Star swimming duo Janelle and Lani Pallister have appreciated their time on the Sunshine Coast, but they say it’s time for a change, linking with a top Gold Coast club.
The Pallisters, who have been in the region for the past 15 years, are eager to boost their skills with Australian coach Michael Bohl and his star-packed squad at Griffith University.
Former Olympian Janelle Pallister (nee Elford) is set to take her coaching to the next level, while daughter Lani, the 2019 Queensland Junior Sports Star, expects to make further headway towards the Olympics.
Janelle was shocked to receive a call from Bohl, offering her a job as co-coach.
“Michael rang out of the blue and I was like ‘wow’,” she said.
“With my husband (Rick) retiring from the police, I suppose it (moving) came at a time in our lives when it was a possibility. I talked to him and my son and also Lani to see how they all felt about it and it worked out from there.”
Janelle, 50, has become a successful coach at Cotton Tree and with Australian junior representatives and she is eager to push on.
“I’ve been exposed to a huge amount within the coaching side of things … but I haven’t been exposed to that top elite coaching like Michael Bohl has,” she said.
“You can’t be a championships coach unless you’re exposed to it. I want to know my downfalls and the positive things I do, to see what more I can learn on a daily basis.”
Janelle and Lani will join a squad that boasts Emma McKeon, Thomas Fraser-Holmes, Taylor McKeown, Georgia Bohl, Emly Seebohm and David McKeon.
Janelle will be co-coach of the elite swimmers there and will be coach of the Australian juniors.
A different era
She said training and coaching has changed “immensely” since she was a gun swimmer in the 1980s and early 1990s, when she competed at the Olympics and captured gold at the Commonwealth Games.
“I like to make everything purposeful (for the athletes),” she said.
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“If we’re doing drills, kick-sets or speed work, I try to explain what each set is for. It educates the athletes, and they know exactly what they’re doing, how they’re doing it and why they’re doing it.
“There’s a lot more education, whereas in my era you just did what you were told.
“I also draw on my life lessons … like how to deal with adversity and the highs and lows. I pass on those lessons and also encourage the athletes not to make the same mistakes I made. But everybody makes mistakes and we learn from them.”
Janelle said today’s elite swimmers earned more money than during her era “but not as much as you think” and she said they “are fantastic role models.”
Emerging star
Meanwhile, Lani will train under Janelle and Michael to take her swimming to the next level.
She’s already a world junior champion and Australian 800m and 1500m freestyle short course champion and she has the Olympics in sight.
“I’m really excited,” the 18-year-old said of the move.
“This is a really good opportunity for us to go outside that bubble (on the Sunshine Coast) and develop again and I’m really excited to be going and training with a group of Olympians.
“I think it will be good to kind of get a fresh start and see where the next six months takes me.”
Lani is among the contenders for a berth at Tokyo 2020.
“This has been my best preparation I’ve had. I had to deal with a couple of things mentally after missing the senior Australian team (last year).
“It’s kind of given me a lot more motivation going forward, and it made me realise what I enjoy from the sport.”
Lani hit some benchmark times at the state championships.
“Now, I can’t wait to keep improving (on the Gold Coast).”
She will also transfer her studies in biomedicine from the University of the Sunshine Coast to Griffith University.
Fond memories
Janelle and Lani said they’ve enjoyed their time on the Sunshine Coast.
“After moving from Sydney 15 years ago I did not think I’d be involved in coaching,” Janelle said.
“But it has evolved, and I’ve enjoyed being a learn to swim teacher and then all the way through to being Australian juniors coach.
“I’ve also enjoyed coaching with Alex Surf Club, as surf coach, and running my boot camps for the last 10 years.”
Lani said she will still call the Sunshine Coast ‘home’.”
“I’ve got so many friends here, who I have so many amazing memories with.
“It’s going to be sad not being able to see them all the time … but I want to try and make it back every two weeks to work at Alex Surf Club and visit all my friends.
“They have all supported me a lot and it (moving south) is a good opportunity for me to continue to fulfil my dreams. They’ve got my back with the decisions I make.”
