Training Moves to Wentworthville

Swimming Training moves to Wentworthville Swimming Centre next week.

Training Times will be adjusted slightly from May 15 and are detailed on the Training Schedule page here.

Note that there is no training for the Sharks on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Land training for the Junior Squad will continue to be held on Tuesday afternoons but will return to a 5:00pm start. Times may change slightly again in June.

There will be no pool sessions held during July while the pool is closed for maintenance and we will use this opportunity to give the swimmers a break. There may be some land sessions held during the second half of July at Merrylands. More details will be provided in June.

See Also
  • Training Schedule
  • The Graded Point Score

    The Graded Point Score is one of the most hotly contested competitions of the summer season. Other than the Senior Handicap, it is the only competition that is held every week, rewarding consistency and improvement throughout the season.

    Swimmers are graded in races based on their entry time and therefore swim with swimmers of similar ability. The concept behind this competition is for swimmers to swim against their time. The better they swim against their time, the greater number of points they receive.

    At the end of the season, the Michael Rossek Memorial Trophy is awarded to the junior male swimmer with the highest points and the Ronald Exley Memorial Trophy is awarded to the junior female swimmer with the highest points.

    The original Point Score Trophy was known as the Goldman Trophy. It was donated and named after Mr Samuel Goldman of Goldman’s Hardware Store which was situated in Merrylands. It was a large trophy with the winning boys and the winning girls names engraved on shields down each side. When this trophy was not able to hold any more shields, the club decided to purchase individual Boys and Girls Point Score Trophies (the Michael Rossek and Ronald Exley Memorial Trophies).

    The Boys Trophy was named after Michael Rossek who, while still a member of our club, was killed in a work related accident not long after leaving school. Michael was the middle son of Mr & Mrs Gerry Rossek. Gerry Rossek was responsible for making some of the equipment for our club which we still use on Saturday mornings.

    The Girls Trophy was named after Mr Ronald Exley who was a hard working member of our club. He held the position of Race Secretary for a few years and was Treasurer of the club from 1978 to 1982. It was in 1982 that Ron Exley had a heart attack and while having treatment at the time of the attack it was discovered that he was suffering inoperable cancer. He was married to Patricia and had four teenage children.

    Over the last 38 years many recipients have topped the point score in multiple years. Because the competition rewards consistency and improvement throughout the season, the fastest or best swimmers aren’t necessarily the ones that win the competition. Since the inception of the Champion of Champions trophy in 1995/96 (awarded to the best all round swimmer each season), only two swimmers have won both the Champion of Champions and the Graded Point score. The past winners of the trophies include a good mixture of swimming abilities including a number of swimmers that have gone on to swim at national level either while they were members of our club or after moving on to other clubs.

    Did you know?
    • Under the current point score, there is up to 24 points up for grabs each week. 480 points was the maximum score that could be achieved this season.


    • The average top score over the last 7 seasons has been 253 for the boys and 264 the girls. The highest scores achieved over that time were 309 points by Linda Liepins in the girls point score in 1998/99 and 294 by Adam Hammonds in the Boys point score in 1999/2000.


    • In the club’s history, there has only been three seasons where there has been a tie for first place in the point score. In 1973/74 the boys point score was won by N. Peacock and L. Kennedy. In 1988/89 the Michael Rossek Trophy was jointly awarded to David Johnston and Peter Johnston and the following year it was jointly awarded to Simon Johnston and Andrew Stephan. There has never been a tie in the girls point score.


    • Four families have won both the Michael Rossek and Ronald Exley Trophies; the Hayes, Stephan, Buckler, and Cause families. Of those four families, only one, the Buckler family, has taken home both trophies in the same season.


    • 15 different girls have won the Ronald Exley Trophy in the last 21 seasons. Amber Johnson and Linda Liepins have won it the most times with 3 each.


    • 17 different boys have won the Michael Rossek Trophy in the past 21 seasons. Tim Hayes, Peter Johnston, Andrew Stephan and Nathan Cause have won it the most times with 2 each.


    • 4 boys and 4 girls have won the trophies more than once; Tim Hayes, Peter Johnston, Andrew Stephan, Nathan Cause, Kristy Smith, Rachel Buckler, Linda Liepins and Amber Johnson.


    • 3 boys and 4 girls have won the Goldman Trophy more than once; N. Peacock, Darren Turner, Andrew Walters, G. Pedley, H. Koch, J. Pye and L. Glenn.


    • Tim Hayes is the only swimmer to have won both the Goldman Trophy and the Michael Rossek Trophy.


    • Because the trophies are only awarded to junior swimmers (under 17 years), the trophy recipients aren’t always the highest point scorers. Usually junior swimmers top the point score simply because they have more room for improvement. However, in 3 of the last 7 seasons, the highest point scorer in the male competition has actually been a senior swimmer. Glen Stanford was the highest in 2001/2002 while Peter Johnston finished on top in 1998/1999 and again in 2003/2004, on this occasion equal with the highest junior boy.


    • 2 swimmers have won both the summer and winter graded point scores; Amber Johnson and David Wang; however no swimmer has won both point scores in the same season.


    Past Winners
    The Goldman Trophy
    Boys Girls
    1968/69 P. Lovell J. Pye
    1969/70 G. Hawkins J. Pye
    1970/71 Greg Pye G. Pedley
    1971/72 E. Young S. Abbot
    1972/73 Kirk Fielder Amanda Smart
    1973/74 N. Peacock, L. Kennedy S. Mitchell
    1974/75 N. Peacock P. Durvey
    1975/76 Darren Turner L. Reynolds
    1976/77 A. Johnson L. Glenn
    1977/78 Darren Turner L. Glenn
    1978/79 M. Peacock K. Taylor
    1979/80 Andrew Walters Allison Exley
    1980/81 Andrew Walters G. Pedley
    1981/82 Jim Hayes Nicole Howton
    1982/83 C. Sinteur H. Koch
    1983/84 Tim Hayes H. Koch
    Michael Rossek
    Memorial Trophy
    Ronald Exley
    Memorial Trophy
    1984/85 S. Joyce Tasha Sinclair
    1985/86 Tim Hayes A. Sillick
    1986/87 Steven Melville Michelle Hayes
    1987/88 Tim Hayes Amanda Stanley
    1988/89 David Johnston, Peter Johnston Vanessa Stephan
    1989/90 Simon Johnston, Andrew Stephan Marnie Campbell
    1990/91 Peter Johnston Lauren Holz
    1991/92 Andrew Stephan Melissa Stafford
    1992/93 Matthew Banks Kristy Smith
    1993/94 Paul Kirk Kristy Smith
    1994/95 Nathan B Rachel Buckler
    1995/96 Matthew Buckler Rachel Buckler
    1996/97 Blake Green Nicole Smith
    1997/98 Matthew Jenkin Linda Liepins
    1998/99 Mitchell Emery Linda Liepins
    1999/2000 Adam Hammonds Linda Liepins
    2000/01 Nathan Cause Samantha Anderson
    2001/02 Nathan Cause Amber Johnson
    2002/03 Jordan Burden Elise Cause
    2003/04 Jorden Almeida Amber Johnson
    2004/05 David Wang Amber Johnson


    Selected Swimmer Details

    Matthew Buckler - 1995/96
    Club Representative at Shell Age Series Finals
    Inaugural Champion of Champions recipient
    National Qualifier after leaving the club
    National Swimmer Profile
    Rachel Buckler - 1994/95, 1995/96
    2 time winner
    Jordan Burden - 2002/03
    Club Representative at Metropolitan & State
    National Qualifier and Medalist after leaving the club
    Club Representative
    National Swimmer Profile
    Mitchell Emery - 1998/99
    Club Representative at Metropolitan & State
    Club Representative
    Allison Exley - 1979/80
    Club Representative at State & Nationals
    Club Representative
    Kirk Fielder - 1972/73
    Cumberland Relay Champion & Former Cumberland Record Holder
    Club Representative
    Adam Hammonds - 1999/2000
    National Qualifier after leaving the club
    National Swimmer Profile
    Tim Hayes - 1983/84, 1985/86, 1987/88
    3 time winner
    5 time Club Captain (1989/90 - 1993/94)
    Nicole Howton - 1981/82
    Cumberland Relay Champion
    Club Representative
    Amber Johnson - 2001/02, 2003/04, 2004/05
    3 time winner
    Club Representative at Metropolitan & State
    Peter Johnston - 1988/89, 1990/91
    2 time winner (also highest point scorer in 1998/1999, 2003/2004)
    Club Representative at Metropolitan
    Linda Liepins - 1997/98, 1998/99, 1999/2000
    3 time winner
    Andrew Stephan - 1989/90, 1991/92
    2 time winner
    Vanessa Stephan - 1988/89
    National Qualifier after leaving the club
    National Swimmer Profile
    Darren Turner - 1975/76, 1977/78
    2 time winner
    Club Representative at State
    Club Representative
    Andrew Walters - 1979/80, 1980/81
    2 time winner
    Club Representative at State & Nationals
    Club Representative
    David Wang - 2004/05
    Club Representative at Metropolitan & State
    Club Representative


    Thank you to Glad Pye for the information on the history of the Goldman, Rossek & Exley Trophies.

    See Also
  • Graded Races Point Score
  • Wentworthville Invitational

    Nine swimmers represented Merrylands at the Wentworthville Invitational Carnival at Wentworthville Swimming Centre on Sunday, 9th April.

    In near perfect weather (when the tarp wasn't blowing down), our members won 18 medals and broke 11 of their times. In total, 8 out of 9 members won medals. As a club we finished 3rd overall.

    The following club members took medals home:
    Anthony Ventra
    Brittany Johnson
    David Wang
    Amber Johnson
    Sarah Johnston
    Peter Johnston
    Nathan Legge
    Dylan Baker

    Our club's results are now available here.

    Medal Tally

    Gold 4
    Silver 9
    Bronze 5

    See Also
  • Wentworthville Invitational Carnival Results
  • Winter Training

    Swimming Training continues at Merrylands Swimming Centre for the start of the Winter Season.

    Training times remain the same with a few exceptions:
    - There will be no training on Tuesday Afternoons for the Sharks.
    - Junior Squad training on Tuesdays will start at 4:45pm.
    - Morning Sessions for the Junior Squad will not be held.

    Session times are listed on the Training Schedule page here.

    Training then moves to Wentworthville Swimming Centre on Monday, 15th May, 2006.

    See Also
  • Training Schedule
  • Dive in for the Winter Season

    Our 3rd winter seson begins on Saturday, 1st April, 2006.

    As usual the winter season includes some events not swum during the summer including the Mystery Medley and the Graded Races 800m & 1500m Freestyle. This year's program also includes Medley Relays.

    If you do another sport during winter, don't worry, most weeks we are finished by 8am.

    The season will run until the pool closes on May 14th.

    Cumberland Sprint Meet Results

    The Cumberland Sprint Meet was held at Merrylands Swimming Centre on Saturday afternoon.

    In brilliant sunshine (and the occasional shower) Merrylands' team of 12 swimmers took home 17 medals from the 32 events contested.

    The following club members won medals:
    Rachael Guthrie
    Matthew Jenkin
    Todd Jenkin
    Brittany Johnson
    Peter Johnston
    David Wang
    Thomas Wang

    As the host club, thank you to all our members who helped run the meet - whether it was running cards, collecting entry fees, officiating or helping setup and pack up - you all did a great job.

    The full results are now available.

    Medal Tally

    Gold 7
    Silver 6
    Bronze 4

    See Also
  • Cumberland Sprint Meet - Results
  • Swimming Cumberland Inc.
  • Cumberland Sprint Meet

    Merrylands Swimming Centre will host the Cumberland Sprint Meet this Saturday.

    The Sprint Meet is all 50m events and also a selection meet for the Cumberland Development Squads. This meet is only open to Cumberland swimmers and is a Post Entry meet which means you enter on the day.

    Our club is also hosting this meet so we need a small number of volunteers to help on the day. If you are able to help out please speak to a member of the club committee.

    See the meet program here for more details.

    See Also
  • Cumberland Sprint Meet - Program of Events
  • Swimming Cumberland Inc.
  • Metropolitan Results

    Two Merrylands swimmers swam personal best times at this weekend's NSW Metropolitan Championships.

    Brittany Johnson put some disappointing swims on Saturday behind her to come back on Sunday and break her 100m Freestyle time by almost 1.3 seconds, finishing in 1:05.33.
    Peter Johnston also broke his P.B. taking almost 2 seconds off his time in the 100m Breaststroke to touch in 1:19.97.

    Our other swimmers were also very close to their entry times. The full results are now available.

    See Also
  • 2006 NSW Metropolitan Championships - Results
  • NSW Metropolitan Championships