Olympic Pathways
From Pymble to the pinnacle of sporting excellence.
From Pymble to the pinnacle of sporting excellence.
Australia’s first independent Olympic Pathway School
In May 2024, Pymble was formally recognised by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) as an Australian Olympic Pathway School, the first independent school in Australia to receive this designation.
To qualify, a school must have a well-established elite athlete support program and performance partnerships with state or national sporting bodies.
Pymble not only meets but exceeds the AOC standard through partnerships with Badminton Australia, Athletics NSW, Basketball NSW, Rugby NSW, Hockey NSW, Volleyball NSW and Water Polo NSW, and our highly successful Pymble Elite Sportswomen’s Program.
“As an Olympic Pathway School, Pymble offers a life-changing opportunity for young female athletes who dream big and work hard to achieve success at the highest level.”
Dr Kate Hadwen, Principal, Pymble Ladies’ College
2024
Pymble is announced as the first Independent school in Australia to be designated by the Australian Olympic Committee as an Olympic Pathway School.
22
Olympians
Our honour board of Olympians includes 15 members of Pymble Alumni and seven sports coaches.
150+
International athletes
Pymble girls and Alumni have gone on to represent Australia in Athletics, Basketball, Football, Rowing, Swimming, Tennis, Waterpolo, Equestrian, Snowsports, Ice skating, Rugby Sevens, Diving and more.
97
athletes
Our Pymble Elite Sportswoman's Program supports a wide-range of athletes competing at national level or beyond while they complete their education at Pymble.
“Pymble has done a fantastic job in developing an extraordinary sports program, with twenty Olympic sports available to students, and we look forward to providing more opportunities for Pymble's student athletes through to Brisbane 2032 and beyond.”
Matt Carroll, Australian Olympic Committee CEO
Pymble Elite Sportswomen’s Program
Supporting the development of our elite athletes
The Pymble Elite Sportswomen’s Program (PESP) currently supports 97 elite athletes in Years 7 to 12 across all sports. It was established in 2007 to support students competing at a NSW representative level and above to pursue sporting excellence without compromising their education, health or adolescence.
Twenty years on, that purpose is unchanged. PESP is offered to talented athletes to help balance their sporting commitments with academic study and position them for the highest levels of physical, intellectual and personal growth during their time at Pymble and beyond.
PESP remains one of the longest-standing and most comprehensive school-based student-athlete programs in Australia and is aligned with the Foundation, Talent, Elite and Mastery (FTEM) framework created by the Australian Institute of Sport. It has since been recognised internationally, including by the International Olympic Committee, and adopted by most national sporting organisations.
Our PESP program offers:
- A deep understanding of the essentials for success as a female athlete
- Management of competition and training workloads
- Monitoring of athletes’ academic progress
- Athlete monitoring and adaptive case management
- Leadership development
- Individualised Performance Plans (IPP)
- Positive culture and values
- Mental skills training
- Wellbeing skills, self-management and performance readiness
- Multidisciplinary sport science and medicine service support.
Game on!
Pymble offers a genuine pathway for young athletes and sportswomen who dream big and work hard to achieve success on a global stage. Are you ready to take the next step?
Our Olympian honour board
Pymble Chair of the Board
Chris Fydler OAM (Swimming)
Pymble Alumni
Elizabeth Carlow (Figure Skating)
Susan Cope (Diving)
Chloe Dalton OAM (Rugby Sevens)
Kristie Edwards (Athletics)
Tess Gerrand (Rowing)
Abbey Harkin (Swimming)
Genevieve Horton (Rowing)
Dr Mackenzie Little (Javelin)
Melissa Medlicott (Athletics)
Melissa Mitchell-Gumley (Athletics)
Brittany O’Brien (Diving)
Danielle Scott (Aerial Skiing)
Liane Tooth (Hockey)
Edwina Tops-alexander (Show Jumping)
Kyra Wheatley (Ski Cross)
Pymble Coaches
Graeme Brewer (Swimming)
Melinda Gainsford-taylor AM (Athletics)
Penny Gillies (Athletics)
Sienna Hearn (Water Polo)
Lauren Jackson AO (Basketball)
Kurtis Mathews (Diving)
Mina Wylie (Swimming)
Discover our world-class sporting facilities
Explore the co-curricular sport opportunities at Pymble
