Congratulations to Edmond Ansbro on being named Emerging Leader of the Year 2025 by Aquatics and Recreation Victoria, an outstanding and thoroughly deserved recognition.
At just 20, Eddie has done what most leaders spend a career working toward, he built something from nothing. As Aquatics Manager at Ivanhoe Swim, he launched the program, grew the team from 71 to more than 110 staff across two campuses, and developed it into a self-sustaining operation generating over a million dollars annually, all while keeping the program running near capacity with strong demand behind it.
But what stands out isn’t the numbers. It’s how he got there. Eddie leads a large and diverse team of teachers, lifeguards, and coaches with a genuine focus on people. He’s built a recruitment and onboarding process that protects teaching quality and child safety, invested in his staff through quarterly development sessions with industry figures like former Australian Head Coach Wayne Lawes, and created a culture strong enough that staff retention speaks for itself, the only departures across 2025 came down to university or travel, none to dissatisfaction with the workplace.
That’s the mark of a real leader, building a place where people want to stay, learn, and do their best work. Eddie pairs commercial and operational sharpness with the kind of care that lifts everyone around him, and the aquatics and recreation sector is genuinely stronger for having him coming through its ranks.
Here’s to a well-earned honour, Eddie, and to everything still ahead. Congratulations.
