Coach profiles

All of our coaches are passionate about coaching as well as their own swimming, whether their focus is on pool competition or open-water events.

Our coaches split their time between being on the pool deck helping other swimmers and their own training, either with the squad or often on their own in the pool.

Each of our coaches brings their own specialisms to their squad coaching sessions under the direction of our Coaching Director, Anne Smyt,h and the annual training plan.

Anne Smyth

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 with Tuggeranong Masters.

Competition: FINA World Masters Championships 2025, MSA National Championships, MSNSW State Championships, Australian Masters Games 2013/2015, World Masters Games 2009/2017. Sri Chinmoy National Capital 9k Lake Swim (Team Member),

Favourite Events: 400/800/1500m Freestyle, 200m Butterfly. Open Water Swimming.

Greg Gourley

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 in 1999.

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

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

Caz Makin

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 50/100/200 m 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: FINA World Masters Championships 2017/2023/2025, MSA National Championships 2011–2025, MSNSW/TAS/VIC/QLD State Championships, Australian Masters Games 2013/2015, Pan Pacific Masters Games 2016/2018/2022/2024, World Masters Games 2017, British Masters National Open Water Championships 2017, Tathra Wharf to Waves 2010–2018, Sri Chinmoy National Capital 9k Lake Swim (Solo 2013/2014).

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

Leisa Cass

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 9 k Lake Swim (Team Member), Tathra Wharf to Waves.

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

Kylie Lane

Qualifications: MSA Club Coach 2022.

Focus Areas: Endurance program, form stroke correction, and 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: MSA National Championships, MSNSW State Championships, Pan Pacific Masters Games.

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

Brenda Day

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

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).

Kristi Ruus

Qualifications: MSA Club Coach 2024, former AUSTSWIM Swim Teacher.

Focus Areas: Motivation, encouragement, and building confidence.

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

Competition: MSA National Championships, MSNSW State Championships.

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

Chris Campbell

Qualifications: MSA Club Coach 2025, previously an AUSTSWIM Swim Teacher.

Additional Roles: MSNSW Members Voice Committee 2025.

Swimming Background: Grew up at the beach in Wollongong and always loved swimming. Did some open water many years ago and went back to swimming in mid-40s. Has been in Master’s clubs in three States, including Tuggeranong Masters, now most recently.

Competition: FINA World Masters Championships 2023/2025, MSA National Championships, Great Barrier Reef Masters Games, MSNSW/MSV/MSQ State Championships, Pan Pacific Masters Games.

Favourite Events: 400 Individual Medley, 200m Backstroke, catching up with swimming friends, including watching swimming.

Josh Frogatt

Qualifications: MSA Club Coach 2025. Foundation/ Development Coach 2025.

Swimming Background: Competitive squad swimmer starting with Canberra Amateur Swimming Club, then the mighty Burley Griffin Swimming Club in its 1980s heyday. Early adult years joined the South Curl Curl Surf lifesaving club in Sydney, competing in surf swimming and surf rescue team events. In the pool, competed in the NSW and Australian Emergency Services Games. After moving back to Canberra, Josh joined Tuggeranong Masters and competed in Masters Swimming.

Favourite Events: 50/100/200m Freestyle & Backstroke.