By James Sutherland on SwimSwam
Australian coach Richard Sleight is taking legal action against the Anglican Church Grammar School after he was abruptly let go as the head coach of Churchie Swim Club in late December.
Anglican Church Grammar School, located in East Brisbane, made the decision to outsource its swimming operations, with Rackley Swim Club set to take over and manage the program moving forward.
The news was confirmed by Churchie Swim Club with a Facebook post on December 20.
As a result, Sleight and Churchie Swim Club assistant coach Liam Smith were axed from their posts with the club after both had spent just over a year with the program.
On January 9, Sleight filed an unfair dismissal claim against Anglican Church Grammar School with the Fair Work Commission, the Australian government’s workplace tribunal.
According to The Courier Mail, Sleight is believed to be seeking, at the least, the full payout of his five-year contract which won’t expire until September 2028.
“I loved my job at Churchie and was proud to lead an exceptional group of students and athletes to the school’s most successful swim program results,” Sleight said, according to The Courier Mail.
“The decision to outsource the program came out of the blue and is not supported by the vast majority of the swim team.
“The decision to remove me is devastating as elite swim coaching is a highly-skilled, small field.”
Appointed in late 2023, Sleight and Smith helped guide Churchie to their best-ever results at the national and state championships in 2024.
They notably landed three swimmers on the Australian roster for the 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships: Zoe Ammundsen, William Shepherd-Smith and Thomas Pattison, and Ammundsen, Shepherd-Smith and Maxwell Cunningham all claimed individual golds at the 2024 Australian Age & MC Age Championships in April.
Several people have come forward in support of Sleight since his dismissal, including Pattison and his mother, Gabrielle, who issued an open letter slamming Anglican Church Grammar School on the move.
“You should be ashamed of yourselves, knowing you’ve ruined such a beautiful thing and jeopardized the futures of swimmers with such high potential,” Gabrielle Pattison wrote, adding that the addition of Sleight was “exactly what the club needed” after former coach Ben Allen was charged with sexual assault in 2022.
“The (Churchie Swim Club) families have shared the highest of highs and lowest of lows while supporting our swimmers,” she continued.
“To think that we will never cheer as a Churchie crew again has brought many tears to my eyes. It feels like I am grieving the death of a family member.”
Pattison was a member of the bronze medal-winning Australian boys’ medley relay last year at Junior Pan Pacs, and he also won individual bronze in the 50 fly at the 2023 World Juniors.
“When he is representing Australia in the future, you can be sure that the name Anglican Church Grammar School will be omitted from any and all recognition of his success,” Gabrielle wrote, referring to her son.
“He will succeed, but not because of you, but despite you.”
The Churchie Swim Club committee and its national and state squads have all quit in protest since Sleight’s dismissal, The Courier Mail reports, and they’ve dispersed to various clubs, including St. Peter’s, Brisbane Grammar, Somerville House and Nudgee, to begin training in early 2025.
However, on January 8, Rackley Swim Club emailed swimmers asking them to re-enroll.
“We understand this period of change may feel challenging for swimmers and their families, and we greatly appreciate the warm welcome you’ve extended to our new coaching team, Zoe Baker and Jake Buckley,” the club said, according to The Courier Mail. “They are committed to guiding athletes through this busy season as they prepare for school, regional, and national competitions.”
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