Coaches - Heathwood Swimming

Who are we?
Our coaches: Expert, experienced and encouraging
Matt Williams
Matt is head coach for adults.
He has twenty years of teaching and coaching experience, from complete beginners to International. He was a former Head Coach at Bridgend County Swim Squad and National Youth Development Coach for Swim Wales National Squads.
He has coached swimmers to squad selections for Swim Wales National Squads, Swim Wales Para Squads, and Swim England Talent Squads, Welsh Triathlon Junior & Youth Squads, and British & Welsh Youth Surf Lifeguard Squads.
Matt is still a keen open water competitive swimmer.
Ross Hosking
Ross is head coach for the Triathlon Club.
He has over ten years' experience teaching & coaching swimming & triathlon.
Ross is a GBR athlete, and has competed at international competition for Wales swimming, and is a multiple Welsh champion.
He is currently competing at IM 70.3 level and was Welsh Triathlon Children’s coach of the year 2019.
Georgia Thomas
Georgia is a swimming teacher and a coach for the Children’s Academy and adults
She has over 15 years' experience. She is a former national swimmer.
James Bailey
James is Head Coach & co-ordinator of the Children’s Academy. He is a Level 2 swimming teacher and coach.
He has taught children from three up to 12+ in group and 1:1 settings for five years, and has taught and currently teaching numerous children with varying additional learning needs.
He has been involved in competitive swimming for 12 years. He is a former City of Cardiff swimmer, and has competed internationally. He was captain of his university swimming club.
He has given 50+ hours of volunteering in schools, Masters squads and children’s lessons.
Lois Davies
Lois is a swimming teacher and a coach for the Children’s Academy and adults
She has over five years' experience.
She is a former national swimmer.
Anya Thomas
Anya is a swimming teacher and a coach for adults and club swimmers with over five years' experience, and is currently a coach at Cardiff Swimming Club.
She is a former national swimmer.
Madison Shaddick
Triathlon coach & sponsored athlete
Sheila Mott
Children’s academy coach
Ann Tonge
Children’s academy coach
Dave Tonge - owner and director of Heathwood Swimming
Dave has over twenty five years’ experience teaching & coaching all abilities.
His roles have included Head Coach of UWICs Junior Swimming Academy, Performance Director for Cardiff Met swimming team, and lecturer in sports coaching.
He swam at national level as a youth, and as an adult has huge experience in challenging open water long and short distances.
Dave has completed four Ironman Triathlons, and is also a World Record Holder - a 24 hour swim in a wetsuit in an endless pool raising £10,000 for Velindre Cancer Care, where he is an Ambassador.
Our coaches' qualifications
Dave
ASA Teacher & Coach
Level 5 WOWSA Open Water Swim Coach
MSc Physical Activity & Health
Teaching Fellow – Higher Education Academy
RLSS National Pool Lifeguard Qualification
RLSS Trainer / Assessor
First Aid at work Qualification
First Aid at work Trainer / Assessor
Swimming Pool Plant room Operators Certificate
Award for Most Improved Team 2014 @ Cardiff Met
Coach of the year 2016 @ Cardiff Met
Award for Services to Cardiff Met Student Sport 2019
Royal life saving society uk award service medal for 16+ Years of service 2017
Taught Gareth ‘Alfie’ Thomas to swim in 7 months and helped him complete LCW 2019 & Ironman Wales 2019 in a swim time of 1:24.00 (Watch BBC Documentary HIV & Me)
Royal life saving society uk award Service Cross for 20+ Years of service 2020.
World Record Holder 24 hour swim in a wetsuit in an endless pool raising £10,000 for Velindre Cancer Care
The Cardiff coach training ex-Welsh rugby players to swim the channel
Matt
B Hons Sports Coaching Degree (Cardiff Met)
Foundation Diploma in Humanties (University of Wales, Newport)
UKCC Level 3 Senior Coach
UKCC Level 2 Coaching Swimming & Teaching Aquatics
NPLQ Certificate
Team Manager Module 1 & 2
Worked as an assistant to Olympic Coaches Dave Haller MBE and Keith Bewley in both 2012 (David Davies & Ieaun Lloyd) and in 2014 (6 Commonwealth Games selections for Team Wales)
Ross
ASA teacher & coach
Triathlon coach
Over 10 years experience teaching & coaching swimming & triathlon
Welsh Triathlon Children’s coach of the year 2019
BSc Hons Sport Performance Analysis
Georgia
Sports coaching degree (Cardiff Met)
Lois
Sports coaching degree (Cardiff Met)
Anya
Level 1 and 2 qualified swim teacher
-Level 1 and 2 qualified coach
-Sports Nutrition Business certificate
-Sports coaching BSc (Hons)
-Sports Coaching MSc
-Cardiff Met Swim Coach 2022-2023 during studies
-Current swimming coach at City of Cardiff Swimming Club
James
Level 1 and 2 qualified swimming teacher and coach
MSc Earth Science
MSc Geographic Science
Received Durham University half Palatinate award in 2019 for contribution to sport
Email us!

Our coaches: Expert, experienced and encouraging

Matt Williams

Ross Hosking

Georgia Thomas

James Bailey

Lois Davies

Anya Thomas

Madison Shaddick

Sheila Mott

Ann Tonge

Dave Tonge - owner and director of Heathwood Swimming

Our coaches' qualifications

Email us!