathlon. Triathlon squad is available for any student in Year 7-12 and is open to the first-time triathlete to the more experienced campaigner.
These sessions focus on:
- Swimming technique and skills for improved efficiency;
- Open water skills;
- Improving speed-endurance capacity.
Swimmers in this squad should be comfortable swimming for 1 – 1.5 hours and completing an average of 2 – 3km in a session.
Commitment and training frequency is fundamental to improvement in skill and fitness, so we recommend girls attend the two targeted weekly sessions.
Note: Should this squad level be inappropriate, the coaching team will work with swimmers to determine the best program to assist in their development – whether it be pre-squad, pathways or dolphin squad.
The SwimFit Squad is a fitness-based swimming squad for MGGS Students in Year 5 – 12. Students who sign up for this Squad will be allocated to a lane appropriate to their age, ability and swimming fitness.
The SwimFit squad is designed to:
- Assist students to improve their swimming technique and general swimming-based fitness;
- Provide a cross-training option for students all year round;
- Provide students with the opportunity to swim regularly as part of their exercise routine, without the pressure or commitment to compete.
Swimmers should be comfortable swimming for an hour and completing an average of 2 – 3km in a session.
There are no minimum training requirements for this squad, but there is a maximum of 2 sessions per week available.
Coaching and Membership Fees
| Squad Type | Annual Club Membership* | Term Fees OG/MGGS Staff/Parent* | Term Fees – MGGS Student | Term Fees – Non-MGGS Student |
| Dolphin Squad | $120 | N/A | $200/Term | $250/Term |
| Development Squad | $120 | N/A | $250/Term | $300/Term |
| Performance Squad | $120 | N/A | $300/Term | $350/Term |
| MGGS GSV/ SSV School Squad*** | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| The Merton Squad** | N/A | $150/Term | N/A | $200/Term |
| Triathlon Squad | N/A | N/A | $100/Term | N/A |
| SwimFit Squad | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
*Includes swimming Victoria Registration
**The Merton Squad is our Adult Squad Program. Note that the discount for parent only applies if parent has a child swimming in the program also.
***Term 1 Only
GSV/SSV SWIMMING & CLUB SWIMMING EXPLAINED
The GSV / SSV Swimming Season: Last week of January to end of March: 8 weeks
Club Swimming Season: 40 – 45 weeks
During the GSV/ SSV Swimming Season, any MGGS Student wishing to trial and represent MGGS must attend the TWO designated sessions per week so that they are training with the Squad to develop a strong sense of team and school spirit.
MGGS students wishing to participate in additional sessions are encouraged to join Artemis Aquatics Swim Club, where they will work with Head Coach Luke Gavin to determine the Squad appropriate to them as well as a weekly training schedule to match their aspirations and commitment.
ARTEMIS AQUATICS TERM 4 EVENT CALENDAR
| Event | Date | Location | More Information |
| Bayside Long Course Meet | Sunday 27 October | MSAC | Click here |
| Splash n Dash Meet | Friday 22 November | Artemis Centre | artemis.reception@mggs.vic.edu.au |
| EDA LC Qualifying Meet | Sunday 1 December | MSAC | Click here |
| Victorian Age LC Championships | Tuesday 17 December – Saturday 21 December | MSAC | Click here |
Wellbeing
Beyond the Black Line welcomes swimmers of all levels to inspire each other to achieve a healthy life balance. We all have a part to play in starting conversations that can make a big difference.
At Artemis Aquatics, we share this important value-proposition and encourage our swimmers and families to visit the Beyond the Black Line website.