Contact Us
Contact Us

Swimming

MODERN TIMES

  • Together with official prizemoney from international meets, plus incentives from the Australian Sports Commission and commercial sponsorships – including from mining magnate Gina Rhinehart – the top female Australian swimmers earn just under half a million dollars a year.
  • Irrepressible superstar Kaylee McKeown earned $440,000 in 2023, leading into the 2024 Paris Olympics. Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O’Callaghan each earned around $250,000.
  • Swimming Australia’s contract with its elite swimmers is worth approximately $30,000 each, reviewed every year, and swimmers most often top up that income with sponsorships and by attending events.
  • While there was no official prizemoney for paralympic swimmers, cash bonuses were given to medal winners at the 2023 World Cup in which 30 medallists shared financial rewards of $455,000.

RECORDS. MILESTONES. MOMENTS.

86,174

 2020 ICC World Cup Final Attendance

$151,000

Average SA player annual earnings

2017

Watershed payment deal with CA

HISTORICAL TIMELINE

Source: State Library of South Australia PRG 280/1/38/113,

1877

Reportedly the first women’s match in SA took place at a Gawler Church picnic. 

Late 1800's

  • The formation of a swimming club has been recorded as far back as 1864, and swimming events were reported on in SA’s first newspaper – The Register – in 1879.
  • But SwimmingSA as it is now known, was first established as the South Australian Amateur Swimming Association SAASA in 1898 as an Incorporated Association and remains the peak body for competitive swimming.
  • Its purpose was to offset the influence of a group of professional swimmers, the circumstances similar to early athletics in SA.
  • Swimming was already popular before SAASA was set up. People swam in rivers, water holes, beaches and dams. 
  • Clubs including the North Adelaide and Gilberton Swim Clubs pre-existed SAASA’s formation. The Glenelg Baths opened in 1876 – and after 1880 provided facilities for women.
  • As such the Adelaide City Baths opened in 1861, situated on King William Street, opposite Government House.
  • Australian Swimming Championships were first held in 1894. Australia entered swimmers at most major international swimming events from the Athens 1896 Olympics onwards.
Women’s Adelaide City Baths Race 1896. Women clad in neck to knee swim outfits. Source: State Library of South Australia, PRG 280/1/17/232

1940's

  • Competition was played on old, cracked concrete pitches. The boundary was marked with small red flags, but the ground was rough and weed-riddled with long grass. 
  • Fielding was dangerous as the ball could hit clumps of grass and fly around. Cow pats were also removed before play.

1960's

  • Saturday morning schoolgirls competitions began courtesy of enthusiastic PE teachers and supportive fathers.
  • Through the 60s and 70s, several prominent players emerged who played both cricket and hockey at State level: Val Nairn, Jill Need (who also played cricket for Australia), Vicki Freer and Marj Wincup.
  • In 1979-80, Jill Need would go on to coach SA to their first Australian Women’s Cricket Championship in almost 30 years.

1970's

  • Early signs of commercial investment in women’s sport emerged, thanks largely to the efforts and motivation of one of SA’s and Australia’s leading administrators/coaches/PE teacher and advocates for the women’s game, Chris Garwood. 
  • Coaching clinics were hosted at the Parks Community Centre with skills coach, John Halbert, and Australian Test umpire Tony Crafter.

1980's

  • The Coop Coaching Clinics identified players including wicket keeper Tunde Juhasz (3 Tests), Andrea McAuley (One Test, SA captain and later head coach), Leanne Hunter (Two Tests & 24 One Day Internationals 1985-1996.)
  • Leadership also came from SA Senator, Rosemary Crowley, and Federal politician Sue Lenehan, who helped set up the Women’s Sport Promotion Unit, elevating the visibility of girls playing sport.
  • The Australian Women’s Cricket Council became Women’s Cricket Australia. Belinda Clarke who helped develop nation-wide programs for girls was appointed CEO.
  • In SA, a group of athletic, confident young women was coming through the PE Teachers College system – featuring Jenny Williams, Jill Kennare, Wendy Piltz, and Lyn Fullston – strengthening SA’s competition.
  • The 1982 World Cup team had three SA reps: Fullston, Kennare, and Jenny Jacobs.
  • Major corporations – Shell and the Commonwealth Bank – funded major national competitions and coaching clinics.  
  • Denis Brien, a teacher/school counsellor/club cricketer was appointed SA coach prior to the 1987-88 season, after Jill Kennare insisted he apply for the position.
  • Denis Brien focussed on improving the players’ technical skills and helped make rapid progress.
  • He set out new regimes for skills coaching and through his SACA contacts, gained access to train on turf wickets for net practice, and including West Torrens which had never been accessible to female players prior to this.
  • He also gained access to conditioning programs through the SASI facility.
  • Denis Brien opened the way forward for women cricketers. In his personable but unswerving manner, he demonstrated to the unprogressive elements in cricket that women were highly skilled and capable if given the support and opportunity.
  • In addition, the Sex Discrimination Act was passed which offered women greater support and opportunity in workplaces largely
Denis Brien
Denis Brien Source: Supplied by Denis Brien

1990's

  • Even in the 1990s, some female players were still being harassed when playing cricket. 
  • With more professional training – even compared with the men’s State team – access to modern and appropriate facilities, and improved coaching direction, the players’ skills improved. 
  • Andrea McCauley took over the captaincy and with Denis Brien as coach, the team formed a united, professional outfit.
  • Players – McCauley, Joanne Broadbent, Leanne Hunter, Tunde Juhasz, Isobelle Tsakiris, Caroline Ward and Alysson Kennelly and Melissa Cann (Caffrey) all were national squad or national team players during the 90s. One youngster, Karen Rolton, was just emerging
  • SA established itself as a national powerhouse – winning three national championships in four years from 1990 to 1995 – establishing what is now known as “The Golden Era”. 
  • The team rose to be the most successful cricket team SA has produced, men or women.
  • With Brien coaching and Andrea McCauley captaining on-field and leading off-field, SA was a potent force nationally. 
  • This team, under this leadership, was inducted into the SA Sports Hall of Fame in 2025.
  • Brien describes McCauley this way, “The key to the success was undoubtedly the astute leadership of Andrea McCauley. I rank her alongside Ian Chappell, Darren Lehmann and David Hookes as the best captains I’ve been associated with.”
  • She is a self-employed mortgage broker and holds a diploma in Financial Services (Finance/Broking Management). She was the first female Head Coach of the SACA Female High Performance program and the inaugural Coach of the WBBL Adelaide Strikers. She was appointed to the SACA Board in 2019. 
  • In 1996, the Australian championships were replaced by the Women’s National Cricket League – seven states plus ACT.
  • SA becomes the Scorpions, based around the SA men’s team, Redbacks. The Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) and Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) were established.

1990's

  • Even in the 1990s, some female players were still being harassed when playing cricket. 
  • With more professional training – even compared with the men’s State team – access to modern and appropriate facilities, and improved coaching direction, the players’ skills improved. 
  • Andrea McCauley took over the captaincy and with Denis Brien as coach, the team formed a united, professional outfit.
  • Players – McCauley, Joanne Broadbent, Leanne Hunter, Tunde Juhasz, Isobelle Tsakiris, Caroline Ward and Alysson Kennelly and Melissa Cann (Caffrey) all were national squad or national team players during the 90s. One youngster, Karen Rolton, was just emerging
  • SA established itself as a national powerhouse – winning three national championships in four years from 1990 to 1995 – establishing what is now known as “The Golden Era”. 
  • The team rose to be the most successful cricket team SA has produced, men or women.
  • With Brien coaching and Andrea McCauley captaining on-field and leading off-field, SA was a potent force nationally. 
  • This team, under this leadership, was inducted into the SA Sports Hall of Fame in 2025.
  • Brien describes McCauley this way, “The key to the success was undoubtedly the astute leadership of Andrea McCauley. I rank her alongside Ian Chappell, Darren Lehmann and David Hookes as the best captains I’ve been associated with.”
  • She is a self-employed mortgage broker and holds a diploma in Financial Services (Finance/Broking Management). She was the first female Head Coach of the SACA Female High Performance program and the inaugural Coach of the WBBL Adelaide Strikers. She was appointed to the SACA Board in 2019. 
  • In 1996, the Australian championships were replaced by the Women’s National Cricket League – seven states plus ACT.
  • SA becomes the Scorpions, based around the SA men’s team, Redbacks. The Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) and Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) were established.
SA Team 1994-95
The victorious SA team of 1994-95. Source: In Daily
Joanne Broadbent
Joanne Broadbent. Source: Australian women’s cricket team
Andrea McCauley
One of SA’s most successful captains Andrea McCauley. Source: SACA

2000's

  • The ACB and Women’s Cricket Australia merged. By 2005-06 all States have merged: SACA absorbed the SA Women’s Cricket Association. 
  • The ACB and Women’s Cricket Australia merged. By 2005-06 all States have merged: SACA absorbed the SA Women’s Cricket Association. 
  • Outstanding players Karen Rolton and Emma Sampson helped lead the Port Adelaide Club to multiple premierships early in the 21st Century.
  • In the early 2000s Port Adelaide won six of the first seven A Grade Premierships of the century, missing only in 2004-05. Two years prior, Port became the first club in the competition’s history to win all three grades (A & B grades plus T20) in one season.
  • Through the early 2000s, Karen Rolton and a country kid, Shelley Nitschke, came to the fore in SA, both ultimately played for Australia. 

2010's

  • In 2014-15, Andrea McCauley is appointed full-time coach, becoming national champions in 2015 with Lauren Ebsury as captain. 
  • Through those years, Tahlia McGrath, Amanda Jade Wellington, Megan Schutt, Tegan McPharlin, and Bridgette Patterson developed into outstanding players. Shelley Nitschke was assistant coach. 
  • In the six years to 2019, McCauley oversaw the appointment to the women’s program of a full-time assistant coach, full-time physiotherapist, full-time strength and conditioning coach, full time player development officer and full-time operations manager.

  • “It took a lot of fighting” … says McCauley. But SACA CEO Keith Bradshaw was also supportive of the changes. Equally, Cricket Australia began to focus on greater promotion of women.

2020's

  • In 2023 the Scorpions are said to have the best high-performance program in Australia. Pathway systems are healthy from U16s to U19s state teams.
  • With Luke Williams as head coach and Tahlia McGrath as captain, the Strikers win the 2023 WBBL title, having been runner up in 2022.
  • Katie Mack led the run scorers for SA in 2023, averaging 32 per game.
  • The SACA has four females of its 11 members on the SACA Board. “There’s been a massive culture change, observed McCauley.
  • South Australian cricketers Darcie Brown  and Amanda Jade Wellington have featured in the national team during the 2010s and 2020s.

Footnotes:

  1.  

STORIES OF OUR PIONEERS

Meet the trailblazers of SA Swimming. 

Denise Norton

SA’s first female Olympian, represented SA and Australia in swimming in the 1950's.