About Anita
Swimming Coach, Educator & Aquatic Pioneer
Anita Killmier has spent more than 40 years at the forefront of Australian swimming as an elite swimmer, coach, teacher, educator, author and innovator. A contemporary of swimming legend Shane Gould, Anita began her career as a nationally ranked backstroker under legendary Australian coach Harry Gallagher, winning numerous medals at Australian Championships. She also represented South Australia in women’s water polo, with further experience in synchronised swimming and lifesaving.
Following a brief retirement from competitive swimming and a period as a primary school teacher, Anita returned to the sport through the emerging Masters swimming movement. It marked the beginning of a career that would see her become one of Australia’s early pioneers in adult swimming, fitness swimming and coach education.
Pioneering Adult Swimming
In 1981, Anita joined Aquarobics at the Melbourne City Baths, one of Australia’s most progressive aquatic organisations at the time and an early leader in hydrotherapy and water exercise.
After completing one of the country’s earliest Water Exercise Leaders courses, Anita developed a large following for her over-50s classes. Recognising that adults had few opportunities to train seriously for swimming and fitness, she also established what is believed to have been one of Melbourne’s — and possibly Australia’s — first dedicated adult fitness swimming squads.
Long before the growth of triathlon and Masters swimming, Anita recognised the enormous potential of swimming as a lifelong sport. She went on to teach thousands of adults, including many fearful swimmers carrying traumatic childhood experiences in the water. Many progressed from learning to swim to fitness training, open-water swimming and Masters competition, with some becoming champions in their own right.
Her expertise also led to her writing three aquatic education booklets for the national Life. Be in it – Come ’N Try Aquatics campaign.
Masters Swimming — Athlete & National Coach
Anita joined Powerpoints Masters Swimming Club in 1981 and soon became its coach. Under her leadership, Powerpoints rose to become one of Australia’s leading Masters clubs, holding that position for more than a decade.
At the same time, Anita continued competing at the highest level, winning numerous Australian and World Masters titles at Christchurch (1984), Tokyo (1986) and Rio de Janeiro (1990), as well as setting Australian Masters records and an age-group World Record in the 800m Freestyle.
One career highlight came at the 1986 World Masters Swimming Championships in Tokyo, where Anita was a member of a World Record-breaking relay team alongside Australian swimming icon Dawn Fraser, Commonwealth Games medallist Marjorie McQuade and 1932 Olympian Frances Bult (née Vorrath).
Anita subsequently served for seven years as National Coaching Director of AUSSI Masters Swimming Inc., helping to design and implement its National Coaching Accreditation Scheme. She was named AUSSI Masters Swimming Coach of the Year in both 1990 and 1992, and authored Mastering Swimming, which became a widely recognised reference for coaching adult swimmers.
Founding H2O Swimming
While coaching adults, Anita increasingly began teaching their children. Concerned by the technical standard of many young swimmers entering squad programs, she saw the need for a Learn to Swim program that placed greater emphasis on correct technique from the beginning.
In 1986, she founded H2O Swimming Works, creating a pathway from Learn to Swim through to competitive swimming based on strong technical foundations. Her coaching qualifications and professional credentials have included:
International Coaching & Development
In 1998, Anita was invited to Sri Lanka through the International Olympic Committee’s Solidarity Programme to conduct a Level 2 Coaching Course. While living in Colombo until 2000, she established the Sri Lanka Aquatic Coaches and Teachers Association and developed training programs designed to bring swimming teachers and coaches to international accreditation standards. She also coached the Sri Lankan National Swimming Team, accompanying the team to the 1999 South Asian Federation Games in Nepal.
With funding from the Australian High Commission, Anita trained teachers in disability swimming and established Sri Lanka’s first free swimming program for people with disabilities. The program included children who had experienced significant social disadvantage and exclusion, giving them access to aquatic education that had previously been unavailable.
Her international work later included coaching, consulting, clinics and staff development at organisations including the American School of Dubai, Singapore American School, The British Club Singapore and Dubai American Academy. Anita returned to Australia and H2O Swimming in 2006.
Building a Swimming Club for All Ages
Anita also developed Melbourne H2O Swimming Club, affiliated with Swimming Victoria, coaching both age-group and Masters swimmers. The club produced nationally ranked athletes, including swimmers who progressed to international competition. She pioneered the club’s “One Club” concept — bringing Swimming Australia and Masters Swimming Australia swimmers together within a single club so children, adults and families could train, compete and participate in the sport together.
Following COVID-19 and the prolonged closure of several pools, Anita scaled back H2O’s competitive squad operations and transitioned the Masters program to the swimming club, where it continues today. One of the highlights of this period was helping Para swimmer Col Pearce continue training through the extraordinary challenges of COVID lockdowns. Col went on to represent Australia at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, winning bronze in the 100m Butterfly.
Awards & Recognition
Anita’s contribution to swimming has been recognised with numerous honours, including:
Developing the Next Generation
In recent years, Anita has increasingly focused on developing swimming teachers and coaches and sharing the knowledge accumulated over more than four decades in the sport. She has lectured at state and national coaching courses and conferences, including Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association events, conducted clinics throughout regional Victoria and presented swimming teaching and coaching programs internationally.
Through her Mastering Swimming educational platform, online courses, staff-development programs and practical clinics, Anita continues to help swimmers and coaches better understand swimming technique and how it can be taught effectively.
Despite her competitive achievements, awards and decades of coaching, Anita says her greatest professional satisfaction remains remarkably simple .... Transforming swimmers — whatever their age or starting point — into confident, technically sound, fluent swimmers who genuinely enjoy moving through the water.
Anita is available for swimming clinics, coach and teacher education, workshops and specialist technique sessions throughout Victoria and Australia.
Anita Killmier has spent more than 40 years at the forefront of Australian swimming as an elite swimmer, coach, teacher, educator, author and innovator. A contemporary of swimming legend Shane Gould, Anita began her career as a nationally ranked backstroker under legendary Australian coach Harry Gallagher, winning numerous medals at Australian Championships. She also represented South Australia in women’s water polo, with further experience in synchronised swimming and lifesaving.
Following a brief retirement from competitive swimming and a period as a primary school teacher, Anita returned to the sport through the emerging Masters swimming movement. It marked the beginning of a career that would see her become one of Australia’s early pioneers in adult swimming, fitness swimming and coach education.
Pioneering Adult Swimming
In 1981, Anita joined Aquarobics at the Melbourne City Baths, one of Australia’s most progressive aquatic organisations at the time and an early leader in hydrotherapy and water exercise.
After completing one of the country’s earliest Water Exercise Leaders courses, Anita developed a large following for her over-50s classes. Recognising that adults had few opportunities to train seriously for swimming and fitness, she also established what is believed to have been one of Melbourne’s — and possibly Australia’s — first dedicated adult fitness swimming squads.
Long before the growth of triathlon and Masters swimming, Anita recognised the enormous potential of swimming as a lifelong sport. She went on to teach thousands of adults, including many fearful swimmers carrying traumatic childhood experiences in the water. Many progressed from learning to swim to fitness training, open-water swimming and Masters competition, with some becoming champions in their own right.
Her expertise also led to her writing three aquatic education booklets for the national Life. Be in it – Come ’N Try Aquatics campaign.
Masters Swimming — Athlete & National Coach
Anita joined Powerpoints Masters Swimming Club in 1981 and soon became its coach. Under her leadership, Powerpoints rose to become one of Australia’s leading Masters clubs, holding that position for more than a decade.
At the same time, Anita continued competing at the highest level, winning numerous Australian and World Masters titles at Christchurch (1984), Tokyo (1986) and Rio de Janeiro (1990), as well as setting Australian Masters records and an age-group World Record in the 800m Freestyle.
One career highlight came at the 1986 World Masters Swimming Championships in Tokyo, where Anita was a member of a World Record-breaking relay team alongside Australian swimming icon Dawn Fraser, Commonwealth Games medallist Marjorie McQuade and 1932 Olympian Frances Bult (née Vorrath).
Anita subsequently served for seven years as National Coaching Director of AUSSI Masters Swimming Inc., helping to design and implement its National Coaching Accreditation Scheme. She was named AUSSI Masters Swimming Coach of the Year in both 1990 and 1992, and authored Mastering Swimming, which became a widely recognised reference for coaching adult swimmers.
Founding H2O Swimming
While coaching adults, Anita increasingly began teaching their children. Concerned by the technical standard of many young swimmers entering squad programs, she saw the need for a Learn to Swim program that placed greater emphasis on correct technique from the beginning.
In 1986, she founded H2O Swimming Works, creating a pathway from Learn to Swim through to competitive swimming based on strong technical foundations. Her coaching qualifications and professional credentials have included:
- Diploma in Teaching
- AUSTSWIM Teacher
- ASCTA Silver Licence Coach
- Level 2M Masters Coach
- Level 1 Open Water Coach
- AUSTSWIM Course Provider and Assessor
- Life Saving Victoria Supervisor
- Workplace Trainer and Assessor
International Coaching & Development
In 1998, Anita was invited to Sri Lanka through the International Olympic Committee’s Solidarity Programme to conduct a Level 2 Coaching Course. While living in Colombo until 2000, she established the Sri Lanka Aquatic Coaches and Teachers Association and developed training programs designed to bring swimming teachers and coaches to international accreditation standards. She also coached the Sri Lankan National Swimming Team, accompanying the team to the 1999 South Asian Federation Games in Nepal.
With funding from the Australian High Commission, Anita trained teachers in disability swimming and established Sri Lanka’s first free swimming program for people with disabilities. The program included children who had experienced significant social disadvantage and exclusion, giving them access to aquatic education that had previously been unavailable.
Her international work later included coaching, consulting, clinics and staff development at organisations including the American School of Dubai, Singapore American School, The British Club Singapore and Dubai American Academy. Anita returned to Australia and H2O Swimming in 2006.
Building a Swimming Club for All Ages
Anita also developed Melbourne H2O Swimming Club, affiliated with Swimming Victoria, coaching both age-group and Masters swimmers. The club produced nationally ranked athletes, including swimmers who progressed to international competition. She pioneered the club’s “One Club” concept — bringing Swimming Australia and Masters Swimming Australia swimmers together within a single club so children, adults and families could train, compete and participate in the sport together.
Following COVID-19 and the prolonged closure of several pools, Anita scaled back H2O’s competitive squad operations and transitioned the Masters program to the swimming club, where it continues today. One of the highlights of this period was helping Para swimmer Col Pearce continue training through the extraordinary challenges of COVID lockdowns. Col went on to represent Australia at the Tokyo Paralympic Games, winning bronze in the 100m Butterfly.
Awards & Recognition
Anita’s contribution to swimming has been recognised with numerous honours, including:
- Australian Sports Medal — 2000, for services to swimming
- AUSSI Masters Swimming Coach of the Year — 1990
- AUSSI Masters Swimming Coach of the Year — 1992
- Jim O’Dougherty Award — Swimming Victoria 2012 recognising coaching achievement
- Life Member - Powerpoints Masters Swimming Club
- Life Member - Melbourne H2O Swimming Club, 2023
Developing the Next Generation
In recent years, Anita has increasingly focused on developing swimming teachers and coaches and sharing the knowledge accumulated over more than four decades in the sport. She has lectured at state and national coaching courses and conferences, including Australian Swimming Coaches and Teachers Association events, conducted clinics throughout regional Victoria and presented swimming teaching and coaching programs internationally.
Through her Mastering Swimming educational platform, online courses, staff-development programs and practical clinics, Anita continues to help swimmers and coaches better understand swimming technique and how it can be taught effectively.
Despite her competitive achievements, awards and decades of coaching, Anita says her greatest professional satisfaction remains remarkably simple .... Transforming swimmers — whatever their age or starting point — into confident, technically sound, fluent swimmers who genuinely enjoy moving through the water.
Anita is available for swimming clinics, coach and teacher education, workshops and specialist technique sessions throughout Victoria and Australia.
"To succeed in swimming you need talent, commitment, perseverance and the passion to be the best. You need a caring, loving family who will give you unconditional support. You also need a coach who will work with you and help realise your full potential as a swimmer and as a human being.
You need a coach who can help you be all you can be. You need a coach who understands swimming: technique, skills, physical preparation, mental preparation, racing and recovery. You need a coach who will consistently provide with the best possible planning, preparation and performance environment.
You need a coach like Anita Killmier. Anita's experience, dedication and commitment to excellence in all aspects of swimming can provide you with the opportunity to realise your swimming dreams. She offers something that few other coaches in the world offer: professionalism, personalised coaching and peak performance.
With you, your family and Anita working together, there really are no limits to what you can achieve"
Wayne Goldsmith
Wayne is one of Australia's leading and most well respected Sports Consultants. His websites are:
http://www.sportscoachingbrain.com
http://www.moregold.com.au
http://www.moregold.com.au
The formula for water is H2O. Is the formula for an ice cube..H2O squared? Lily Tomlin