Churchie axes swim club months after sacked coach’s legal action

The prestigious swim club of an elite school has been sensationally axed, just months after its sacked head coach took legal action.

The Churchie swim club has been axed.

The prestigious swim club of Anglican Church Grammar School has been sensationally axed, just months after its sacked head coach took legal action against the elite boys’ school.

The dumping of the club ahead of the July 2025-June 2026 season has been described as “deplorable” and “unforgivable” by current Churchie parents and those who withdrew their children when the fiasco erupted in January.

At the centre of the furore is the school’s decision to outsource its aquatic program to Rackley Swimming, which runs learn to swim clubs in a range of public pools across the state.

The move resulted in the abrupt departure of high-performing head coach Richard Sleight, assistant coach Liam Smith and a mass exodus of swimmers.

Churchie’s 17-member squad came 9th in the 2024 national titles but at this year’s competition plummeted to 135th with only two swimmers.

Liam Smith and Richard Sleight, former coaches of Churchie Swim Club, in happier times. Picture Supplied

The Courier-Mail can now reveal the club has been disbanded completely, despite parents being told earlier in the year it would remain but under Rackley management.

In a further development, Zoe Baker, a former British world record swimmer hired by Rackley to replace Mr Sleight, has quit after seven months and will finish on July 21.

In an email to CSC members on June 13, Churchie’s head of co-curricular Trent Goodrick said: “After thoughtful consideration and in preparation for the 2025-2026 swimming club season, the school decided to integrate with the Rackley Swim Team. As part of this transition, the Churchie Swim Club will formally conclude its operations.”

Rackley Swimming East Brisbane will operate on Churchie grounds.

Mr Goodrick said the decision followed “a period of reflection and discussion and we remain committed to supporting our swimmers through this next chapter”.

Richard Sleight and Liam Smith hug on the final night of the 2024 state swimming championships, December 20, on the Gold Coast. Picture: Supplied

Angry club members say they were not consulted by the school about the closure or the earlier appointment of Rackley.

“One minute we’re told the club will go on, and next minute it’s gone; the way this whole thing has been handled is deplorable,” one said

A parent said the axing of the Churchie club was a disaster for emerging athletes, including potential 2032 Brisbane Olympians.

“Getting rid of the club is unforgivable, it’s a disaster, especially with the Olympics on the horizon,” the parent said.

“Our kids had a clear pathway to success under Richard and Liam but Churchie has just blown up our swim club.”

A former CSC committee member said the decision to outsource looked like a “shameless money grab”.

The Churchie Instagram post in 2024.

Under the former regime, swimmers were paying $165 a month but jumped to $240 a month under Rackley.

On January 9, three weeks after Mr Sleight and Mr Smith were let go, Mr Sleight filed an unfair dismissal claim against Churchie with the Fair Work Commission, saying he was “devastated”.

He was believed to be seeking payout of his five-year contract, due to expire in September 2028.

The case has settled and Mr Sleight is now head coach at Melbourne Vicentre Swimming Club.

Mr Smith is assistant coach at St Peters Western Swim Club.

Churchie’s former national and state squad swimmers have all moved to other clubs, including St Peters, Brisbane Grammar, Nudgee and The Southport School.

Churchie and Rackley Swimming have been contacted for comment.