While Mick's Learn To Swim's site and business are for sale, Mick O'Sullivan will remain coach for some

For decades, he's taught hundreds of Mudgee kids how to swim, and for some, he's been their coach and key to success.

With Bondi beach his "playground" from a young age, O'Sullivan quickly found himself at one in the water, and after years with his local surf club, he made the move to Gundagai to play football, staying 15 years longer than intended.

Some time after, O'Sullivan took up a job running Gundagai's pool and did so for 13 years, before becoming the superintendent at the Mudgee Pool in 1990 and then building his own 11 years later.

"I built my pool in 2001 and it's been running ever since as a learn to swim business. We started Mudgee Indoor Swimming 20 years ago as a competitive swimming club too. We have trained at the Olympic pool every morning, Monday to Friday up until Christmas, and then every night at my place," he said.

"I was lucky in the sense that I built a small pool in the beginning. The opportunity came to expand it and buy the block of land behind me. Most of the inspiration came from football coaches - don't die with the music inside you, don't worry 'should I have done it'. So, I decided to give it a go.

"I say that to my kids, don't be scared to take on a challenge."

While the business and home featuring the swimming pool, which all must go together are now for sale, O'Sullivan admits he couldn't possibly step away from his role as coach, regardless of what happens.

"At my age, it was either now or some other time, and I decided the time was now. It has nothing to do with market prices, it's not a real priority but if I didn't put it on the market now, when would I sell?," O'Sullivan questioned.

"I couldn't possibly walk away from some of these kids, I'll keep training them, we've already got plans for next year. You don't retire from this stuff.

"I've got two at Nationals this year and I've got two ready to go who know they're going to qualify and get there next year. How do you walk away from that?"

Training kids from babies onwards has meant O'Sullivan has had a hand in developing the majority of the region's elite swimmers, with multiple who have or are approaching the Nationals benchmark.

"We've grown quite a lot of them from babies, as they get better we develop them and we see their potential," he said.

"I'm not an aggressive coach, but they need to get to certain levels. That's what they want, so that's what you've got to do. Most kids like competition, it doesn't matter who they are. Winning and losing, it's all a part of growing up.

"In swimming, you know what time it takes to get to a certain level. As we go through the years and they develop, we have to change styles and structure. You've got to stay in front."

Although being there for a photo and high-five after a student puts in a medal-winning performance is a perk, for O'Sullivan, it's more about the journey to that stage.

"There's a thousand blokes like me in every town and we'll all say the same thing," he said.

"The satisfaction comes from getting kids from one place to another. Whether they win or lose, we're happy for the kids but it's not the point. It's knowing they've achieved something."

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