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COACHING STAFF
Stewart Melton
Stewart has been involved in swimming since a young age, competing at a Regional Level in South Africa. He has been teaching and coaching swimming for over 10 years with experience from learn to swim to national swimmers. He has taught internationally, beginning his career in South Africa where he worked alongside a former South African National team coach and had 5 KZN (Regional) swimmers. After gaining his level 2 coaches certification in the UK he spent a year in Australia gaining experience working with world class athletes and coaches. On his return to England he had success at County and Regional level during his 2 years with Teddington Swimming Club. Stewart then relocated to St. Albans and was delighted to be offered the Head Coaches role here at CoStA. In his first year with CoStA, the club had its first Regional champion, maintained their place in the 1st Division of the Herts Major League and both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ Peanuts teams earned promotions. He looks forward to seeing just how good the club will become. Stewart has now achieved his UKCC Level 3 Senior Coaching qualification.
Sarah Stephens
From the age of 5 Sarah has been involved in swimming in one way or another. As a swimmer she competed at County level and as a coach has had swimmers go through to Regional’s. She is continually updating her teaching/coaching qualifications and is in the final stages for completing her UKCC Level 3 Coach qualification as a senior coach. She runs the ‘B’ and Learn to swim squads as well as organising our team of volunteer teachers and coaches. She also coaches the ‘A’ squad under the guidance of our Head Coach. She arranges trials for all new swimmers and the allocation of these swimmers to squads within Costa, liaising with the Head Coach and our membership secretary. Additionally Sarah is the chief operating officer, working with all the pool hirers ensuring all aspects of the training environment are correct.
Justin Langford
Justin has been a competitive swimmer since a young age and has represented Sussex and the South East on Numerous occasions, helping the South East Colleges team win the British champs. He has also won the South East open water series and biathlon championships. He has trained under many different coaches who each have had a unique style. He has recently passed his Coach Level 1 assessment with a goal of becoming a head coach in the future. He is also a Personal Trainer and specializes in the boot camp approach (so watch out any slackers).
Kate Chadwick
Kate is the lead coach for the Development Squad and also works with our Widths and Junior squads. Her role in the club is to introduce the younger up and coming swimmers, into the world of competitive swimming. With two children swimming for CoStA, she is thoroughly enjoying being not just a coach, but a “swimming mum” and all the fun that goes with that role!!
Passionate about grass roots sport, Kate has a degree in Sports Science, and has spent many years involved in kids sport, teaching and coaching swimming professionally for the last 8 years. More likely to be seen cycling than in the pool she still trains regularly but has hung up her pool goggles in favour of a wetsuit and a pair of running shoes and competes in triathlon.
Richard Lees
Around 4 years ago when Richards’s kids started swimming, he decided to get involved. He started out just helping out on a lane; however soon found he enjoyed coaching. To improve his skills and knowledge he gained his Level 2 Teachers and coaches certificate. Following this Richard was made the manager of the ‘B’ team. Today he works mainly with the Development squad to ensure the up and coming juniors are prepared to join the Competitive squads. Richard is also one of the coaching representatives on the committee.
Bernard Henshall
Bernard Henshall has been a volunteer teacher for approximately seven years and enjoys teaching the newcomers to length swimming, working on technique. He has had two children at the club. He is also a Masters swimmer.
Sarah MacNab
Sarah is a qualified aquatics teacher (Level 2). She teaches widths as a volunteer on Sunday and Monday evenings. In these training sessions she concentrates on stroke techniques. Sarah is an experienced swimmer who swam competitively as a junior, swimming at county, regional and Nationally for the Scottish Youth squad. Sarah now swims with CoStA's Masters group.
Sarah Moore
Sarah has been with the Club since 2006 initially as a parent helper then as a volunteer coach from 2007. Sarah was a County swimmer when younger and now swims with our Masters group. A Level 1 coach Sarah works mainly with our Widths and Development squads.
Steve Martin
Steve helps coach the Senior B team (where his son swims) at Westminster Lodge.
Rebecca L.
Rebecca has been a swimmer at Costa for 5 years and has now started to help coach on a Sunday and Monday evening. Rebecca helps at a swim school and competes for her school swim team. Rebecca will be sitting her GCSE's this year and hopes to go to college to study sports and coaching next September.
Charlotte H., Chris S., Maddie G., Chloe B., May M.
Charlotte, Chris, Chloe, May and Maddie are Senior club swimmers who help out coaching the Widths, Development and Junior squads.