The Lane Next Door – Kealey & Bindi Cussen
At the 2023 Nationals in Hobart, Kealey Cussen looked to her side. In the next lane was her coach, mentor, and biggest supporter: her father, Bindi. For most, the next lane holds a rival; for the Cussens, it was the culmination of a decades-long journey.
“Dad has been my coach since I was young, so swimming alongside him in MSQ is pretty special,” Kealey reflects. “I’d been out of competitive swimming since high school. In age groups, there’s pressure to perform. My first proper MSQ meet in Mackay in 2022 was just fun. It gave me a taste of competitive swimming again, but in a relaxed environment where I could still race.”
“I’m a very competitive person, but it’s the friendship and the community that I love here. I’ve made friends in different countries and all across Australia. You get to go there, be competitive, and have fun. You meet anyone from age 18 to 90. Every team cheers for you; if you’re doing a great swim, the whole stands get behind you.”
“The routines and rituals are as important as the race. I get my coffee, then get into my race suit – which takes a million years! We often go out after meets as a club for a meal and a laugh.”
While the stopwatch matters, Bindi says the real victory is the shared time. “As a coach, I often talk about MSQ to parents from the age-group system. They see the stress, but MSQ is nothing like that. It’s so supportive. You can be competitive, but it’s like meeting family every time.”
That spirit extends to the sidelines. “We’ve got a ‘Mumager’—the parents of a 57-year-old teammate who attend every meet. His mother brings homemade biscuits for everyone, even swimmers from other states. Our swim community even spans oceans; at the World Championships in Singapore, I met a relative I never knew existed. Because of our last name, a group of Irish swimmers spotted me and yelled, ‘That’s him there!’ We found family through Masters swimming on the other side of the world.”
As MSQ celebrates 50 years, the Cussens represent a legacy of friendship that flows through generations. Bindi says it best: “Where else can you swim competitively with your children? It’s a special bond. It’s not as much fun when she beats me, but that’s definitely getting more common!”
