Find out more about our current coaches

The South West Academy has put together a team of coaches to support athletes in line with it's philosophy of developing the whole athlete.  This means using coaches who specialise and have experience in different areas of the sport.  For more information on the coaches please read below.  It is also worth remembering that the academy is a regional development tool and we are delighted when coaches from around the region come along and see what we get up to.  If you would like to do this please just get in touch with Sarah Kemp to discuss these opportunities further.

Sarah Kemp (BTF High Performing Coach /  Level 3 Coach)

Sarah is the South West Academy Regional Lead and has been working as a coach within the academy set up coaching the best youth and junior athletes in the South West for nearly 10 years. Alongside this role, she has also previously been a Talent Development Coach for British Paratriathlon, head coach with Salisbury Tri Club and works privately with her own group of age-group athletes.  As well as coaching, Sarah is a Principal Adviser in Human Performance Research and Development for the Ministry of Defence. Alongside her academic background in Sport Science and Exercise Phyiosiology, her coaching is strengthened by a desire to continue to develop her own coaching knowledge and experience to ensure that the South West academy provides an environment where every athlete has an opportunity to fulfil their potential within the sport and teach them a bit more about life and most importantly have fun! Having been part of the world class performance programme for figure skating as a teenager,  Sarah is also fully aware of the pressures of performance as a young developing athlete and balancing that with commitments with school, family and friends and other sports. 

Chris Hornung (BTF High Performing Coach /  L3 Coach)

Chris is the lead junior coach at Bristol & District tri club, one of the largest junior clubs in the region.  He’s been coaching juniors for 10 years and has worked with athletes at ENG, regional and club level. Chris been involved in Triathlon for 30 years, first racing in 1995 while in the Royal Marines.  He’s competed as an age group athlete from sprint to Ironman distance and, while coaching is now his main focus, continues to compete when possible.

Chris is a volunteer coach, fitting this in around his role as the MD of a software business.  He’s also been involved in the Pathway process as a parent, with a daughter now at the performance centre in Leeds, so has a clear understanding of the challenges parents face in supporting children through a high performance programme. 

Freddie Webb (BTF Level 2 Coach)

Biography pending

Guest coaches / specialists

The South West Academy strongly support developing the whole athlete and over the last 12 months have been fortunate to have had the support of several additional specialist coaches and professionals including:

• Olly Morris: Mountain Bike skills. Pro Ride MTB (https://www.proridemtb.com/about-us/)
• Prof Martin Jones: Sports / Performance Psychology. Optimising Human Performance (https://www.ophp.co.uk/) 
• Kriss Hendy: Strength & Conditioning Coach. Strength for Endurance (https://www.strengthforendurance.com/)
• Richard Smith: Open Water Swimming. Tribal Triathlon (https://tribaltriathlon.co.uk/)