News & Results

Vale Di Bayliss

Posted on 17-Feb-09 13:15 (Club Notices)

Dianne Beryl Bayliss: 15 May 1954 ~ 27 January 2009

An ordinary person whose extraordinary vigour helped create champions, including a Paralympian.

Dianne Bayliss, awarded Swimming Victoria's 2008 Administrator of the Year, had her full and energetic life cut short after an eight year battle with cancer.  This determined, courageous and resolute woman refused to bow out gracefully - she rallied to the end and continued to make a difference to the world of Swimming until her body finally gave out.  She was aged 54.

An ordinary suburban mum supporting two children who wanted to learn how to swim, Di launched herself into the swimming arena when she and Head Coach Joanne Love founded the Ivanhoe Neons Swimming Club in 1994.  Little did they realise that their grass-roots efforts would result in building a club that provides a forum to create champions.

This small and competitive swimming club in Ivanhoe has produced an unbelievable array of impressive results, including a Paralympian and World Record Holder; gold, silver and bronze medallists at all levels of competition, from National to State level; and school and sport Scholarship Holders.  It is a place where champions are born and opportunities are created for swimmers who wish to take their craft seriously.  Ivanhoe Neons is consistently ranked amongst the top ten competitive clubs in Victoria.  Swimmers compete in pool events and open water events.  Di's own daughter Julianne proved to have inherited similar grit and determination from her mother to take gold in the Victorian Open Water Championships in 2006 - a gruelling event.

So many volunteers do their bit until the going gets tough and then they hand the baton onto the next volunteer, exhausted or disillusioned.  Di Bayliss efficiently went about the business of establishing Ivanhoe Neons, holding the position of Club Secretary for 5 years and then as Club President for 3 years.  She soon realised that the Metro North District needed help.  She became Metro North Treasurer for 8 years and then took over the arduous task of District Competitions Coordinator right up until she was physically unable to key in competition entries into her laptop in hospital.  The role was then taken over by a committee of five volunteers - highlighting the level of commitment this dedicated woman gave to the world of Swimming.  Considering that Di was diagnosed with cancer in 2001, it is almost unbelievable that she continued volunteering more than 30 hours a week to competitive swimming while holding down a full time job and also completing a Bachelor of Commerce at University.  Throw in raising her two children Julianne and Adam and you have a full life.

Di's loyalty and hard work were recognised when she received Life Membership from Ivanhoe Neons in 2002 and Life Membership from Metro North District in 2007.  It was fitting that she was awarded Swimming Victoria's Administrator of the Year in 2008.   

She gave far more to this world than she ever expected to take from it.  This remained true to the end, when Di asked for donations to be made to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre Appeal in lieu of flowers to mark her passing. 

Di's tremendous energy and generosity of spirit will be sadly missed by all those who knew her.  So many swimmers have benefitted in and out of the pool from her pioneering work at Ivanhoe Neons and it is a tragedy that her life was extinguished before the flame burnt down.

Kate Sterrenberg, Ivanhoe Neons Club Secretary