{"id":456828,"date":"2020-12-11T00:00:17","date_gmt":"2020-12-11T07:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=456828"},"modified":"2020-12-15T16:53:59","modified_gmt":"2020-12-15T23:53:59","slug":"keeping-their-heads-above-water-ground-breaking-scholarships-unveiled-for-queensland-olympic-hopefuls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/keeping-their-heads-above-water-ground-breaking-scholarships-unveiled-for-queensland-olympic-hopefuls\/","title":{"rendered":"Keeping Their Heads Above Water: Ground Breaking Scholarships Unveiled For Queensland Olympic Hopefuls"},"content":{"rendered":"

Christmas has arrived early for four Brisbane Olympic swimming hopefuls Thomas Neill, Louis Townsend, Bronte Job<\/strong> and Carla Buchanan<\/strong> with the unveiling of a ground breaking Athlete Scholarship Scheme – in what is believed to be the first of its kind in the Australian swimming landscape.<\/p>\n

The innovative City Venue Management (CVM) group, which operates 23 learn to swim schools and venues across South East Queensland, under the Rackley Swimming name, is funding the game changing scheme.<\/p>\n

The scholarships are designed to keep the hopes and dreams alive for the four Tokyo Olympic hopefuls \u2013 and many more in the future – both in and out of the water.<\/p>\n

The four Rackley Swim Team members have their sights set on the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Swimming Trials in Adelaide next June.<\/p>\n

\"Damien

SIX OF THE BEST: Rackley Coaches Damien Jones (left) and Shaun Crow with their Tier One athletes (L-R) Louis Townsend, Carla Buchanan, Bronte Job and Tom Neill. Photo Courtesy: Steve Holland Photography.<\/p><\/div>\n

They gathered at the Rackley Hibiscus Leisure Centre in the Brisbane suburb of Upper Mt Gravatt this week for an introductory workshop focusing on media and mentor training after undergoing a rigorous application and interview process before CVM announced them as the initial recipients and team ambassadors.<\/p>\n

The Rackley Swimming Athlete Scholarship Program is the brainchild of CVM CEO, Reece Rackley<\/strong> and Rackley Swim Team Centenary Head Coach Damien Jones.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In what is believed to be the first of its kind in the Australian swimming landscape, the athletes have been signed to 12-month contracts, receiving:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Monthly financial support;<\/li>\n
  • All Squad, camp and training fees<\/li>\n
  • Personal development mentoring\/coaching;<\/li>\n
  • Marketing\/Social and Media support\/training and;<\/li>\n
  • Assistance in seeking personal sponsors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    The CVM group\u2019s objective with the first 12-month scholarships is \u201cto provide a professional and collaborative approach to high-performance outcomes both in and out of the pool.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Rackley Swimming\u2019s General Manager Squads and Sport Pathways, Anastasia Ellerby<\/strong> said: \u201cOur scheme will enable our athletes the ability to focus on benchmark events without the concern of financial load from physio\/ massage\/ travel\/ camps and other support needed for optimum athlete development.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThe Tier One athletes will receive a monthly payment and will also be supplied with Rackley Swim team and Base gear with all squad fees included in the scholarship terms.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt will also cover cost of support services such as personal profile workshops\/mentoring and film and media training.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThe athlete will contribute to Rackleys as a valued team member in the development of our programs, younger swimmers and industry reputation.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe believe that their involvement in learn to swim and Squad clinics and events will drive the right culture and performance across all of the CVM sites.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Freestylers Townsend and Buchanan have already represented the Australian Dolphins \u2013 Townsend at the 2017 Fina World Championships as a relay swimmer and 2018 World Short Course in the 100m freestyle and Buchanan at the 2016 and 2018 Fina World Short Course where she won two relay bronze medals.<\/p>\n

    Emerging distance freestyler Neill and backstroker Job were members of the Australian Team at the 2019 Fina World Juniors where Neill won four medals, two silver and two bronze and Job won gold in the 50m backstroke.<\/p>\n

    The announcement comes as over 1400 of Queensland\u2019s best swimmers converge on the Brisbane Aquatic Centre at Chandler this week for the 2020 Queensland State Swimming Championships \u2013 the first major long course meet conducted in Australia since COVID-19 forced the world into lockdown and the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics.<\/p>\n

    The meet, which officially opens Australia\u2019s summer of swimming towards a new Olympic year, will feature all four of the Rackley Swim Team\u2019s Tokyo Olympic hopefuls, who will headline a Rackley team of 112 swimmers \u2013 the most of any club entered over the week-long championships, who will contest 470 events.<\/p>\n

    The Queensland State Championships will kick start tomorrow December 12 with relays and run through until December 18 at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre, Chandler with open events starting on Sunday, December 13.<\/p>\n

    The four athletes have said they are humbled and appreciative of the support and guidance when they swim and when they pursue new opportunities out of the pool.<\/p>\n

    \"Tom

    STOKE OF SUCCESS: Tom Neill goes through his paces at the Rackley Hibiscus Leisure Centre, putting the finishing touches to his Queensland \u00a0Championship preparations. Photo Courtesy: Steve Holland Photography.<\/p><\/div>\n

    Neill, <\/strong>18, a four-time medallist at the 2019 Fina World Junior Championship winning silver in the 400m and 1500m and bronze over 400m and 4x200m freestyle relay, a World Junior record holder over 400m short course says it is an absolute privilege to be part of this new program alongside three top quality athletes in Townsend, Job and Buchanan.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI\u2019m excited to learn new things, not just in the water but out of the water \u2013 it is so important to get that swimming-life balance right this program will certainly help that, \u201csaid Neill.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt\u2019s difficult finding that balance between succeeding both in my Advanced Business studies at UQ University and swimming and also fitting in a social life.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThe Rackley organisation is an entire family and a community I guess and I\u2019m just grateful to be part of it and to be leading it.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \"Louis

    LOUIS THE FIRST: Sprint freestyler Louis Townsend a proud member of the first Rackley Tier One Team of Athlete Scholarship holders. Photo Courtesy: Steve Holland Photography.<\/p><\/div>\n

    Townsend<\/strong>, 22, a specialist 100m freestyler and part-time breaststroker, has already represented Australia at both Junior Pan Pacs and Fina World Long Course and Short Course Championships, getting a taste of international swimming at the highest levels.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt\u2019s actually pretty life changing for me I guess\u2026coming from a point where I didn\u2019t really have any support,\u201d said Townsend.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \u201cSwimming Australia always support you when you are on team but when you are not on team it\u2019s just you and your coach \u2013 so being able to build a program where we can have various people to reach out to about different things it\u2019s perfect to start building on.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \"Bronte

    BRONTE’S SCHOLARSHIP BACKING: Bronte Job shows the style that won her the World Junior championship in the 50m backstroke. Photo Courtesy: Steve Holland Photography.<\/p><\/div>\n

    Job, <\/strong>17, won gold in the 50m backstroke at the 2019 Junior World Championships, who has just completed Year 12 at Brisbane\u2019s All Hallows School, said: \u201cIt is such a privilege to receive this scholarship. It\u2019s amazing. We are so lucky and I\u2019m the youngest person in the program and so I\u2019m just so grateful to be part of it\u2026and I\u2019m really excited to kick it off and get everything behind me and for Rackleys to be supporting us\u2026. and for them to hopefully support others as well.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt is also a big weight off Mum and Dad\u2019s shoulders \u2013 to have more people around me and supporting me; it is so good for everyone\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

    \"Carla

    CAREER CHANGER: Carla Buchanan says the Rackley Scholarship will change her life and prolong her career. Photo Courtesy: Steve Holland Photography.<\/p><\/div>\n

    Buchanan<\/strong>, at 25, has been coached by the experienced Shaun Crow,<\/strong> her coach for 20 years at the Hibiscus Leisure Centre, represented Australia at the 2016 and 2018 Fina World Short Course Championships where she won bronze for Australia in the 4x200m freestyle and 4x50m freestyle relays and she knows it will be a huge fillip with the Tokyo Olympic Trials in her sights next year.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \u201cThe main thing with this program, it\u2019s going to help me continue on a little bit longer; I\u2019d love to keep swimming and it will help me prolong my career and not having to go and get a job,\u201d said Buchanan.<\/p>\n

    \u201c<\/strong>It is a massive weight off my shoulders and not just the financial side of the program but learning about the other side of the business that can really help us; we can develop into completely different people\u2026it\u2019s amazing that CVM are willing to help us in so many different ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Damien Jones,<\/strong> who coaches Neill, Job and Townsend, said it was five years ago when he first spoke to CVM CEO\u00a0Reece Rackley<\/strong> about the game-changing scheme.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe needed a scheme to give the swimmers the best opportunity to achieve all of their goals and allowing them to get physio, massage and go to a dietician for example without them having to wait tables on their recovery days,\u201d said Jones.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt is so exciting to get this scheme off the ground and see it in full swing \u2013 the athletes themselves can\u2019t hide their excitement and gratitude.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIts more than just the support too \u2013this has morphed into leadership opportunities in the CVM business.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt means they can focus purely on their swimming and not have to worry about anything else and it\u2019s providing other avenues to improve them as people as well.<\/p>\n

    \u201cThe swimmers are the face of this program and they will front swim clinics which they all love doing in the school holiday period they are genuinely really excited about this opportunity.<\/p>\n

    \u201cCVM will have ready made role models in their programs at all their sites and its time to tap in to them.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI feel that this will enhance their performances in the pool and not just for the financial support.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIf you\u2019ve got a team behind you pushing, helping you to achieve then this is going to be an unbelievable experience\u2026anything is possible.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Rackley said: \u201cThis scheme is about creating something that is more like a performance enabler \u2013 there was this gap in the market that we recognised and we wanted to fill that gap.<\/p>\n

    \u201cAnd fill it with a program which enables our athletes to really take that next step and receive reward and recognition and create a platform, with various tiers so as athletes improve they can step up to the next level.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt is designed to give our swimmers a little bit more of a reward for their achievements, their dedication and hard work and gives us a platform to be able to build their profiles and create further benefits for them in our business and the program that runs a long side of it.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe are supporting our home grown talent which is a big part of what we are trying to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \"Fountain

    FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH: Team Rackley (L-R) Louis Townsend, Carla Buchanan, Bronte Job and Tom Neill take a celebratory shower at the Rackley Hibiscus Leisure Centre.. Photo Courtesy: Steve Holland Photography.<\/p><\/div>\n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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