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About
Your Coach
I'm Marianne and I'm an Advanced SwimMastery Coach, and a Level 2 STA Open Water Swimming Coach. I have previously trained as a Total Immersion Swim Coach, a Level 1 Triathlon Coach and Level 1 ASA Coach. I have done the RLSS Open Water Lifeguarding qualification and hold a current STA Safety Award for Teachers qualification. In 2020 I trained as an Advanced Oxygen Advantage (breathing) Instructor to help athletes optimise their performance through better functional breathing. I'm fully insured and hold a current Advanced DBS certificate.
I have been an open water swimmer for 17 years, competing in a mix of river, lake, and reservoir swims and team relay triathlons. I completed the 14km Thames Marathon in 2018 from Henley to Marlow. On holiday in July 2020, I swam the 6km "Bantham Swoosh" with some local swimmers in the River Avon and two days later swam the Dart 10k with my family in a support boat. I was booked to do a Channel Relay in June 20/21 but this was cancelled due to Lockdown, so I hope to do this in 2023!
Like many people, my open water swimming journey started as an adult. I hadn't been a member of a swimming club as a child and hadn't been coached as an adult. I muddled my way through numerous open water swim events, loving the freedom and challenge of the outdoors but lacking any open water skills or efficient swimming technique.
I then sought some coaching which improved my stroke by lengthening it and working on my aerobic capacity, but I started getting shoulder pain when training for a 5km swim and had to take a year off swimming and competing. You just think shoulder pain is part of being a competitive swimmer....when you don't know any better!
Having been coached myself and enjoying the process, I was inspired to train as a swim coach. With the explosion of triathlon and open water swimming in the UK, I wanted to work with open water swimmers and improve their technique and efficiency, particularly for distance swimming (400m+). I took the ASA Level 1 coach training, and was an assistant coach at East Grinstead Swimming Club for a couple of years.
I also completed the Level 1 BTF Triathlon Coaching course, as I thought this may be more appropriate for open water swimming. I really enjoyed learning about coaching the three sports and the transition phases, despite not being a runner or cyclist myself due to a congenital knee condition. I have coached adult swim sessions at Crawley Triathlon Club and Junior Triathlon training with KidsTriUK and I currently coach Open Water Skills to adults and children at WeirWood Reservoir. I continued seeking more knowledge about efficient swimming and trained as a Total Immersion coach and then more recently learnt more in-depth knowledge of human joint mechanics and how to assess and teach with this knowledge with Swim Mastery.
The Pool
The pool I coach in is located on a property in the heart of the beautiful Ashdown Forest, in East Sussex. This pool is accessible to swimmers from East and West Sussex, Surrey and Kent. When making an enquiry or booking a session, the pool address and directions will be sent to you.
Your pool-based sessions will be held in a 9mx4m private pool which is 1.2m deep throughout, so no deep end for nervous swimmers to worry about. This is the perfect length pool when working on technique in a highly focused way.
There is easy access in and out of the pool via 5 tiled steps as you can see in the photo. There is an enclosed shower by the pool and three steps with handrails either side leading to an adjoining changing room with ensuite WC for clients to use.
Unlike lessons in a public pool, there will be no distractions from other swimmers or other activities going on. This particularly suits people who lack confidence in their swimming style and usually avoid going swimming as a result.
This privacy also allows us to use video analysis during every session and play back the videos at any time to focus on a particular movement or issue.
Access to the pool building is through a garden via 9 stone steps outside, so is not suitable for wheelchair users or pushchairs/buggies.
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