Gladstone Gropers Celebrate 40 Years of Fitness, Friendship & Fun
The 40th anniversary of the Gladstone Gropers Masters Swimming Club is a celebration of the more than 650 members who have proudly called themselves Gropers over the past four decades.
Members have come from all walks of life, including doctors, lawyers, tradies, teachers, nurses, engineers, business owners and many more. What united them was a shared pursuit of fun, hard-earned fitness and genuine friendship. Every member has contributed to the unique Groper story and what a journey it has been.
It all began in 1986 around the kitchen table of Sandra and Reg Pugh. A group of enthusiastic swimming parents wanted the opportunity to compete against swimmers their own age and decided to establish a Masters swimming club in Gladstone. Thankfully, they chose “Gropers” over “Guppies” and an iconic club identity was born.
In those early years, Gropers fully embraced the brand. The club song, We Will Grope You, the famous “Grope, Grope, Grope” war cry, creative relay events and plenty of good-natured mischief became club trademarks. The fun was always as important as the swimming.
The first formal club meeting was held in November 1986, with 25 founding members joining. Three of those founding members are still swimming with the club today. Early training sessions were held in a local school pool on Sunday mornings, and by 1987 Gropers were already hosting swim meets and relay events.
The club grew rapidly, surpassing 100 members in 1991 and hosting the Queensland Masters Championships that same year. Gropers not only won the aggregate trophy but also developed innovative event management systems that influenced future swim meet operations across Masters swimming.
A major milestone came when Gladstone successfully hosted the 25th Masters National Championships in Easter 2000. After two years of planning, the event welcomed 511 swimmers competing in 324 heats. Supported by local industry and volunteers, the championships were widely regarded as a benchmark event and provided a strong financial foundation for the club’s future.
Coaching has always been one of the club’s great strengths. Founding member Simon Hooton became the club’s first official coach, followed by dedicated volunteers including Rod Porteus, Russell Ogden and Sandra Pugh. Their commitment to coach education and swimmer development has helped generations of Gropers improve and enjoy the sport.
Over the years, Gropers have consistently punched above their weight in competition, producing state, national and world record holders. Legendary Groper Frank Griffiths epitomised this spirit, holding six world records at the age of 94 and earning Swimmer of the Meet honours at National Championships on four occasions.
The club has also embraced endurance and fitness challenges, participated enthusiastically in Masters Swimming programs, and supported numerous charitable causes through fundraising swims. Beneficiaries have included the Leukaemia Foundation, Cancer Council, Royal Flying Doctor Service, Capricorn Helicopter Rescue Service and many local organisations.
Behind every success has been a dedicated team of volunteers. Countless members have contributed through committees, coaching, officiating, event management and administration. The efforts of Groper Life Members Val Onions, Dell Norris, Sandra Pugh, Russell Ogden, Rod Porteus, John Feddersen, Doug Hogan and Adrian Draney have been particularly significant.
Forty years ago, the people gathered around that kitchen table could not have imagined what their volunteer-run club would become. Today, Gladstone Gropers proudly celebrates its history, its people and its enduring commitment to Fitness, Friendship and Fun.
Congratulations to all past and present members, families, friends and supporters of the Gladstone Gropers Masters Swimming Club. May the Fitness, Friendship and Fun continue for many years to come.
