Sunshine Coast Grammar School is proud to announce that Year 12 student Rylee Smith, club swimmer Mason Kopff, as well as Head Coach and Director of Swimming, Luke Stafford, have been invited by Swimming Australia to attend the prestigious Australian Flippers Squad Open Water Camp this week.
Their selection follows outstanding performances at the 2026 Australian Age and Open Championships, where both Rylee and Mason delivered standout results that cemented their places among Australia’s top emerging open water athletes.
This intensive preparation supports the swimmers’ upcoming international commitments, with Rylee set to compete at World Cup events in Spain and Italy, and Mason preparing for the World Junior Open Water Championships in Argentina later this year.
This year marks Rylee’s second selection, Mason’s debut, and Luke’s fourth consecutive year appointed to the national coaching team, which is an achievement that reflects the strength and consistency of the Sunshine Coast Grammar swimming program.
“This camp is an incredible opportunity for our swimmers to push their limits and learn from each other in a competitive and supportive environment,” said Coach Luke Stafford.
After speaking about her selection, Rylee shared that she is excited to be back again at the camp this year and is embracing a growing leadership opportunity as she steps into a mentor role for younger athletes.
“I am looking forward to training alongside some of the best open water swimmers in the country and refining my race strategies,” said Rylee.
Similarly, Mason is looking forward to learning more about race tactics and gaining more experience as he builds towards the World Championships later this year.
The national camp brings together the country’s leading youth open water swimmers and coaches to train and refine their racing strategies. The squad will stay at Novotel Twin Waters, with training sessions held at UniSC Pool and OzSki Resort in Coolum from Wednesday, 11 to Sunday, 15 March.
