The 15-year-old from Forster is taking much deserved break after a highly successful season with Forster Aquatic Swim Club and Black Head Surf Club.

This culminated in his gold medal for NSW in the national under 15 age swimming championships held in Adelaide.

He was also eighth in the under 15 50 metre freestyle and 10^th in the 100m free.

He recorded personal best times in both events during the heats. NSW were favourites for the relay although the final was close. Joel was first off the blocks and took NSW to second place in an effort that he said was 'pretty good.'

Joel forced his way into the relay team on the strength of his times leading into the championship, although he knew he was in the mix.

"But when the coach rang dad and told him I was in the team...I was just shocked.''

Joel said the entire championship was a great experience he's hoping to build on next season.

Remarkably, he's really only been swimming competitively for 12 months.

"I had a good result swimming for my school in the CHS (Combined High Schools), so I decided to join the swimming club,'' Joel explained.

Here he came under the guidance of astute club coaches Peter Sanders and Adele Gregory.

However, he'd been involved with surf club squad training at Black Head under the auspices of experienced mentor, Marty Cowper and he said this had helped fine tune his skills for the pool.

He was an integral part of a dominate Black Head Surf Club team at last season's Lower North Coast Branch Championships held at Crowdy Head. Joel won a string of events in craft and surf races.

This carried onto the nationals held at Kirra, where with Joel with Jaime Wisemantel and Isaac Boag finished eighth in the taplin relay after winning bronze at the Country titles at One Mile in January.

As far as conditions go, 'the bigger the better,'' he added.

"A bigger surf brings out your skill set,'' he explains.

He started in the nippers with Forster but switched to Black Head to be involved in team events.

"But I still patrol for Forster,'' he added.

Joel's enjoying the brief hiatus, but he's looking forward to training again for the surf and pool.

He generally has five or six training sessions a week at the aquatic centre and four or five with the surf club, so he spends a much of his spare time in the water

"It's pretty full-on. But I love it,'' he said with a smile.

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