Tom Shackel - Head Coach

Coach@Riptides.ca     

Tom has experience coaching all levels of Riptides swimmers from learn-to-swim to novice and up to national level competitors. Before coming to the Bow Valley, he was a swim coordinator for a swim school in the UK and has been teaching and coaching since he was 16, when he transitioned out of competitive swimming and into teaching.

• NCCP Senior Coach – In Training
• NCCP certified Advanced Age Group Coach
• NCCP certified Fundamentals Coach
• Selected to and completed 2017 Swim Alberta Futures Coaches Program
• Selected as a coach for the 2018 Alberta Summer Games

This will be Coach Tom’s 10th year with the Riptides. Tom tries to bring a unique approach to the club as a whole valuing all the athletes through all the programs. Tom insists on taking a teaching approach while on deck and thinks young swimmers should be taught the ‘how/what/when/where/why’ of all the strokes & skills. By doing this, they’ll develop good habits that will translate to success in their long-term development and journey as a competitive swimmer.

Kim Kabesh - Assistant Coach & Swim School Co-Ordinator

Kim@Riptides.ca

Kim has lived in Canmore since 2011 and started teaching and lifeguarding at the Rec centre and continues to teach and guard at elevation place. She swam competitively for the SilverTide swim club and was ranked nationally and internationally for 200 fly. Kim attended the University of Nevada on a swimming scholarship and graduated with a Bachelor of science degree in Health Ecology. Her knowledge and experience from teaching lessons, training instructors, and being involved in the sport for over 14 years gives her a unique perspective and a new excitement for coaching. 

• NCCP certified Fundamentals Coach
• NCCP certified Swim Instructor
• Lifesaving society instructor/swim instructor
• Swam competitively for 14 years and attended University of Nevada on swim scholarship.
• Teaching swimming lessons since 2010

Josh Gray- Assistant Coach 

Josh@Riptides.ca 

Josh swam competitively for 14 years in England, competing up to national level. Still passionate about swimming, Josh now prefers to channel and direct his love for the sport to the next generation of swimmers. Josh moved to Canmore in 2022 after 5 years of being an elementary school teacher in England and is excited to continue his teaching journey in Canada. Having graduated from the University of Bedfordshire with a degree in Sports and Exercise Science, Josh then continued his education by completing a PGCE in Primary Education with a specialism in Physical Education. In addition to this, he also has over 6 years of lifeguard experience.

• NCCP certified Fundamentals Coach