The Coaches

Simon Ward

Position: TriathlonPB Director / Coach
BTF Coach Level: 3
Since he started coaching in 1995 Simon has helped over 100 triathletes to complete Ironman events including several Hawaii qualifiers (and finishers). In addition he has experience of working with elite and age group athletes who race at the standard distance.

Simon won the prestigious 220 Triathlon Coach of the Year for 2008.

Outside of triathlon, Simon specialises in strength and conditioning work and has worked with top performers in a number of sports including Cricket, Rugby league, swimming & badminton. This knowledge has enabled him to develop a number of programmes for strength and conditioning in triathlon.

Jack Maitland

Position: TriathlonPB Director / Coach
BTF Coach Level: 3
Jack runs a comprehensive programme of sessions for members of the student triathlon club and for World Class athletes who are based in the vicinity of the centre. He also holding regular training camps ensuring that athletes are supported locally. In addition to his BTA responsibilities Jack continues to coach a number of TheTriathlonCoach.com athletes at all levels from novice to elite and at all distances from sprint to Ironman.

As an athlete Jack competed internationally from 1976 when he first represented Scotland as a junior orienteer. He competed for Scotland and GB as a senior before switching to mountain-racing where he enjoyed further success. Highlights of his mountain-racing career were winning the British Fell-running Championships in 1986 and winning both the Everest marathon and the Mount Cameroon race in 1989.

In 1990 he competed in the Commonwealth Games triathlon and he then represented GB 16 times at elite level and won 2 World age-group titles before retiring in 2002 to concentrate on coaching.

Dave Green

Position: Coach
BTF Coach Level: 3
Dave Green is one of the leading triathlon and run coaches in the NW England. Since he started coaching triathletes and duathletes in 1997 he has coached several leading competitors who have represented GB at elite and age group level including age group world champions in Duathlon and Triathlon.

In addition to this he is a pretty mean runner having posted a 2hr32 marathon and a 31m18s 10k PB. He was also North West Duathlon Champion (age group) 2003 and 2004.

Chris Jones

Position: Coach
BTF Coach Level: 3
Having worked for 15 years as a coach in high performance sport, Chris Jones is at present, the National Event Coach For Triathlon Ireland and Coaching Development Consultant for the Sports Council for Wales.

Chris has over 12 years experience of world class coaching with athletes from all around the world who have competed at Olympic, European, Commonwealth and World level. He was awarded ’sports council for Wales Coach of the year is 2003′, after coaching the first Olympic distance women’s senior world Champion Leanda Cave.

Fiona Hoare

Position: Coach
BTF Coach Level: 3
Fiona has coached age group athletes from sprint up to Ironman distance with several athletes who have qualified for the World Championships.

She is an active coach in her club, running regular club sessions and the warm weather training camp in Spain.

Fiona is also still competing in triathlon mainly at Ironman distance; she has completed 6 ironman races including Hawaii in 2006 (where she qualified by winning her AG at IMUK by over 40 mins) Fiona has also competed at half ironman distance and went to Clearwater in 2007 for 70.3 World Champs after winning her AG in a new course record at IMUK70.3.

Previous to her triathlon career, Fiona was a competitive cyclist, horse rider and adventure racer. She’s been around a bit!!

Lou Hanley

Position: Coach
BTF Coach Level: 2
Louise coaches age group athletes from sprint distance to Ironman. She has worked with all levels from novices to athletes gaining podium finishes.

She is an active club coach, leading the junior section and running regular sessions for the seniors. She has also organised a number of club training camps in Spain.

Louise still competes in triathlon, and enjoys the Olympic distance and particularly off road/adventure events. She represented GB in the World Age-group Championships in 2005 and in 2006 she won her age group at Xterra UK and represented GB at the Xterra World Championships.

Louise comes from a background of Outdoor Education – as a teacher, instructor, climber and mountain biker. Then she discovered triathlon! Now as a coach she loves guiding her athletes through the reality of everyday life to achieve the performances they are capable of.

Bridget Heath

Position: Coach
BTF Coach Level: ?
Bridget is a BTF qualified coach and an Exercise Referral Practitioner. She is a lecturer in Sport and PE and works for TheTriathlonCoach.com. She has also been manager of a GP exercise referral scheme based in Swansea.