Goroke’s Nikiesha Pilgrim is this year’s Australian Swim Schools Association, ASSA, National Gold Water Safety Champion, named for her drive to enable children to access swimming lessons.

Ms Pilgrim, who manages West Wimmera’s Edenhope and Goroke swimming pools and teaches at Horsham’s Prouse Swim School, said she was also passionate about neurodivergent children engaging in swimming lessons.

“Last year I presented for ASSA in Adelaide, which looked at strategies to help work with neurodivergent and anxious children,” she said.

“I wanted staff to hear my presentation and have something that could go into their lessons immediately, that could hopefully get these kids more engaged. This year we went to Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane and we got really good feedback and people asking for in-service training at their swim schools, so off the back of that, I’ll be doing a webinar in November through ASSA.” 

Ms Pilgrim was also a regional winner and national finalist for ASSA’s Swim Teacher of the Year, with Prouse Swim School highly commended in the regional swim school of the year, water safety, and swim school owner of the year categories.

School owner Kerryn Prouse will also attend the Australian Swim Schools and Teachers Association awards next week in Queensland, where she and her school are finalists in swim school of the year, water safety and teacher of the year.

“We won swim school of the year last year, so I guess we’re defending our title,” Ms Prouse said.

“It’s good to be recognised in your industry – and for the size of our pool, too, it just goes to show you don’t need to have a multimillion-dollar facility to be able to provide an amazing service.”

The school has about 650 students registered at Horsham, with more than 200 enrolled in its Nhill classes.

“We start swimming lessons from six weeks of age, with more of an introduction to water and an exercise class for the mum, and we go right through to pre-squad,” Ms Prouse said. 

“I’m very proud of my team, I have an amazing staff – I couldn’t do what we do without them.”

The entire September 9, 2026 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!