The Frankston AUSSI Swimming Club (Now Frankston Masters Swimming) was formed after a public meeting at Frankston Teachers College on the 5th March 1981. Barbara Brooks and Danny Smith provided information on the aims and functions of AUSSI. At this meeting it was moved that an AUSSI club in Frankston be formed. The motion was passed. Brian Marshall was nominated as President and duly elected. Brian had been involved with an AUSSI club in Sydney. He had been in contact with the North lodge Club to find out how to form a new club.
The original members who attended that first meeting were as follows; Greg Caughey, Steve De Gelder, Karen Doyle, Mary Davis, Wayne Etcell, Lynne Emblin, Gavin Hamilton, Alice Kinnaird, Brian Marshall, Jillian Brooks and Gary Marshall. Steve De Gelder, who became Frankston’s first coach, was an ex North Lodge member. Of the original eleven, Alice Kinnaird is still a regular.
Frankston High School Swimming pool is the base for our club. They offer a 25m indoor pool located in the southern Frankston area.
The Club began with 15 members and increased to about 60, a figure which has remained relatively constant through the years. In 1981 training nights cost members $1, and yearly membership fees were $10. The Club was incorporated in 1987.
Frankston held its first Inter Club Meet in June of 1983. The programme was 200m freestyle, 100m breaststroke, 50m Backstroke and 25m Butterfly. The Club has held an Inter Club Meet ever since – apart from 1998 when the roof structure of the pool became unsafe and had to be replaced. The supper, after the swim meet has become well known within the state masters swimming circles and may in part be responsible for the 100 plus competitors who compete every year.
The Club has been represented at Club, State, National and World Championships. Club members have broken State, National and World records. We have had members represent us at Tokyo, Christchurch, Brisbane, Indianapolis and Munich.
Currently the Club has four Life Members, Alice Kinnaird 1999, Gavin Hamilton* 2000, John Kinnaird 2001 and Andrew Gibson 2003. Approximately one third of our members have been so for at least ten years, which we would hope suggests our nucleus aims at the philosophy of Masters Swimming of FUN, FITNESS and FRIENDSHIP.