PLC SYDNEY RISING STAR - ELLIE COLE

Year 11 Student Ellie Cole is a student of many talents. Under her cool, friendly and outgoing personality is hidden a quietly determined and very disciplined athlete and student.

By Mrs Michelle Olsson Head of Diving

Her story thus far is inspirational…

Ellie was first introduced to PLC Sydney through the PLC Sydney Gymnastics program. After a school program held at her local primary school the coach kindly called Ellie’s mum (Kate) and told her that Ellie showed a lot of talent and she should enrol her in an “actual class”.

Kate hunted around for a strong program and was told to try PLC Sydney’s Gymnastics program. So, in Year 1 Ellie was off to gymnastics to conquer the world, well maybe level 1!

When Ellie was 8 years old she was involved in the PLC Sydney Open Day Display where she discovered the library! Ellie forgot all about the rides and stayed in the library just about the entire day. It was about that time that Ellie started asking her mum about attending PLC Sydney, partly for the gymnastics but mostly for the library! After becoming a PLC Sydney student in Year 5 Ellie threw herself into both her sport and her studies.

It was at this point that Ellie thought maybe it would be a good idea to try diving. Diving didn’t seem to require the hours of training that gymnastics did and Ellie, wanting to focus on her studies more, thought she would give it a try. Ellie realised from her first lesson of diving that this was a sport that she found fun and exciting. This new found study time only lasted a few months when Ellie was asked to trial for the New South Wales Institute of Sport and once again her training requirements increased.

In Year 7, Ellie and classmate and friend Stamatia Galanos won the National Sleek Geeks competition where they made a short film named “Fish Fiasco” where they looked at the effects of plastics in our oceans.

Ellie suffered from a debilitating stress fracture in her back in Year 9. Most people would have quit following such a long term injury. Ellie was given the go ahead to come back two times during the next two years just to be told that her comeback was too soon and she was back on the side of the pool going through her rehabilitation again. These years demonstrated to me Ellie’s strength of character and resilience.

Ellie watched her competitors learning new dives and winning competitions. I remember seeing Ellie practising her rehabilitation and congratulating her friends and competitors. Her sunny smile never left her face. She also spent that time focussing on her studies and took out first place in the Young Scientist awards in Year 10.

Ellie was finally able to make her comeback to diving just in time to help PLC Sydney take out the 2023 IGSA championships.

Fast forward to now and Ellie trains more than 20 hours per week. But somehow, with all the training she makes it work. Ellie studies extension mathematics, extension English, physics and chemistry and hopes to go on to study physics at university.

When you are passionate about something you always find the time to make it work! Ellie, now a member of the National 2832 Dream Squad will compete for Australia for the first time in May at the Bergen Open held in Norway!

Best wishes Ellie we are so proud of you!