Our Coaches

Eric Martin (Head Coach)
Competitive Swimming is filled with funny conflictions.  Consider that although swimming is an individual sport, it's the team that fills the practice and social life.  In other sports you might complain if your child isn't competing more.  In swimming, we are all thrilled when the time goes down.  Compare as well the sedentary nature of waiting for a race ... and then the brief explosion of emotions that occur between the start and finish.  But if you can wrap your head around it (and some can't) competitive swimming provides a fantastic foundation for sports, academics and social adventure.

Just one year of swimming will give someone an excellent cross-section of life skills.  The swimmers learn how to deal with stress, teamwork, discipline, a fondness for chlorine (just kidding) and more.  This sport enables self-achievement.  There is only one swimmer in a lane (unless you are swimming a 1,500) and that swimmer has the sole responsibility for success.  Sometimes it’s both agonizing and exhilarating to watch at the same time.  As coaches, our job is to give these young swimmers the skills and instruction necessary to succeed in more ways than one.  I’ve coached all ages in a variety of groups at the club, watching not only my own two children but many others in the club grow into young adults.

I have acquired my coaching certification to NCCP Level 3 and I am also a Level 3 official.  In the past I have represented Central Region as the Coach's Rep and currently sit on the board for the Ontario Aquatic Hall of Fame and (through this board) sit as a Director for Swim Ontario.

Jane Wright (Head Age Group Coach)
My 20-plus year career in competitive swimming as participant, coach, student and fan has had many gratifying moments.  Some of the highlights include, a 6-year national team member participating in the Commonwealth Games, Pan-American Games and Olympic Games during the '70's.  After setting over 100 national and provincial records, I went on to induction at  the University of Toronto, the Etobicoke Sports Halls of Fame and the Ontario Aquatic Hall of Fame.

I coached for a number of years, after leaving the water, with the Fredericton Y Aquanauts, the University of New Brunswick and the University of Toronto.

In all, I was involved in competitive swimming for over 20 years. I loved all aspects of the sport -the fitness, the fun and the competition.  I am deeply indebted to my parents, who were my most enthusiastic fans and who spent countless hours at meets, driving me to practices and serving tirelessly as officials and volunteers.  My coaches and swimming companions offered inspiration, instruction, encouragement and, especially, themselves as role models.  Training and racing as part of a team has helped me develop my competitive nature, my work ethic and my fearlessness when it comes to meeting life's challenges.

Lakeshore Swim Club offers a wonderful environment for young athletes to grow, learn and experience the enduring lessons that can be gained through competitive swimming.  I am very excited to be able to offer my help to LSC.

Sandy Kavanagh (Coach) 
I started competitive swimming with the Saskatoon Goldfins when I was six and continued through until I was 18. You could say I grew up in the water.  I coached learn to competitive swim for a few years after that but then haven’t been involved with swimming for many years.

I’m thrilled to be back in the world of swimming.  I hope my daughter, who swims with LSC, will get as much out of competitive swimming, as I did.  There are so many benefits of being part of a swim team.

I am certified as a Level 1 (Skills) NCCP coach.  I’m happy to be volunteering as a coach and enjoy playing a role in providing encouragement to the swimmers.

Tom Scheibelhut (Coach)
I began coaching with LSC in 2004.  I’ve really enjoyed it.  I love watching the kids grow and improve. My hope is to transmit some of my life-long love of swimming to them.  I started swimming competitively 40 years ago and never stopped.  In my youth, I competed at Nationals and medaled at CIAUs.  Now I swim and coach for the Toronto Athletic Club’s masters swim team during my lunch hours.

I have taken my National Coach Certificate (Level 1).  In addition to coaching with LSC, I’ve coached with the OLS school swim team for 10 years and coached the Toronto Athletic Club’s masters swim team for close to 20 years.

My boys, Kirk and Brent, both swim with LSC.

Barbara Richmond (TOP Coach)

Although I have never swum competitively, I am a life-long swimmer with a keen interest in the personal benefits of the sport.  I am an NCCP Skills Level certified coach. Last year I had the opportunity to participate in a working group developing a new training program for Skills Level coaches across Canada.  I hope to build on the experience I gained working with all the coaches at LSC and the various workshops and training opportunities I have had over the past six years.

I have had two daughters swimming with Lakeshore.  Both have learned so much about themselves and developed so many physical and social skills.  I hope to be able to bring that out in all the swimmers in the TOP group!

I also aim to bring my sense of fun and dedication to the group as we work on skill development, endurance and the ethics of sport.

Kristin Hanson (Coach)
I have been involved in swimming as well as other sports most of my life.  At the age of 9, I started swimming competitively in Montreal, Quebec.  I trained with both the Beaconsfield Bluefins as well as Pointe-Claire Swim Club. By the age of 10, I had several provincial age group records and made the Quebec age group team.  This was really exciting as it allowed me travel across the country.  I qualified for Nationals at the age of 11.  Swimming was eventually replaced by marathons, and then about 2 years ago I was somehow drawn back to the pool.  I am now training 3 times a week with a Masters Swim Team and hope to start competing again this year.

This will be my second year coaching at Lakeshore Swim Club.  By the start of the season I will be a Certified as a Skills (Level 1) NCCP coach. My daughter, Keely, swims with the club.  I love competitive swimming because it allows our kids to discover that hard work pays off.  Swimming offers easy proof of this – PBs!  Swimming teaches our kids about fitness, friends and helps them to be more disciplined long into adult life.

I am very pleased that I can offer some of my experience in the pool to other swimmers and hope that they will enjoy and learn – as I did.