St Paul's Swim Club

On Sunday a team of 28 SPC swimmers will take part in the fun and always anticipated Chocolate Meet. It's amazing how fast swimmers go for a bar of chocolate. The coaching team have been working hard on a number of skills so far this term and can't wait to see swimmers implementing them in their races. Make the most of each opportunity you have. Let's get out there and have some fun and win plenty of bars of chocolate.

Just want to thank all our volunteers in advance for your help on the day. These meets can't run without our amazing parents' help

June - Swimmer of the Month

Harley has had an outstanding month of training, showing great commitment and consistency throughout July. His full commitment to the Junior Juggernaut training week over the holidays set him up for some excellent sessions towards the end of the month. Harley continues to learn what he is capable of when he challenges himself and embraces the harder sessions. Keep trusting the process, keep seeking out new challenges, and enjoy the rewards that come from your hard work. Well done on a fantastic month.

Our swimmers are off to Auckland this week for the NZ Secondary School Championships at the Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre for four days of racing.

This week they swim for their schools instead of the club, and that is something to be proud of. It also means a few of them will be racing the same people they train with every morning, and some will end up in a relay with swimmers from other clubs.

You have done the work to be there, so give each of your races all you have and grow as an athlete while you are up there.

Proud of the effort you have all done to get to this event.

It is with great sadness that we share the passing of Dr Tonia Jarrett, a much-loved member of the St Paul's Swim Club family.

Tonia was part of our club for more than ten years, watching her daughters Lani and Lily come all the way through our Learn to Swim programme and into squads. She started as a parent helper and went on to become a valued committee member who gave so much to help our club grow. Anyone who spent time on poolside will remember her there. She made time for the club whenever she could, all while raising her family and working as an emergency doctor at Waikato Hospital.

Tonia's care for others went well beyond our pool. Known professionally as Dr Tonia Nicholson, she served the New Zealand Resuscitation Council for more than 20 years and was recently awarded the Sir David Hay Medal, their highest honour, for a lifelong contribution to resuscitation and emergency care. Her work helped save lives here and around the world. That was Tonia. Generous with her time and always putting others first.

Tonia was farewelled by family and friends on Friday. Our thoughts are with Lily, Lani and Tom, and everyone who loved her. We are so grateful for everything she gave to our club.

In lieu of flowers, and in Tonia's wish, please consider donating to the Cancer Society of NZ.

https://www.cancer.org.nz/donate-now/

🌟 A New Chapter for our Junior Squads

We have given our junior programme a fresh look and, more importantly, a much clearer pathway. Over the years our squad names had become a bit of a mystery to anyone outside the club, and families were often unsure where their swimmer sat or what came next. So we have fixed that.

Our learn to swim levels are now our Sharks, starting at Reef Sharks and moving up through Tiger, Mako and Great White as swimmers grow in confidence and skill.

From there the squad pathway is simple. Junior Skills is the entry point into squad swimming, where the focus is on technique and confidence with no competition and no pressure. Swimmers then move through Junior Academy, Junior Development and Junior Performance as their skills, training and love of racing build.

What has not changed is how we do things. We do not just put kids in squads, we work out where each swimmer will thrive and build from there. Every swimmer has a place in this club.

If you have been thinking about squad swimming for your child, or you are wondering where your swimmer fits in the new structure, come and talk to us. We would love to point you in the right direction.

📧 [email protected]

🏆 Swimmer of the Month | June 2026

Our Swimmer of the Month for June is Corne.

What stood out this month was his consistency, not just in turning up but in the way he went about every session, sticking to his processes and giving honest effort right through. The thing I really want to highlight though is his willingness to push hard in the sets he finds difficult. It is easy to work hard at the things that come naturally, and every swimmer has parts of training they would rather avoid. Corne went after his hard stuff anyway, and that willingness to face the things you find difficult is one of the most important qualities an athlete can build. It is also one of the hardest.

St Paul's Swim Club AGM

A reminder that our Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday, 25 June.

This is a great opportunity to hear about what has been happening around the club, our plans for the future, and how you can get involved.

We'll also have finger food and nibbles available, so come along, catch up with other club members, and enjoy an evening together.

We'd love to see as many families as possible there.

📅 Thursday 25 June
📍 St Paul's Collegiate School
🕒 7:15 pm

ST PAUL'S REPRESENTING NZ

Congratulations to five of our St Paul's swimmers who will all be representing New Zealand over the coming months. We are incredibly proud of every one of them.

Surf Life Saving
Simiosi Tukia, Tessa Scott and Finn Freemantle have all been named in the wider New Zealand Junior Black Fins squad for the Lifesaving World Championships 2026 in South Africa this December. All three will be heading to Australia in July.

Swimming
Alex Copocean and Neo Urlich have been selected to represent New Zealand at the 2026 Tri Series in Karratha, Western Australia, departing 5 July and returning 11 July.

Great to see our swimmers competing at this level. 💛🖤