AUSTSWIM names Ripples Leisure Centre St Marys as NSW’s best

Ripples Leisure Centre St Marys has been named as the winner of the AUSTSWIM NSW 2019 Recognised Swim Centre Award, sponsored by Jonas Leisure.

The award, presented at the AUSTSWIM NSW & ACT State Awards Dinner at the Epping Club in Sydney at the end of May, recognised the Western Sydney aquatic facility for its professional development programs and community swimming education efforts.

Awards MC and ex-Olympic swimmer Elka Whalan said the award recognised the exceptional commitment Ripples Leisure Centre St Marys has made to rewarding, acknowledging and providing development opportunities for staff. This ultimately benefited the families enrolled in their programs.

Whalan advised that the award also recognised Ripples Leisure Centre St Marys’ commitment to providing swimming education that “extends beyond the pool”, commenting “they offer free CPR and water safety awareness workshops for parents and students, they attend and support a number of community expos and festivals, and have earned themselves quite the reputation from the water safety road show that they provide free to preschools and schools reaching over 21,000 students so far.”

Ripples Leisure Centre Learn to Swim Team Leader Tammy Weatherby said she and her team were “over the moon” to have won the award.

Weatherby stated “it was a massive shock. We had been successful in 2016 in the same award and although we knew we were kicking huge important goals that we are so proud of for our students, community and staff, we also know there are many swim schools also doing great work with the same objectives.”

Jonas Leisure Client Relationship Manager Dushayant Dhar said Ripples Leisure Centre St Marys’ staff development efforts and contribution to its local community were “outstanding”.

Dhar concluded “their commitment to excellence and dedication to swimming education, both in their own venue and our and about in the community, is deserving of celebration.

“We are immensely proud to recognise excellence in the industry through sponsorship of awards like this one.”

People, programs and swim schools recognised at the AUSTSWIM NSW & ACT State Awards are as follows:

NSW
• Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety Award - Jacqueline Fahey
• Teacher of Infant and Preschool Aquatics Award - Karen Kirby
• Teacher of Access and Inclusion Award - Gloria Denise Cain
• Teacher of Access and Inclusion (Adults) Award - Annika Skulander
• AQUA Instructor of the Year - Krista Palmer 
• Presenter of the Year Award - Melissa White
• Recognised Swim Centre Award - Ripples Leisure Centre, St Marys
• Most Outstanding Contribution Award - Julie Zancanaro

ACT
• Teacher of Swimming and Water Safety Award - Sarah Reed
• Teacher of Infant and Preschool Aquatics Award - Julie Crawford-Ramahlo
• Teacher of Access and Inclusion Award - Margaret van Aalst
• Teacher of Access and Inclusion (Adults) Award - Kristen James
• Presenter of the Year Award - Katrina Scarpin
• Recognised Swim Centre Award - Gungahlin Leisure Centre

Images: Ripples Leisure Centre St Marys team members with their AUSTSWIM NSW 2019 Recognised Swim Centre Award.