Sunday 2 August 2026
A new generation of young swimmers has officially taken the plunge, with the Portland Swimming Club proudly hosting its inaugural FUN Swim session on Sunday.
The exciting new program, developed by Swimming Victoria, is designed for children under 12 years of age helping them transition into club swimming by introducing them to racing and squad-style training in a fun, supportive and welcoming environment.
FUN Swim gives young swimmers the opportunity to develop confidence, learn fundamental race skills and experience the enjoyment of being part of a local swimming club. The program focuses on participation, friendship, skill development and fun, helping participants become "race-ready" while building lifelong connections through sport.
The launch of the program has been made possible thanks to the generous support of the Glenelg Shire Council whose Community Grant has fully funded the weekly coaching sessions and program resources for the next 12 months.
Thanks to this funding, families can register their child for just $38, which includes Swimming Victoria registration and insurance, 8 weeks of FUN Swim weekly sessions, a FUN Swim kit bag, swimming cap and drink bottle. The grant also covers the weekly coaching and program delivery costs, making the program accessible to more local families.
Club President Sarah Lineker said the first session marked an exciting milestone for the club.
"Today was a wonderful opportunity to welcome young swimmers and their families into our club environment. FUN Swim provides the perfect bridge for Learn to Swimmers to try club swimming, allowing children to build confidence for the competitive environment, develop new skills and discover just how much fun swimming can be."
"We are incredibly grateful to Swimming Victoria for their resources and support, and the Glenelg Shire Council for their support through this community grant. Their investment has removed many of the financial barriers for families and allows us to provide a high-quality program that encourages participation, healthy lifestyles and community connection."
The club is fortunate to have a dedicated team of qualified coaches and enthusiastic junior coaches who give their time each Sunday to deliver engaging and supportive sessions for participants.
"We are also extremely proud of our qualified coaching team and our junior coaches, who have embraced the program with enthusiasm. Their commitment each Sunday ensures every child enjoys a safe, welcoming and positive introduction to club swimming" Sarah added.
The club welcomes enquiries from families with children under 12 years of age who can swim 25m competently, have a basic understanding of different strokes, and are looking for the next step in their swimming journey.
For more information about the FUN Swim program or to register, please contact:
Rachael Healy
Secretary – Portland Swimming Club
Email:
Website: www.portlandswimclub.com.au
22 July 2026
Portland Swimming Club is delighted to announce that we are a finalist for the Club of the Year Award! This nomination recognises the contribution the club has made to swimming in the 2025/26 season and is acknowledgment of the hard work put in by our past and present members and volunteers.
We would also like to congratulate our own Matilda Andrews on being recognised as a finalist for the Young Leader Award! A fantastic achievement - we are so blessed to have dedicated coaches like you to support the next generation of swimmers.
There were plenty of highlights throughout the day:
* Rebecca continued her impressive form, placing in the top three in all of her events and swimming two personal bests.
* Arlo took on the 50m Butterfly for the very first time and absolutely smashed it, alongside two other PB swims for the day.
* Quinn achieved two PBs, including a fantastic time drop in the 100m Freestyle.
* Stephania had a stellar meet, claiming first place in both of her events and swimming PBs as well.
* Samantha earned a second place in Freestyle and celebrated a huge personal achievement by diving from the blocks for the first time.
* Celeste recorded the biggest time drop of the day for our team, taking an incredible 11.46 seconds off her 50m Backstroke time.
We are so proud of the effort, courage and improvement shown by every swimmer.
Well done Southern Blue Fins! Keep up the great work.
Sunday July 12th
Three swimmers represented Portland Swimming Club at the Geelong Sharks Winter Short Course Trophy Meet.
All three swimmers put in a fantastic effort and produced some great results!
Nine year old Evelyne Millard competed in four events, three of which resulted in new personal bests. Evelyne’s best result was in the 100m individual medley where she took nearly 10 seconds off her previous best time! Eleven year old Emily Kato competed in five events - three of which were for the first time.
Emily came 3rd in the 50m backstroke but her best result was in the 50m freestyle where she took 1.98 seconds off her previous best time.
Eight year old Elisa Kato participated in four 25m encouragement events. These events were open to non-registered swimmers to encourage them to get into competitive swimming. Elisa took home four second place ribbons which was a fantastic result!
Congratulations to Evelyne, Emily and Elisa on a very successful meet!
We could highlight every swimmer individually because every swimmer has something to be proud of, and the improvement we’ve seen across the entire team this short course season has been incredible. Keep up the hard work, keep learning, and most importantly, keep swimming!
A huge thank you to Kristy and Matilda for their time, encouragement and care in supporting our swimmers over the past two meets. We are so grateful for the dedication of coaches like you, who generously volunteer your time to help our swimmers thrive.