Griffith University has launched a landmark three-year research project in conjunction with Swimming Australia that aims to transform how Australia understands and engages with its swimming population.
Led by Associate Professor Popi Sotiriadou (Chief Investigator) with Dr Wayne Usher (Co-Investigator), the study is being delivered in close partnership with swimming’s national body Swimming Australia, marking one of the most significant collaborations between academia and a national sporting organisation in recent years.
Although swimming is Australia’s most participated-in sport, with more than 4.4 million people taking part, more than 90% of these swimmers fall outside traditional club structures.
This makes their motivations, behaviours, and barriers largely foreign to national policy, program design, and strategic planning. Under Popi’s leadership, this project takes a new approach to uncovering those stories and closing the gap between formal membership data and the lived reality of all our swimmers.
The study uses a phased, mixed-method design: large-scale demographic profiling in Year 1, qualitative exploration of lived experiences in Year 2, and real-world ethnographic observation in Year 3.
Together, these stages will generate the first comprehensive national picture of both member and non-member swimmers, enabling Swimming Australia to design more inclusive programs, strengthen participation pathways, and improve long-term retention.
This partnership reflects Swimming Australia’s commitment to becoming a more inclusive, data-driven, and community-connected organisation. It also showcases Griffith University’s leadership in sport management research and its ongoing contribution to national sport policy, water safety/education and community wellbeing.
Popi’s vision positions this project as a foundation for lasting, evidence-based change, ensuring every swimmer in Australia is seen, understood, and supported.
“We’re excited to partner with Griffith University to deepen our understanding of swimmers across the full participation spectrum. As Australians become more selective in their sport and physical activity choices, it’s essential that we truly understand our participants.”
CEO of Swimming Australia Rob Woodhouse.
Swimming Australia is eager to gain clearer insight into emerging and alternative ways people are engaging with swimming. “Working with a leading research institution like Griffith University gives us the confidence to share robust insights with our member organisations and the broader swimming community, ultimately strengthening the participant experience and supporting the health and wellbeing of all Australians,” Rob Woodhouse said.
“The data and knowledge generated through this project will underpin future work within the Swim Well Strategy and play a critical role in driving our current Sport Growth Action Plan.”
This project strengthens communities, creating healthier, safer, more connected Australians through one of our nation’s most important lifelong activities, and it cements Griffith University’s leadership in national sport and community research, driving evidence that will shape safer aquatic environments, stronger participation pathways, and healthier communities across Australia.
