Swimming community mourns death of coaching pioneer Ursula Carlile

The Australian swimming community is mourning the loss of a legend and ‘national swimming treasure’ Ursula Carlile who died in Sydney on Monday at the age of 86.

A pioneer of sports science who forged a career that broke down barriers for women across the world, remaining the only woman to be the head coach of the Australian Swimming team, after leading them at both the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch and the 1975 World Championships in Cali, Columbia.

Her death comes nine years after her famous husband and swimming coaching and teaching icon, Forbes Carlile, with whom she worked over many decades, with the passing of the pair marking, according to industry commentator Ian Hanson “the end of an era - celebrating one of the most famous names in Australian swimming - a name that will forever remain a major part of the country’s sporting landscape.”

Hanson added “the Carlile name is synonymous with teaching and coaching excellence - from their humble beginnings from Carlile’s Cross Street backyard teaching pool to the world stages and the golden celebrations of Olympic, World Championship and Commonwealth Games glory.”

Carlile Foundation director, Australian champion and Commonwealth Games swimmer, Richard Cahalan, said of Ursula “what a remarkable woman. With her late husband Forbes, she pioneered some of the most important innovations in world swimming.”

Here achievements in swimming included:

• Worked with husband Forbes in the first specialist sports science laboratory.

• Establishing a backyard business that now provides more 1.3 million swimming lessons a year.

• The first woman to coach Australia’s swimmers at the Olympics.

• The first woman to be head coach of the Australian Swimming Team.

• A Member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, Life Member of Swimming Australia, Life Member of the Australian Swimming Teachers and Coaches Association, Member of the Australian Swim Schools Association Hall of Fame, Member of the United States Swim Schools Hall of Fame.

The success of Carlile Swimming saw Forbes and Ursula to establish a foundation to support competitive swimming and that legacy lives on.

Tim Ford, who was coached by Ursula before working with her as the Chief Executive of Carlile Swimming and today sitting on the board of the Carlile Foundation, advised “Ursula had a wonderful and unique set of characteristics - unwavering loyalty to Forbes, passion for her beloved Ryde Swimming Club, diligence, and commitment to coaching and deep care for her swimmers. This made it truly special to be coached by Ursula and a tremendous privilege to work with her.

“Ursula was the epitome of the quiet achiever. Given Forbes’ larger than life personality, and with her natural reserve and humility, Ursula’s profile was often secondary to Forbes’. However, it was a big mistake to underestimate the impact that Ursula had on the Carlile organisation. She was fiercely determined, highly intelligent and technically excellent. Her swimmers were always very well trained with precise technique and pacing.”

In 2022, Ford accepted Ursula’s induction into the International Swimming Hall of Fame, on which she commented “it makes me extremely proud, because along with Forbes, we have been in swimming all our lives. I feel very honoured.”

The induction came almost 50 years after husband Forbes was inducted, making them the only husband and wife coaching team in the Hall of Fame.

The Australian Swim School Association also wrote on Ursula’s passing, advising on Monday “it is with great sadness we let you know of the peaceful passing of Ursula Carlile in Ryde.

“The Carlile Matriarch was a wonderful caring woman who forged a career that broke down barriers across the globe. While simple stats only scratch the surface of Ursula Carlile’s life in swimming, they are remarkable.”

Images: Ursula Carlile at the time of her induction into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (top) and with husband Forbes during the Sydney Olympics (below).