Ms Natalie Ferrier joined the School in 2021 as a Physical Education teacher and in April 2022, she took on the role as Swimming Co-ordinator taking the reins from Mr Robert (Bob) Marshall who retired.
As the Swimming Co-ordinator, Ms Ferrier is committed to encouraging as many students as possible to participate. “I aim to give swimming students the opportunity to compete and reach personal bests. This includes helping students achieve good conditioning that will contribute to their fitness for other sports.”
She enjoys being part of Physical Education department at the School stating, “It is a really nice, tight knit community, with lots of support. This makes working alongside each other and getting to know the students the best part about my role.”
Ms Ferrier has been involved with sports for many years, competing in both rowing and swimming growing up, and enjoys surfing today, to stay active. One of Ms Ferrier’s favourite surfing spots in Western Australia is North Point located in Gracetown, where her parents own a house. She loves the South West, and when teaching, has noticed a difference in Bunbury Grammar students compared to Perth students.
“What I have noticed is that students seem to really enjoy being outdoors and are more active down here.”
Physical Education was Ms Ferrier’s favourite subject at school and she turned her passion into a career. The journey was not smooth sailing though, and her experiences at school taught her what she hopes to implement in her own teaching.
“When I was at school, I really struggled academically, and my Physical Educations teacher was the one who helped me through school. Ms Padgett would spend time with me after school, to help me academically and make sure I had the marks to enter university,” she said.
Ms Ferrier has been strongly connected with the swimming community, teaching swimming at Perth Collage, St Hilda’s Anglican School and Aquinas Collage. Occasionally when traveling up to Perth, she participates in swimming training with the St Hilda’s Swimming Squad. Co-ordinating the Rottnest Swim is a major part of her new role as Swimming Co-ordinator, and has become her favourite event.
“Bob Marshall took me under his wing and taught me all about it. Seeing the students swim and achieve their goals is really awesome.”
