Head Coach - Justin Bell
Head Coach
Primary Squads: High Performance and High Performance Transition Squads.
Justin Bell is Surrey Park’s Head Coach. He is an experienced Silver Licence Coach who has coached swimmers to compete successfully at State National and International levels. Justin is the primary coach of Surrey Park’s High Performance and High Performance Transition squads.
Justin rejoined Surrey Park’s Coaching Team as National Age Coach in May 2019. He had spent much of his previous ‘swimming life’ at Surrey Park, initially as a successful swimmer who went on to compete at National level, then as an assistant coach working primarily with the Club’s more Junior State-level swimmers. He is also a member of a 3rd generation Surrey Park family.
Justin’s skills as a coach were recognized outside the Club and the State and he was given the opportunity to move to Queensland and broaden his coaching knowledge and experience; also to work with more senior, as well as junior athletes.
During the time in Queensland Justin’s coaching career as a coach prospered. He was selected as an Australian Team Coach for the Australian Junior Pan Pacs 2018 Team and was the coach of swimmers selected for this team in both 2018 and 2019.
Some of Justin’s other coaching achievements include:
– Primary Coach of Victorian National Age Finalists and medal winners
– Victorian State Teams coach in 2021 and 2020
– National Age Squad Coach of the Rackley Club and Lead Coach at St Joseph’s College, Brisbane
– Primary Coach of a number of Queensland National Age Finalists and medal winners
– Queensland State Teams coach in 2017
– Numerous Queensland State Finalists
Anthony Di Petta
Senior Coach
Primary Squads: State Performance and State Junior Squads
Anthony Di Petta is a Bronze licenced swim coach who joined Surrey Park’s coaching team in 2021. He has been in the Aquatics industry for 14 years having started off as a Learn To Swim instructor and progressing on to coaching junior swimmers. His most recent role was as Assistant coach at Ruyton Girls’ School.
Anthony holds a Swimming Australia Development Coach Licence (Bronze) and has completed a Diploma in Health Science.
Elijah Gatica
Senior Coach
Primary Squads: National Age Performance and National Target Squads
Elijah is a Development Licenced Coach. Elijah was originally from Canberra. He competed at National level and then later became Head Coach at the Ginninderra Swimming Club. Elijah’s most recent coaching position has been on the Sunshine Coast at St Andrews Swimming Club. There he worked in a National Development role as well as an assistant to the High Performance squad coach working closely with current Australian Team members.
Elijah will work across all of the National squads but will initially spend most of his time with the National Target Squad to assist in developing the next generation of National-level Surrey Park athletes.
Matt Burns
Lead Junior Coach
Primary Squads: State Development and Junior Squads
Matt competed for Surrey Park as a State Level swimmer in both pool and open events for a number of years. He also qualified to swim at the Australian Open Water Championships. In addition, Matt has worked as a Teacher in Surrey Park’s Learn to Swim program. More recently he started coaching the Club’s Junior Squads. He holds a Swimming Australia Development Coach Licence (Bronze).
As Surrey Park’s Lead Junior Coach, Matt oversees the whole junior squad program on behalf of the Head Coach, and also assists with the co-ordination of the transition of swimmers from learn to swim into the Club’s Junior Squad Program.
Michael Goff
Senior Coach
Primary Squads: Open Performance and State Target Squad
Michael is a Bronze Licenced Coach. He has been involved in sports and fitness programs over the last 12 years. He also has a Certificate III and IV in Fitness Training. During the past few years Michael’s emphasis has been on activation and rehabilitation, particularly in swimming.
Michael is the primary coach of both Surrey Park’s Open Performance and State Target Squads. He also assists with coaching of the Club’s other squads. In addition he is helping with the development and training of instructors who work in Surrey Park’s learn to swim program.
Assistant Coaches
Anna Orelli
Anna is a current Surrey Park athlete who trains with our Open Performance Squad. She is an exceptional athlete working diligently towards Nationals times by completing eight swim sessions and three gym sessions a week. She is an experienced learn to swim instructor and coach who assists our Club’s Junior and State State Development squads. Her experience and work ethic, make her a great role model for the Surrey Park’s younger swimmers.
Anthony Lin
Anthony holds a Swimming Australia Development Coach Licence (Bronze). He has extensive swimming experience and is an athlete in our High Performance Squad. This experience, coupled with Anthony’s fun attitude and attention to detail, ensure sessions are fun and our younger squad swimmers learn and grow to the best of their ability. Anthony works closely with our Lead Junior Coach and assists with coaching the Club’s Junior and State State Development squads.
Chris Tang
Chris holds a Swimming Australia Development Coach Licence (Bronze) and has worked for Surrey Park Swimming for many years starting out in Surrey Park’s Learn to Swim Program. Chris continues to teach and coach as a Swimming Instructor, Lead Instructor, and Learn to Swim Development Squad coach. Chris’s work ethic and gentle nature, coupled with his presence across both Surrey Park’s Learn to Swim program and Club squads, help our swimmers be as prepared as possible for their Club swimming journey. Chris assists with coaching the Club’s Junior Squads.
Hamish McDougall
Hamish holds a Swimming Australia Development Coach Licence (Bronze). Hamish has been in the Surrey Park family for most of his swimming life. He has extensive experience as a former Surrey Park High Performance swimmer and current surf lifesaver. Hamish has exceptional Open Water experience and recently went with the Surrey Park Open Water team to Queensland and will head away to Hamish works closely with the Head Coach and assists with different squads across the Club.
Jazmyn Kursidim
Jazmyn swam with Surrey Park Swimming since she was a pre-schooler and progressed through our program to compete as a State Level swimmer. She competed with Surrey Park for a number of years and was even a State finalist! She has works as a teacher and Lead Instructor in the Surrey Park Swimming, Learn to Swim program, and coaches our Junior Squads alongside our Lead Junior Coach. Jazmyn has first hand understanding of the technique and training standards upheld in all of the Club’s squads and pathways.
Qiao Ning Huang
Qiao holds a Swimming Australia Development Coach Licence (Bronze). She is a secondary school teacher with a passion for teaching and coaching swimming. Qiao assists with coaching of the Club’s Junior Squads and also works in Surrey Park’s Learn to Swim program.
Strength and Conditioning Coach
LACHLAN BUTLER
Lachie’s extensive experience in physical performance coaching spans the last decade, across a wide range of sports and organizations. His contributions include working with professional basketball, elite-level football, track and field, and professional cricket. His commitment to high standards of physical performance has been further strengthened by his own athletic career, notably playing in the Victorian Football League (VFL), which has significantly shaped his coaching philosophy and deepened his understanding of athlete development.
Academically, Lachie lectures on strength and conditioning across multiple universities. Lachie holds a Master of High Performance Sport degree, along with Level 2 qualifications from both the Australian Strength and Conditioning Association and the Australian Weightlifting Federation.
Lachie is driven to serve committed athletes in their pursuits of becoming exceptionally strong, powerful and enduring, both in performance and in character. He remains persistent at helping those at Surrey Park Swimming Club in this way.
Club Squad Enquiry
Our Strength and Conditioning Coach, Lachie, talks about the Surrey Park team and our plans for the future.
