Transition 2 Masters (T2M)

Updated 14/05/2025.

Masters Swimming Australia (MSA) was incredibly proud to have received a Play Well Participation Grant from the Australian Sports Commission’s (ASC) in 2024.

MSA used this grant to deliver the Transition 2 Masters program (T2M) designed for adult Australians to progress their swimming and water safety skills, becoming more comfortable around water and to provide physical, mental, and social benefits. The program is aimed at helping adults to continue their swimming journey and sustain participation in the sport.

What is the Project?

Transition to Masters (T2M) caters for adults acknowledging not all are the same level of swimming ability and is targeting adults that cannot swim over 15m with a specifically designed 3-month course. Participants may have completed the Allianz Swim Club 8 week Learn to Swim lessons OR be adults that learnt to swim as a child but do not have the ability or confidence to swim over 15m but are motivated to learn due to the health benefits.

The project start date for participants was initially 1 September 2024 but due to delays the start date was revised to 28 January 2025. The program concluded successfully with participants from all of our 8 Clubs finishing their 24 sessions/12 weeks end of April beginning of May 2025. This proved beneficial as we were able to run a Pilot Program with the Coach Development Team of Judy Bonning and Graham Dietrich – Casuarina – Billabong Swim School NSW – see below more information on the Pilot.

What are the Project Objectives?

Increase involvement in sport and physical activity through the provision of inclusive and quality sport and physical activity experiences.
Address the barriers to sport and physical activity and provide more opportunities to be involved in sport and physical activity programs for those in the community who face the most barriers.
Transition participants into Masters Swimming Clubs to continue their swimming journey and sustain participation in the sport.
Undertake valuable independent research of the T2M program using best practice guidance on swimming and water safety for adults.
To join a Masters club you do not necessarily need to compete, but to enjoy the company of like-minded swimmers.

The Project:

MSA engaged eight Masters Swimming clubs across seven States plus we ran a Pilot Program.

The Clubs and Coaches were:

Albany Creek (QLD) – Coaches Natasha Bletchly and Louise Knauth
Aquadome Otters (SA) – Coaches Craig Zubrinich and Peni O’Shea
Darwin Stingers (NT) – Coaches Jac Stirrat and Sam Bricknell
Hobart Dolphins (TAS) – Coaches Megan Stronach and Steve Richards
Inglewood Masters (WA) – Coach Jo Stoddart, Assisted by Anna Brenkley, specialist coaches Trevor Wainstein and Donna Scott
Miami Masters (QLD) – Coach Judy Bonning, Assisted by Katie Lopez
Mornington Peninsula (VIC) – Coaches Rob Wilson and Donna Gadsby, Assisted by Alexia Green and Jenni Devine
Wests Auburn (NSW) – Coach Kerryn Blanch, Assisted by Cameron Jones
Plus the Pilot (Casuarina – Billabong Swim School NSW) – Coaches Judy Bonning and Graham Dietrich

The delivery program was developed by MSA accredited adult swimmer specific coaches Judy Bonning and Graham Dietrich in consultation with MSA National Office. Train the trainer videos were produced so expectations, delivery and outcomes for the program are consistent nationally. Development of the program is considered therefore can be easily modified to individual capabilities. Resources and a toolkit accompany the program to support coaches on ground.

MSA IT Consultant Mark Hepple developed a T2M App – Swimmer, coaching and lesson guides were uploaded to the T2M App for swimmer/coach access. These programs/guides are designed to cater to the diverse needs and abilities of adult swimmers, providing them with a clear pathway for skill development. Some Welcome events have been held by Clubs for swimmers to meet fellow T2M participants and masters club members and have proved popular. Online ‘train the trainer’ teams meetings were conducted by head coach T2M development team to talk through 24 x sessions of the T2M program to ensure a streamlined approach to the delivery

The coaching development team (Judy Bonning and Graham Dietrich) completed a 24-session pilot program at the Casuarina pool (NSW/QLD border). The pilot was instrumental in the programs content as programming has been tweaked based on the pilot findings. The pilot was not included in the application process to the ASC however the coaches believed it was vital to the successful outcome of the T2M program. Some interesting finders came out via the pilot: Swimmers – 8 female and 1 male with an average age group 30 to 40 and all but one had school age children with eight working full or part-time and 1 was retired. The average attendance each session 5.8 people out of 9 and this was much higher than the Allianz Swim Club average attendance. After the 24th session the pilot program integrated the T2M swimmers into the Miami Masters squad. (6) swimmers attended and completed the entire session.

In terms of T2M’s success, beyond rapid major improvement to swimming skills and technique, it’s probably been lifesaving too. To that end, one of our participants subsequently got caught in a beach rip and following the difficult incident explained that their accumulated T2M experience ensured they were able to physically and mentally handle the difficult situation and return safely to dry sand. How good!

Once again, MSA thanks the ASC for their outstanding support of T2M and this group of emerging and rapidly improving adult swimmers, and finally, to Judy, Graham, the Clubs and the incredible Coaches for their time, knowledge, stewardship, mentoring and unbridled passion to getting T2M on the starting blocks in 2024 and away so well.

Below are some great images from the Program and Pilot and we will be adding some testaments from participants plus some stories over the coming weeks.