Back from left: Cranbourne ANZ branch manager Sharon Muller with Casey Tiger Sharks swimmers David Glover, Emma Thomas, Geraldine Fritz, Sandra McAlpine and Fountain Gate ANZ branch manager Helen Mitrokli, and front, Michaela Fenech, Natalie Dobrunz and Malory Huther.By Marc McGowan
THE Casey Tiger Sharks’ three-year relationship with the Cranbourne and Fountain Gate ANZ Bank branches continued on Friday night when the swimming club was presented with a $3000 cheque.
ANZ’s donation was up $1000 on the past two years and the club will spend the money on equipment, medals, trophies and guest speakers in the sports psychology and nutrition fields.
Tiger Sharks head coach Ben Hiddlestone praised the sponsorship and said it was paying huge dividends in and out of the pool.
“It’s great that large national corporations like the ANZ still give back to the community at a local level,” he said.
“The sponsorship from ANZ Fountain Gate and Cranbourne has made a huge difference in the quality of our club and swimmers.”
Casey president Liisa Cunningham was also thrilled with the news, and believes it is part of the reason the club was able to recruit such a high-quality new assistant coach last week.
“It’s fantastic. We are so excited that ANZ is still on board and they even put an extra $1000 on this year because they really believe in what we’re doing,” she said.
“It also helped attract a high-level coach and we are very impressed by our new coach James Fox, who is coming on from Norwood, which is the third-best club in Australia.”
Coaches from all over the world applied for the post, vacated by Anthony Coulson, before the Tiger Sharks settled on the 18-year-old former national medallist.
Fox will join Casey from 1 December.
