Beloved swimming teacher retires

HANNA SLOAN

BELOVED swim teacher Janet Evans has announced her retirement after an incredible 48-year tenure imparting aquatic skills to generations of Cairns residents.

Ms Evans has been a fixture in the local swimming scene since the early 1970s, working at St Augustine’s College, Trinity Anglican School, and both the Gordonvale and Edmonton pools as well as Sportsworld.

She first got into the pool to assist her dad, renowned St Augustine’s swim coach Glen Evans, and grew to love the feeling of helping young swimmers to build their skills.

“After school I was working in an office job I hated and it was so easy for me to be in the water and help – I thought to myself, ‘I can do this,’” Ms Evans said.

So began several years of juggling full-time work with driving to pools all around Cairns to teach swimming, all while raising four young children by herself, before embarking on the journey of running her own swimming school.

Having owned and operated the Janet Evans Swim School since 2006, she now hopes to pass on the torch to new ownership, marking the end of an era.

Ms Evans expressed gratitude for the support and trust bestowed upon her by the Cairns community throughout the years.

“It’s a new chapter and it’s been a huge decision,” she said.

Ms Evans’ retirement leaves a void that will be felt by both current and former students – in fact, she has taught children who then grew up and brought their own children to Janet Evans Swim School.

“I will really miss everybody,” she said.

“I’ve built some beautiful relationships over the years.”

As she bids farewell to the poolside routine, Evans eagerly anticipates a new chapter filled with quality time spent with loved ones and embarking on travel adventures.

“I’ll be 65 next birthday – I want to take some time for myself now and spend time with my loved ones.”

First on the agenda for Ms Evans is a post-Christmas trip to Thailand, a place that holds fond memories of visiting her parents when they lived there.

As she steps into a well-deserved retirement, Janet Evans leaves behind a legacy of water safety and many cherished memories within the hearts of those she has taught over nearly five decades.

The legacy of her swim school, where countless children learned life-saving water skills, will undoubtedly endure.

Keep up with the latest news in Cairns and the Far North, and check out some of our top stories this week: Carols in the Park to go ahead and Palm Cove café looted during cyclone.