"Stockport Metro’s coaching staff have the knowledge and experience to coach technique on all strokes to a world class level."

(Bob Treffene, British Swimming Physiologist)

The dedication, experience and expertise of the coaching and support staff at Stockport Metro are second to none, and have been fundamental to the burgeoning success of the Club wherever its swimmers compete. Stockport’s highly acclaimed programme has been a success because of the people developing and delivering it, culminating in first rate Age Group and Youth results, the best results ever for the Club in an Olympic Games, and Stockport’s selection as an Intensive Training Centre.

Richard’s passion for swimming began in Sheffield where he competed at a National level for 8 years. He has now been coaching for 12 years and during that time has been involved with 4 different programmes. Having established his credentials during the last three years as Head Age Group Coach, he was appointed as Stockport Metro’s Head Coach, with overall responsibility for the programme from talent identification via the Club Link and Coaching Course, through Junior Coaching and Junior Development, to Regional Age and Youth, and National squads.

Richard’s experience of working with athletes at every level has led him to develop an ethos based on prioritising skill base: laying the foundations of great technique. Nurturing this technique with hard work and attention to detail, his athletes have been successful from Regional through to International level. He was part of the 2008 British coaching team at the European Junior Championships and the 2008 England coaching team for the Commonwealth Youth Championships in India. He has been a member of the Junior British coaching staff for 6 years now, attending world class potential camps which have enabled him to develop skills as a coach which have proved to be of significant benefit to the Stockport Metro programme and its athletes.

Lucas has been a member of Stockport Metro since 1993 initially as a swimmer, competing at National level, and for the past six years as a coach. Since his move into coaching he has worked alongside some highly respected colleagues, and with some of the country’s best Age, Youth and Senior swimmers.

Lucas began his coaching career at Stockport Metro in 2002 as an assistant junior coach and spent 2 years working with the International Squad as Sean Kelly’s assistant. From there he went to University, achieving a Degree in Sports Psychology during which time he spent 3 years working on a voluntary basis as an assistant coach with Age Group swimmers.

He returned to Stockport in 2006 to coach both Junior and Senior Development Squads. Having raised the bar in Senior Development to produce Regional medallists and National qualifiers in 2008, Lucas will now be leading the newly formed Regional Youth squad as well as continuing to head up Junior Development.

Martin Brooks, Regional Age Squad

Martin first came to the Club as a swimmer in 1994 and he competed at all levels. As a swimmer he was fully committed to the Club’s ethos of hard work, great technique and fast swimming and his talent and attitude paid off in 2003 when he became a National Champion at Youth Level. Martin now says he "feels honoured to be a part of the coaching staff at what I consider to be one of the best swimming programmes in the country". His experience of having come through the programme himself has convinced him that the commitment and hard work of the swimmers combined with the technical knowledge of the coaches is the perfect recipe for Stockport Metro swimmers to improve and compete at the highest level.

Daniel Pepper, Junior Coaching

Dan started swimming at the age of four and first came to the Club when he was 12. He fully embraced life as a competitive swimmer and refused to let a learning disability hold him back. The Club supported him in both his mainstream and disability swimming as he developed to national and international level, culminating in World Championship honours at the age of 14, a standard he has maintained ever since, along with Records at British, European and World levels. At 17 Dan was given the opportunity to help run the Coaching Course, and he has now progressed to coaching the Junior Coaching 2 Squad. A natural communicator and motivator Dan has been recognised with a number of awards including Cheshire Young Sports Achiever and Stockport Sports Personality of the Year. He was also a BBC North West Young Performer finalist in 2006.

Olivia Fitton, Coaching Course

Olivia has been involved with Stockport Metro at county level since the age of nine. She intially began working voluntarily for the Club when she was 16 and went on to take the Coaching Course - a transitional environment from lessons to competitive swimming - twice a week. Since September 2008 Olivia has led the Coaching Course, teaching youngsters the basic skills they will need for competitions either at their local club or at Stockport Metro. "I love to see the kids improve so much during the four weeks, and enhance not only their technique but also their enjoyment of swimming, " she says.

Olivia is also Club Membership Secretary.