Huggett's parents moved to Broadbeach Waters in 1985, where her swimming career was nurtured by the Director of Gold Coast Recreation and Sport, Anna-Louise Kassulke, and Denis Cotterell, who had been head coach of the Miami Swim Club since he had helped organise it in 1976. Huggett's mother approached Cotterell and asked him to include Huggett in his training squad. She promised that if he did so, Huggett would win a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Paralympics in Seoul. When he asked how strong Huggett was, she replied "You're talking Mallee bull."