The names Gordon Poidevin OAM and Graeme Phipps will appear on an Honours board and/or the new swimming pools at Corowa Aquatic Centre currently under construction.
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At its monthly meeting on September 15, Federation Council unanimously agreed on the $10.3 million project’s name and to consider if the 50m and 25m pools should be individually named.
If council decides to name the 50-metre outdoor pool and the 25-mtere heated indoor pool, the names Gordon Poidevin OAM Senior and Graeme Phipps will be seriously considered by council, in consultation with the Corowa Swimming Pool Advisory Committee and family members of the suggested names.
“If both Dad and Graeme were given the honour after them and I was asked which pool would most represent them I’d say the fifty-metre pool should be in respect of Graeme because he put hours and hours into training swimmers in the fifty-metre pool,” Gordon’s son Gary Poidevin OAM told The Free Press.
“And in respect of the 25-metre heated indoor pool, Dad, because it’s ideally for learning to swim.”
Gordon Poidevin Senior passed away in 2005, aged 88-years. In 1987 he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for service to the community which included outstanding service to the local swimming, football and Lions clubs, all of which he was awarded Life Membership. Gordon’s late wife Lorna is also a swimming club Life Member.
A foundation member of the Corowa Amateur Swimming and Life Saving Club which was opened in 1956, Gordon’s involvement began in 1949 with patrols on the Murray River, informing people about the dangers of swimming in the river and being actively involved in fundraising towards a swimming pool.
For over 30 years, Gordon taught children to swim, free of charge and along with Lorna began a learn-to-swim campaign at Corowa.
Gordon taught life-saving skills and was a fully qualified Royal Life Swimming Examiner. He provided a bus to transport children to swimming carnivals throughout the Ovens and Murray region.
Corowa Swimming Pool Advisory Committee member Maryanne Herbert described Graeme Phipps as “a very valuable coach for Corowa Swimming Club”.
“Not having children of his own, the swimming club was Graeme’s great interest from about November to April every year,” she said.
“He was incredibly modest and humble, very sincere and genuine, and knew how to coach swimming.
“He treated all the swimmers equally and expected them to give their best. If they didn’t, and mucked around or didn’t come to training, then that was their problem and their race results inevitably showed the lack of determination. The kids realised that.”
Graeme usually sat apart from the club group, watching swimmers from all clubs, keeping race times and mental notes about them so he knew exactly what the Corowa swimmers were up against.
“I think every swimmer popped over to see Graeme before their races for words of encouragement or tactics,” Maryann said. “He was such a stable influence and one who knew their strengths, weaknesses and quirks.
“Graeme attended every Ovens and Murray Pennant meet, Open Meet, Shell trials and Victorian Country Championships with Corowa Swimming Club. Sometimes he attended school meets to see how ‘his’ kids went. Knowing Graeme had come to see them especially made them even try harder to succeed.
“I do remember when one swimmer beat a state champion at a school meet Graeme said that the other coaches would be taking great notice. He was quite chuffed at the time.”
Graeme was very well regarded in the Ovens and Murray District Swimming Association, by coaches, officials and other swimming families. He was awarded Life Membership of the Association in 1992.
“It was testament to the esteem in which the swimmers held Graeme that, at his funeral, ‘his kids’ came from interstate and overseas to farewell him,” Maryann said.
When very young, Corowa and AFL Sydney Swans coach legend John Longmire was recommended to take up swimming for health reasons.
“Fortunately, my parents booked me in with Graeme Phipps, who taught me the very basics of the sport,” he told The Free Press.
“Graeme then continued to train me over many years as I developed in the sport, and he was integral to my improvement every year.
“He spent countless hours pacing up and down the pool with a stopwatch in hand as he instructed and encouraged so many young swimmers throughout the area.
“I look back fondly on this time, and have always been very grateful for the hours that Graeme spent teaching and training me in a skill that lasts a lifetime.”
A former Ovens and Murray swimming champion, record 13-year mayor of the former Corowa Shire Mr Poidevin also has the capital letters OAM after his name described the Corowa Aquatic Centre as “fantastic”.
“It will keep us old fellows living longer!” Mr Poidevin, who turns 70-years-of-age on October 6, said. “I’ll start up an old fellows swimming club, with weekly races! I’ve already challenged Brad Moore (local swimming guru) to a race when the heated pool’s open.”
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