Our Coaches →

Jon Endeacott – Head Coach

I am super-proud to be the head coach of Hoylake Swimming Club.

I have been involved in swimming all my life. I was once that nervous 7 year-old who joined my local swim club dreaming of one day being Olympic champion. Whilst I fell short of reaching that goal (by some margin!), swimming has provided me with lifelong friendships, many happy memories, and now a busy and enjoyable hobby, and for all that I am super-grateful, both to the sport, and especially to my coaches. I feel so lucky to be now involved with a club that strives to provide those same opportunities to many more young swimmers.

I joined Hoylake as a Masters swimmer back in 1999, and started coaching when my children joined in 2007. I was appointed Head Coach in 2021, and I feel blessed to be part of an amazing team of coaches and volunteers who all have the same goals and motivations for the club and our swimmers.

Our aim is to provide a positive, supportive, respectful and fair environment for all our members, to allow them not only to reach their potential in the pool, but also to grow in confidence, resilience, and to learn the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship. With limited pool time, we are super-proud of the number of Hoylake swimmers who are competing at county and regional level. But I am especially proud to see how many of our swimmers remain involved in the sport throughout their teenage years and beyond.

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I am passionate about adopting a “Skills-First” approach to coaching competitive swimming development. I believe that it is crucial to get stroke-technique and skills nailed early, and then to develop endurance and speed over time, while maintaining ingrained, sound technique.

I am keen to foster strong collaborative relationships with other local swim clubs, as well as swim schools and performance squads, and to help maximise the provision and development of swimming activities in the Wirral community.

Why do I coach?

✔️ It’s seeing the joy and pride on swimmers’ faces when they get a new PB, win their first medal, gain their first county time, or manage their first flip turn or dive.

✔️ It’s being there to support them when they step out of their comfort zone or when they need someone to listen.

✔️ It’s seeing swimmers making new friends, cheering each other on, congratulating others’ success, and supporting teammates through disappointment.

✔️ It’s watching swimmers grow from nervous 8 year-olds, arriving on poolside for their first session, into experienced, confident, mature young adults, full of qualities that their swimming has helped to develop and which will help them on their journey.

✔️ It makes me happy!

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Sam Maher – Assistant Head Coach

Moving to the Wirral & being surrounded by water my parents were keen for us all to learn to swim, neither being swimmers themselves, so off we went to WKC for swim lessons……not long after both my brother & myself had completed all the levels available, so my mum asked what was the next step, to which the council swim teacher replied there were two local clubs, West Kirby or Hoylake! I am so pleased my mum chose the latter…….joining at age 7, I started with Hoylake and what a journey this has been. My dad has recorded my first swim session as early Feb 1980, and could honestly tell you every swim meet I was involved with thereafter!

Like many others I was that nervous young swimmer, qualifying for counties at age 10u but not wanting to swim there on my own! Hoylake was and always has been an extremely welcoming & nurturing club. I loved swimming as a team and remember many happy journeys on coaches to swim meets in Wales & Cheshire … playing pool upstairs after training. Lifelong friendships made and many happy memories……. throughout my competitive younger years with the club I was privileged to have trained under some amazing coaches – all of which volunteered every week to be there for us on our swimming journey. In the early years I was able to participate in synchronised swimming, which gave me invaluable skills in catching the water, as well as life saving.

At the time of joining, it’s hard to believe now but Hoylake was the weakest club on the Wirral, coming last in the Peninsula league. With a core group of individuals a five year plan was introduced and a restructure of the groups was achieved (not dissimilar to what we have today) – the result: we went from last to top – hence the pride we all had seeing the signage at the end of the shallow end to declare Hoylake as Peninsula Champions!

So 45 years later I am still here, an active competitive master swimmer since probably 2000 (with time out for having my two children), and more recently a triathlete. Sport and staying active for life is a huge part of who I am.

My coaching career started as my daughter, joined Bronze in Nov 2013. Soon after I took my L1 Assistant Coaching qualification. My son joined in 2017….. and I continued helping with Bronze and Silver. I absolutely loved getting to know all the new swimmers and trying to ease their nerves. When Covid hit, I helped along with my husband and all the coaching team to get us back in the water. During this time I also took my L2 Swim Coach qualification and started to take our younger Blues group. Supporting them as well as some of our squad swimmers through this difficult re-adjustment. Due to time commitments I stopped coaching the lower groups and focused on Blues and Masters which I continue to do. I have been coaching for 12 years and absolutely love it….. seeing the swimmers progress and be a part of their swimming journey is amazing. With record numbers of county and regional qualifiers as well as some competing at Scottish Nationals we continue to achieve as a club. We focus on quality above quantity throughout the groups. We are an inclusive club and recognise other sports and as such support our swimmers in these disciplines (including at the time of writing: GB qualifiers in biathle, trialthlon, modern pentathlon, speed walking, gymnastics, trampolining and professional football). All have been helped by great stamina in the pool.

There is nothing more rewarding than being a coach and being involved. I am so proud to be able to give back to a club that I honestly love and to be given Assistant Head Coach is a privilege. So many special people make this club, once involved you are instantly part of the family……I don’t think I could ever leave or ever want to. As you can see from the photos and bio’s the coaching team is becoming stronger than ever, with a variety of different sporting backgrounds, this can only take Hoylake on to a new chapter of success!

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Annabel Underwood – Academy Lead Coach

Hi, I’m Annabel and I coach Hoylake’s two youngest groups, Bronze and Silver.

I started coaching in 2006 when my children joined the club. Other than an occasional foray into Gold, I have stuck to these technique-focused groups, as this is where my experience lies.

I have run my own swim school in the past and have taught for several others over the years. I currently teach for two based at Calday Pool and really enjoy seeing the children progress from lessons to lane swimming to club.

I swam for Hoylake myself as a teenager (as evidenced by several black and white photos) and continue to try and practise what I preach in Masters. I have been delighted to give back a bit to the club, as it has over the years provided fitness and great friendships for me and my family……I even met my husband at a swimmer’s wedding !

Lisa Fountain

I started volunteering at HASC as a Team Manager in 2012, helping out at galas when my children were swimming. I then moved onto helping poolside and I have been a Level 2 Swim Coach sinch 2017. I currently coach Reds every Tuesday.

It is rewarding to see swimmers make progress and to know that for so many of them swimming will always be a part of their life as a result of the time spent at HASC!

Tricia Birch

I’ve been a swim coach since 2019 and currently coach the Golds and Yellows group at Hoylake ASC on a Friday night, with occasional sessions across Blues, Reds, Masters – and very occasionally, Silvers.

I’ve also been officiating since 2018 and am now a qualified J2 official. Many may know me better as ‘Rubaidh’s mum,’ but I’m also proud to serve as Chair of the club’s committee.

I’m passionate about swimming and supporting community sport through volunteering. And who knows – one day, I might even take the plunge and swim myself!

Tim Ryan

I have coached at Hoylake since 2012, and hold a L 2 coaching qualification.

I started swimming in Southampton SC, before turning to water polo. I played coached and managed teams from local, county, bucs levels. I played all over the world, and at many levels ranging from hotel pools to national league. I still swim and splash about with the masters. I try to help with some of the club’s more exciting administrative functions.

Christine Fisher

I’ve been a coach with Hoylake for more than 30 years. I’ve seen a lot of organisational changes, but the enthusiasm I encountered in all members from the youngest to the oldest has never changed.

I’ve never been a competitive swimmer myself (I was an enthusiastic Netball Player), but I became involved because both of my daughters were very keen and I’ve never been much good at just sitting on the sidelines.

I ran my own Swim school at Caldy Pool for 20 years and Freya Anderson an Olympic Gold Medallist and Hoylake swimmer, learned to swim with us.

Most of the coaching I’ve done over the years has been at the Silvers to Yellows level. I currently coach with Golds.

I ran the Development team for many years, which was a lot of fun. I’m also a qualified Timekeeper and Judge.
Although competition is really important to the club, I’ve always felt that our main achievement, is to turn out people who are going to enjoy swimming for the rest of their lives.

Natalie Davies

I have been part of Hoylake Swimming Club since I was 8 when I joined Bronzes. Now, 14 years later, I’m still here and swim in Masters.

I really enjoyed being a part of Hoylake, not just the swimming but also making lots of friends. So much so that I decided to start volunteering in 2019 where I initially helped Annabel with Silvers. I loved it and quickly qualified as a coach.

I like passing on the fun I had in my own swimming sessions to the new swimmers in the club. Now I coach Golds every Saturday and you can also see me at galas as an official!

Helen Pinnington

I have been involved with Hoylake ASC for 30+ years, when my sons joined Hoylake. My roles over the years have been Team Manager for Open Meets, Member of the Committee for a number of years, Qualified Time Keeper, Recorder at Competitions, Organising West Wirral Schools Gala. I currently coach Silvers and cover Golds

Ange Endeacott

TBC

Dave Johnson

TBC

Matt James

I have coached at Hoylake for 12 years and currently coach yellows. I swam at national level as a teenager for my home club City of Southampton SC.

Swimming will always be part of my life and I continue to swim in the Hoylake Masters group.

Andy McGivern

TBC

Steve Webb

I have a sports background in rugby, with many years as a player, coach and referee.

My passion for swimming began in 2024 when I began supporting my daughter in her swim journey at Hoylake.

With the support of the club, I’ve translated my rugby experience over to swimming and have quickly become qualified as a level 2 swim official and a level 1 coach and I regularly support the coaching team with the Golds, Yellows and Masters groups.

Jo Yorke

I joined HASC at the age of six and it is the source of many happy childhood and teenage memories. Swimming has been something I’ve rediscovered on and off ever since and I continue to love being in the water and swimming with HASC Masters. I do still compete although mainly in SwimRun and Triathlon events.
I joined the Assistants and Coaches team in 2023 and completed level 1 training in 2024. This has given me the opportunity to give a little bit back in lieu of all the wonderful people who have supported my swimming over the years. My daughter Isla swims in the club and I help across multiple groups.

Paul Skipper

I am a L1 Swim Coach | L1 Triathlon Coach | Certified Triathlon Super Geek.

My journey into coaching at Hoylake started when I met our Head Coach Jon during lane swimming at Calday. In 2024, while sidelined by injury and with my own triathlon training scaled back, he encouraged me to qualify as a swim coach — even before my daughter had joined the club! Clearly, he had plans for me at Hoylake. Unbeknown to him I hatched my own plan to infiltrate Hoylake to secretly recruit triathletes! Instead I’ve ended up falling for swimming and I’m really enjoying coaching at the club.

When not coaching Bronze or Silvers I can be found helping out at galas, fitting some of my own training in or trying in vain to coach triathletes to try a stroke other than front crawl or to ditch the pull buoy!

Sport has so much to offer — physically, mentally, and socially. At HASC, my experience has been of a club where everyone is committed to create a really positive and healthy environment for young (and young at heart) swimmers to train and develop. Something I’m proud to be part of.

Andrew Playfer

I started swimming coaching at the start of 2025 and qualified as a level 1 Assistant Coach in March 2025.

I’m also a qualified athletics and football coach and a sports enthusiast. My daughter currently swims in Golds and I support the senior coaches in weekly sessions and at galas.

Charlotte Wainwright

Since swimming my first mile at 5 years old, I haven’t really stopped! I swam competitively for Bolton Metro and Wigan Wasps in my teenage years and competed at national level – My event was 200m butterfly – Someone has to do it, right?!

I continued swimming whilst at Bath University and when I graduated in 2004, I did my level 1 assistant teacher & level 2 swim teaching qualifications and taught swimming to adults and children. I absolutely loved teaching swimming, but when I started my career in the NHS in 2009 teaching had to take a back seat.

My daughter seems to be following in my footsteps with her passion for swimming and I was able to pick-up teaching again when she joined the club in 2024 and I coach the group my daughter swims in (Golds.) I find it very rewarding seeing the swimmers progress and achieve their goals. Swimming will always be a passion of mine and I continue to swim in the Hoylake Masters group.

Dave Owens

TBC

Pete Gallienne

Learning to swim from a young age, I spent most weekends in the pool in my early years and have always felt at home in the water.

As many young swimmers find, this led me to becoming a lifeguard, a great introduction into the world of employment. From there, it was a natural evolution to become an Assistant Swim Teacher, where I spent a few years helping children to learn and develop their basic swim skills, as well as working with adults to overcome their fear of water. The sense of pride and accomplishment that this brought was fantastic.

Swimming took an extended backseat while I focussed on career, but it soon became a priority in 2019 when my eldest child joined H.A.S.C. It wasn’t long before I found myself offering support to the more experienced coaches, helping the groups that my own children have swum in (Bronze, Silvers, Golds, Yellows & Reds), and it has, and continues to be, a pleasure to be part of a team that is so passionate about swimming.

The ethos of the club and the culture that all the volunteers foster, really do make it feel like an extension to the family. As my eldest children work their way up into the more advanced groups, I look forward to returning to working with the entry-level groups when my youngest are ready to join.

If you’re thinking of volunteering, don’t hesitate to get involved. You won’t regret it

Darren Jones

I started swimming with the Guernsey Swimming Club at the age of 5 and have never been far from the water ever since! From an early age, butterfly became my main stroke – mainly because I quickly realised that with fewer competitors, medals were easier to come by! I can’t have been too shabby though as I made it to County Championships a few times, and was even picked for the island team on several occasions.

I was also an enthusiastic open water swimmer, taking part in the club’s summer bay swim series and for many years holding the record for swimming between Guernsey and the neighbouring island of Herm.

When I moved away from the island I continued swimming competitively whilst studying at University of Bath and then in London before moving to the Wirral and joining HASC Masters at the same time as by daughter joined the club in Bronze. I haven’t ventured back to open water swimming though – the sea up here is too cold for me!

It wasn’t long before I started assisting with some of the Bronze and Silver sessions, hopefully passing on some of the knowledge gained in more than 4 decades of swimming experience to a new generation of swimmers. Currently I can mostly be found on poolside during Yellows sessions. I still compete regularly and as well as coaching, I am a qualified time keeper and team manager.

Jon Endeacott – Head Coach

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