We are Swimming Women.

I have been swimming since I was taken to school holiday programs at a local primary school pool, complete with verruca bath and shower free draughty changing rooms. I was 5 and it was England at the birth of the 80’s. I have been coached by almost 20 different people since, and almost half of those coaches have coached people to an Olympic games. Alas I tried but was not one of those athletes. I did however learn a wealth of information from those fabulous coaches. There were times when I didn’t like them…that guaranteed they were pushing me to a place I’d never been before and would bring out the best in me. There were times we had to imagine we were tigers or rocket ships exploding off the wall and reaching for the matches on a dusty cupboard as we kicked off our old boots when doing backstroke. You can blame these coaches for much of my love of a good metaphor!

There were icy cold mornings walking back to school having already been up half a day and my hair would freeze from a pre school swim. Instead of heading out with my mates after school, off I’d pop on the train ready to swim some more. Swimming has taken me on travels around the world, I have tasted chlorine in many different countries and more recently salt water in some of the most beautiful places on earth.

Swimming has introduced me to some of the most wonderful people. Barriers are down when you are all in your bathers and a swimming hat. The shared huffs, puffs and giggles I know have made me the person I am today. All that was before I found masters swimming where ANY shape goes, and open water swimming where the fish replace the black line and the sense of achievement makes you feel warm and fuzzy for many a day afterwards.

Today I am a mum of 3 boys who still loves to swim. Due to juggling working, mumming, wifing, homing, and all that those things entail I don’t always get to swim with a squad and instead squeeze a dip in when I can. Along with keeping me sane, this had made me see many other people getting in and doing their laps.

Converting from a 50m backstroker sprinter to an open water lover I’ve managed to fit in 2 Rottnest (20km) solos in under 5.30, and completed eight other Rottnest Channel swims either as a duo or in team. I have won the female age group in the Gracetown swim, and the Busselton Jetty swim, a number of times, and most recently I did the Paris Marathon (running) so I could drink champagne in Paris!

I am a mother of 3, wife, massage therapist, receptionist and swimming teacher. As a child we spent endless summer days in my grandmothers pool and as my dad surfed we were always at the beach. I enjoyed swimming and playing in the water, so much so I was nick named ‘Rish the fish’ by my family.

I swam at the pool during and in between my pregnancies purely for exercise. I actually ‘fell in love’ with ocean swimming here in the south west at Yallingup lagoon. I started swimming in the beautiful lagoon with a small group of friends. During summer we would swim early mornings and then in winter I borrowed a spring suit wetsuit and swam in my lunch hour. I then met other swimming women, all of who will be life long friends.

This group of swimmers inspired me to swim the ‘Busselton Jetty’ in a duo, which I did again until finally building up the courage to go solo. In 2015 and 2016 I reached a personal goal of completing the swim in under an hour (just). I also swam the ‘Rottnest Channel’ in 2014 in a team of 4 women and have swam in teams for the Augusta Adventure Race and the Dunsborough X-Adventure.

I met Charlotte when I participated in ‘Swimming Women’s’ Margaret River Ocean Swim. I then did a swimming analysis with Charlotte and it was like a light bulb was switched on. What I like most about Charlottes approach to swimming is she makes it fun and easy going. We share a belief that everyone can swim and actually enjoy it. With Charlotte’s knowledge, experience and vision and with my swimming passion I hope to help people enjoy swimming as much as I do!