Ithaca Creek Swimming Club Golden Anniversary

Minister Jones; Councillor Matic; Chairman of the Ithaca Creek Swimming Club, James Knowles; Ladies and Gentlemen; boys and girls,

It is my great pleasure to be here this evening, to congratulate the Ithaca Creek Swimming Club on achieving their Golden Anniversary.

That milestone is testament to 50 years of dedication by parents and volunteers.

We are lucky to have one of the original founding members, Mrs Margaret Nash, here with us tonight, and I acknowledge, with gratitude, the absolutely foundational role that her late husband, Mr Keith Nash, played in creating this wonderful club.

Sporting clubs play a vital role in the social fabric of any community; swimming clubs especially so, in our water-loving state.

It is a wonderful benefit to a community to have a safe, friendly place for children to be active and social.

For generations of Bardon, Ithaca and Red Hill residents, summer has meant Friday nights at the Sharx.

Many friendships have been forged here, and many memories made. Some of those memories will take on tangible form shortly, when the Time Capsule is presented. 

As many of you will know, I was a pupil at Ithaca Creek State School in the sixties, when my father was Principal.

I look back with great affection on my time at the school, and on the many students and families who became involved in the Club.

Then, as now, the Club provided a valuable sense of community and belonging.

It also provides a forum for friendly rivalry, where children learn how to compete, how to win and – just as importantly - how to lose gracefully. 

In my view, one of the most wonderful thing about club nights is the ideal of the “Personal Best”, or PB.

It means that each week, the greatest competitor you face is yourself.

It’s a wonderful lesson for life.

Congratulations Sharx on achieving your 50th year. I wish you all the best in the pool, and in the years to come.