Yarra Plenty Swimming Club was sad to learn of the sudden passing  of Bob Carmichael, Life Member of our Club and of Swimming Victoria in December 2004.

Bob’s dignified presence poolside both at Country and Metropolitan meets and his ‘call a spade a spade’ approach at all manner of swimming meetings will be sorely missed.

Bob gave 40 or so years to the sport of swimming in Victoria and we were lucky to have him as a member of our club and our district.

Some members will remember when Bob was the Director of Country Swimming and each year would bring a group of country swimmers to Yarra Plenty as part of the Country Development Program. They will also remember when granddaughters Sarah and Erryn Boxhall were swimming with the club and Bob and his wife Beth would come to every club day, helping out and offering their wisdom. Bob was particularly devoted to the youngest swimmers always taking time to explain rules etc. Bob and Beth’s daughter, Heather, was always there too, often as our only adult swimmer.

Bob would also give lots of time to training officials at our pool and elsewhere because without officials the kids would not be able to swim.

Bob was always there for the kids and it was for them that he gave so much of his life to swimming. He often reminded everyone else that that was what they were there for too.

Bob’s loyalty to Yarra Plenty Swimming club was much appreciated (he was most recently our grievance officer) and our thoughts go to Bob’s family, one of our oldest.