Who We Are A little about us
Narrabeen Swimming Club (NBSC) was originally founded in 1977 by Forbes Carlile with the aim of helping member swimmers ‘being the best that they could be’. He created a club culture and rich atmosphere which produced many Australian National and International champions over the years.
By building on this strong heritage, and moving forward with the times, the newly-branded Narrabeen Swimming Club provides swimmers and their families the opportunity to embrace a club which is setting the standard for innovation and personal development.
NBSC operates from the Sydney Academy of Sport & Recreation in Narrabeen, Sydney.
We are one of the most competitive swimming clubs in NSW and have a number of State, National and International representative swimmers in our program.
We are committed to developing our members in the areas of competitive swimming and the pursuit of personal excellence. Our goal is to create an environment in which all our swimmers can realise their full potential.
Our friendly club is run by dedicated volunteers and we engage in competitive swimming meets as well as fundraising and other social events.
Our Coaches
Read all about our coaches at https://academyswimming.com.au/team/
Life Members
- Robert Abernethy
- Paul Barclay
- Debbie Barnier
- Anne Gallie
- Richard Gallie
- Dennis Gorrick
- Sandy Higgins
- Morna Hill
- Mark Morgan
- Mei Ling Ong
- John Rourke
- Jack Snowsill
- Jess Quinn
- Ursula Carlile
Our History
Established in 1977 by the late Forbes Carlile MBE MSc (1921-2016), Narrabeen Swimming Club Inc. (NBSC) has operated on Sydney’s iconic Northern Beaches for more than 40 years.
Forbes Carlile’s involvement as both Olympic coach and athlete in his own right, singles him out as the only individual to have ever coached and later competed at an Olympics.
In 1977, the same year that he established the Club, he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of fame in Florida in recognition of his contribution and achievements in the Sport.
After being appointed as Australia’s first post-war National Olympic coach in 1948, Forbes went on to open Australia’s first commercial swim school in 1955.
He is credited with such innovations as the pace clock, circle swimming and the “shaving down” of swimmers, which were international firsts.
He also developed techniques such as even-paced swimming and the use of two-beat kicks for long-distance events.
Forbes produced many notable Olympians during his career, perhaps none more well-known than the great Shane Gould who, at the age of 15, won 5 medals at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Forbes Carlile’s swim school remained involved with NBSC until 2019, three years after his death at the age of 95.
NBSC has produced more than 20 Australian representatives, including six Olympians, and numerous Australian champions and looks forward to producing many more.
To learn more about Forbes Carlile’s incredible life and legacy visit: Top 10 Forbes Carlile Achievements (Australian Geographic)
