We have dedicated and qualified Masters coaches who plan, organise and coach our training sessions.

We aim to provide quality sessions catering to all levels of ability and interests – whether it is recreational, open water, or competitive swimming.

What makes our coaches want to coach and share their knowledge with our swimmers? Check out some interesting facts about them and delve deeper into their profiles below.

Our coaches

Anne Smyth
“Has a huge passion for helping adult swimmers achieve their goals”

Greg Gourley
“Thinks there’s nothing better than swimming outdoors with fellow distance swimmers”

Caz Makin
“Loves bright cosies, swimming in the sunshine, and understanding training methods and pacing”

Leisa Cass
“Enjoys helping swimmers improve technique seeing that lightbulb moment when a swimmer ‘gets it'”

Kylie Lane
“Always looking for new ideas to enhance swimmers’ experience and in enjoying the journey“

Katrina Burgess
“Interested in swimmers who want to improve in pool competitions”

Photo of coach Brenda

Brenda Day
“Gets great enjoyment seeing swimmers meeting their goals whilst also having fun”

Kristi Ruus
“Loves helping swimmers find that thing that makes it all click”

Coach profiles

  • Qualifications: MSA Club Coach 2014 (renewed 2019), Qualified AUSTSWIM Swim Teacher.

    Awards: MSNSW & MSA Coach of the Year 2014, MSNSW Ian Davis Memorial Award 2016

    Additional Roles: Coaching Director Tuggeranong Masters, MSNSW Branch Coaching Director, Masters Swimming Australia Coaching Board Member.

    Swimming Background: Swam competitively as a child growing up in Wagga. Started swimming again as a Masters Swimmer in Melbourne and then in Canberra from 2009.

    Competition: MSNSW State Championships, MSA National Championships,  Australian Masters Games 2013/2015, World Masters Games 2009/2017.

    Favourite Events: 400m/800m/1500m Freestyle, 200m Butterfly. Sri Chinmoy National Capital 9k Lake Swim (Team Member), Open Water Swimming.

  • Qualifications: MSA Club Coach 2013 (renewed 2019).Awards: MSNSW & MSA Coach of the Year 2019 & 2020.

    Additional Roles: MSNSW Coaching Committee Member.

    Swimming Background: Learnt to swim very young, but was never a squad swimmer. Joined Tuggeranong Masters Swimming Club in 1999.

    Competition: World Masters Games 2009, Australian Masters Games, MSNSW State Championships, MSA National Championships, Sri Chinmoy National Capital 9k Lake Swim (Solo), Narrandara 10k Lake Swim, MSNSW Open Water Championships.

    Favourite Events: Open Water — preferably something longer than a 3km warm-up swim (and without sharks)!

  • Qualifications: MSA Club Coach 2014 (renewed 2023), Qualified SwimAustralia Swim Teacher.

    Awards: MSNSW Ian Davis Memorial Award 2014.

    Additional Roles: MSNSW Coaching Team Member.

    Focus Areas: Motivation, Pacing, Sprints, Open Water, Technique Workshops, Flyer Design/Publicity for Workshops, .Attended Effortless Swimming Hell Week Camp 2019.

    Swimming Background: Competitive swimmer (specialising in 50/100/200m Backstroke and Freestyle) from Newcastle in the UK 1977-1984, qualifying for GB National Age Group Championships. Started swimming again after 25 years out of the water as a Masters Swimmer after moving from the UK to Australia in 2009.

    Competition: MSNSW/TAS/VIC/QLD State Championships, MSA National Championships 2011-2023, Australian Masters Games 2013/2015, Sri Chinmoy National Capital 9k Lake Swim (Solo 2013/2014), Pan Pacific Masters Games 2016/2018/2022, World Masters Games 2017, FINA World Masters Championships 2017/2023, British Masters National Open Water Championships 2017, Tathra Wharf to Waves 2010-2018.

    Favourite Events: 50m Freestyle through to 1500m Freestyle, 100m/200m Individual Medley. Open Water – up to 5km. Even got to like Sprint Distance Triathlon for a few years!

  • Qualifications: MSA Club Coach 2014 (renewed 2019).

    Additional Roles: MSNSW Coaching Team Member.

    Focus Areas: Stroke correction and development for the lower lanes, including starts and turns.

    Swimming Background: Learnt to swim at the iconic and heritage-listed Manuka Swimming Pool as a child and swam with Telopea Swim Club based at Manuka Pool, on and off until her late teens. Manuka is still one of Leisa’s favourite places to swim. Dabbled with triathlon and Masters swimming in the mid-nineties, and has swum with Masters since 2004.

    Competition: MSNSW State Championships, MSA National Championships, Pan Pacific Masters Games, Sri Chinmoy National Capital 9k Lake Swim (Team Member), Tathra Wharf to Waves.

    Favourite Events: 200 through to 1500 Freestyle, 100/200/400 Backstroke and Individual Medley’s when you don’t have a butterfly turn!

  • Qualifications: MSA Club Coach 2019.

    Focus Areas: Endurance Program, Form stroke correction, Motivation, One-to-one coaching.

    Swimming Background: State and National level swimmer growing up in Sydney with Terry Gathercole and Forbes Carlile as mentors/coaches from age 9 to 15. Then found a love of surf lifesaving and competed in Branch/State and National Championships focusing on swim and board events. After finishing university put swim gear away, and pulled it out again at age 45, joining Masters Swimming in 2013 along with her adult son, Kade.

    Competition: MSNSW State Championships, MSA National Championships, Pan Pacific Masters Games.

    Favourite Events: 50/100/200 Backstroke/Breaststroke.

  • Qualifications: MSA Club Coach 2022.

    Focus Areas: Endurance Program, Form stroke correction, Motivation.

    Swimming Background: Involved in competitive swimming growing up around pools and the beach up in sunny Queensland. Was considered to be the ‘odd one’ in Junior squad as was more proficient in Butterfly than any other stroke. Started competing at Masters level in Canberra, with Tuggeranong, in 2017, after a long hiatus from swimming and “doing life things”.

    Competition: MSNSW State Championships, MSA National Championships, Pan Pacific Masters Games.

    Favourite Events: Everything Butterfly! …25/50/100/200/400/800/and 1500! … and loves Individual Medley.

  • Qualifications: MSA Club Coach 2007 (renewed 2017), Qualified AUSTSWIM Swim Teacher.

    Focus Areas: Thursday AM Sessions – Stroke correction, A true believer in Fun/Fitness and Friendship Motto.

    Swimming Background: Joined Tuggeranong Masters in 1998. Always at home in the water, but not a squad swimmer as a youth.

    Competition: MSNSW State Championships, MSA National Championships, Pan Pacific Masters Games, Fina World Masters Championships 2008.

    Favourite Events: 200m Backstroke, 200m Butterfly and keen Endurance Swimmer. Open Water Swimming – Waikiki Roughwater Swim, Duke’s One Mile Swim, Triple Triathlon and Sri Chinmoy National Capital 9k Lake Swim (Team Member).

  • Qualifications: MSA Club Coach 2024, Former Austswim teacher.

    Focus Areas: Motivation, encouragment and building confidence.

    Swimming Background: Terrified of swimming until her mum took her to club and was taught by a bunch of teenagers. Three years later, had her pool lifesaving Bronze Star. Swam through high school, gave it up to go sailing, did a bit of surf life saving, finally went back to swimming by herself in 2020 and joined Tuggeranong Masters after moving to Canberra in 2022.

    Competition: MSNSW State Championships, MSA National Championships.

    Favourite Events: Anything shorter than 200m and not Backstroke! Plus relays because team work makes the dream work!