Forbes's Story
Growing up in the Sydney suburb of Mosman, Forbes Carlile, like most Australians, had an early need to learn to swim. He was at first an unwilling student in his lessons at the nearby Balmoral rock pool, but swimming soon became his boyhood hobby and sport of choice.
In the 1940s, Carlile studied human physiology at University under Professor Frank Cotton, considered the father of Sports Science in Australia. He achieved his Master of Science Degree. The study of Sports Science mixed well with coaching swimmers where Carlile found success, evidenced by his appointment as Australian Olympic Coach at the 1948 London Games.
Carlile was then selected as Australia’s first modern pentathlete at the Helsinki 1952 Olympics, giving him the unique distinction of being the first Australian to first coach and then compete at an Olympic Games. He was 25th of a field of 51 competitors.
Carlile made the decision to leave the University community behind and start professional coaching, a full time occupation that would become the greatest passion of his life and would change the course of world swimming.
He made an ambitious start into his new career of coaching by establishing Australia’s first commercial swimming school which catered for all levels, at the Drummoyne pool. This started the Carlile tradition of catering for everyone, from the most timid beginner to the most promising Olympic athlete. The pace clock, a training tool considered commonplace today, was an innovation of the Carliles and gave him a symbolic presence on virtually every pool deck around the world.
The swim school provided the opportunity for university students to study the swim program as part of their degree requirement and it was one of those students, Ursula Allen, who would become Carlile's wide and coaching partner. She went on to be selected as a swimming coach at the Munich 1972 Olympics.
