Kristen Sunner - Head Coach, 1994-2005 30th June, 2005

Kristen Sunner ran the club's squad for almost 11 years from 1994 to 2005, coaching swimmers from club level right up to Australian Age level during that time.

Kristen was appointed as the club coach at the start of the 1994 season. During her time as coach she saw numerous swimmers move through the club and squad and worked hard to keep the squad together when Merrylands Pool closed each year for the winter, running sessions at Granville, The Wran Centre, Parramatta and Wentworthville over the past years.

Despite her best efforts, many swimmers, unable to cope with the cold water conditions at Merrylands, moved on to other clubs and better facilities. Three of those swimmers have since gone on to compete at the Australian Age Championships. Two of those swimmers in particular, which Kristen taught from a very young age, would not have gone onto this level without her initial instruction in the early stages of their swimming life.

Notwithstanding the inferior training conditions and small pool of swimmers to draw from, Kristen still had a good amount of success with our swimmers, the highlight being her first Australian Age Qualifier and ultimately Australian Age Finalist in Melbourne in 2001.

Add the National results to the club's results at Cumberland, Metropolitan and State Championships and the Speedo Sprint Series / Shell Age Group Series over the years Kristen was coach and it was a very successful period for the club.

Of course the representative results are only the tip of the iceburg. The hundreds of PBs or medals acheived by every squad member at school carnivals and inter-club meets shows the true impact that Kristen and her assistant coaches had.

Kristen stepped down at end of June, 2005 following the 2005 Metropolitan Short Course Championships.


Kristen Sunner - The Merrylands Career in Numbers

Speedo Sprint Series / Shell Age Group Series Finals

5 swimmers from the squad have represented the club at the NSW Speedo Sprint Series / Shell Age Group Series Finals.

Swims 16
Medals 7
Finalists 15

Metropolitan Championships

13 swimmers from the squad have represented the club at the NSW Metropolitan Short & Long Course Championships.

Swims 141
Medals 4
Finalists 15

State Championships

8 swimmers from the squad have represented the club at the NSW State Short & Long Course Championships.

Swims 116
Medals 10
Finalists 20

National Championships

1 swimmer from the squad has represented the club at the Australian Age Long Course Championships.

Swims 12
Medals 0
Finalists 1


The Sunner Years - The Highlights

1994 Appointed Head Coach
Original Squad Members include the Buckler, Johnston & Legge Families
1996 First Metropolitan Qualifiers
1999 First Shell Age Series Finalists
4 finalists resulting in 3 medals
1999 First State Age Short Course Championships
2 medals from 3 finalists in 5 events
2000 State Age Short Course Championships
3 medals from 4 finalists in 8 events
2001 Restricted Age Series (Formerly Shell Age) Finals
2 medals from 3 finalists in 3 events
2001 First Australian Age Qualifier
First Australian Age Finalist
2001 State Age Short Course Championships
5 medals from 6 finalists in 11 events
2002 Restricted Age Series (Formerly Shell Age) Finals
1 medal from 4 finalists in 5 events
2002 Australian Age Qualifier
2002 Largest Metropolitan Short Course Team
8 members competing in 18 events with 3 finalists
2002 Largest State Age Short Course Team
7 members competing in 22 events with 4 finalists
First female qualifier
2002 Largest Metropolitan Team
8 members competing in 19 events with 1 finalist
2003 Speedo Sprint Series (Formerly Shell Age) Finals
2 finalists from 2 events
2003 Australian Age Qualifier
2004 Speedo Sprint Series Finals
1 finalists from 1 events
2004 Australian Age Qualifier
2004 Equal Largest Metropolitan Short Course Team
8 members competing in 15 events
2005 Speedo Sprint Series Finals
1 medalist from 1 finalist in 1 event.


See Also
  • 1999 NSW Shell Age Group Series Finals & Grand Finals Results

  • 1999 NSW Metropolitan Short Course Championships Results

  • 1999 NSW State Age Short Course Championships Results

  • 2000 NSW State Age Short Course Championships Results

  • Merrylands at the Nationals

  • A Mixed Bag for Troy at the Nationals

  • 2001 NSW State Age Results

  • 2002 Restricted Age Series Finals

  • 2002 Australian Age Championships

  • 2002 NSW Metropolitan Short Course Championships

  • 2002 NSW State Age Short Course Championships

  • 2002 NSW Metropolitan Championships

  • 2003 Speedo Sprint Series Finals Results

  • 2004 Speedo Sprint Series Finals Results

  • 2004 NSW Metropolitan Short Course Championships

  • 2005 Speedo Sprint Series Finals Results
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