Meet the Team
Coaching Team
Jon Wills
Performance Director
- Swim England Senior Swimming Coach (Level 3)
- BSc Sports Performance
- Strength and Conditioning Level 3
- Personal Trainer, Sports Massage and Nutritional Adviser
- Open Water swimming coach
Email Jon at p[email protected]
Josh Jobbins
Head Coach
- Swim England Senior Swimming Coach
- Swim England Level 2 Swimming Teacher
- Degree in Sports Science and Coaching
- Coaching Practices Level 3
As Head Coach, Josh oversees all squads throughout the club and the team of coaches. He is responsible for the Gold squad and also provides coaching for Badminton School as part of the club partnership with the school.
Josh swam for 3 clubs across the South West and then for his university, where he was a British university national finalist. He joined Penguins in 2017 as a swimmer and coach before embarking on the role of Head Coach. Josh has taken age group, youth and university swimmers to national level competitions and relishes the challenge of maximising each athlete’s individual potential. During his time in charge, he has helped to lead the continued improvement in the performance of the club by ensuring that a structured, productive and enjoyable training programme is provided to all members.
Fun fact: Josh became one of America’s first flyboard instructors!
Email Josh at Headcoachbsgsc.org
Sarah Cozens
Senior Swimming Coach
- Swim England Senior Swimming Coach
- UKCC Level 3 Swimming Coach (Performance)
- UKCC Level 2 Swimming Teacher
- Degree in Sports Performance
Sarah started swimming from an early age and quickly developed a love for the sport. As a swimmer, she represented Australia internationally, including at the World Championships, Commonwealth Games and the 2004 Olympic Games.
Sarah moved to the UK in 2006 to train and study at the University of Bath, where she began teaching and coaching swimming. Sarah has worked with swimmers of all abilities from learn to swim right through to international level. Sarah enjoys helping swimmers to realise their full potential and developing their love for the sport. Sarah coaches and oversees the Development squads and Bronze squads.
Email Sarah at [email protected]
Ashley Barnett
Swimming Coach
- Swim England Level 2 Swimming coach
- Strength and Conditioning coach
Ashley is lead coach for the junior and development squads at Kingswood. He also assists throughout the whole club. He was a former Western County qualifier with who still trains and still competes when called upon. Ashley is also the lead coach on the pathway programmes for Kingswood.
Email Ashley at [email protected]
Ashleigh Backhouse
Swimming Coach
- Swim England Level 2 Swimming coach
- Swim England Level 2 teacher
Ashleigh has recently joined the team and oversees the Silver, Junior Club 3 and Age Group Club squads. Ashleigh has previously worked as Head of Juniors at Plymouth Leander and Assistant Head Coach at West Dunbartonshire Swimming Club. She has a passion for working with young people.
Email Ashleigh at [email protected]
John-Paul Holmes
Swimming Coach
- Swim England Level 2 Swimming Coach
- Swim England Level 2 Swimming Teacher
Known as JP, for 19 years he was a member and then coach with Portway SC, where he taught and coached swimmers across the whole age range of the club. When Portway merged with Bristol Penguins, he continued to focus on skill development with the junior squads and he oversees the Youth Club and Youth Competitive squads with his trademark challenges and wit. He makes sure that each swimmer progresses along their own swim journey within a team environment.
Fun fact: JP once drove all the way around Europe visiting 16 countries on route.
Email John-Paul at [email protected]
Jessica Clements
Swimming Coach
- Swim England Level 2 Swimming Coach
- Swim England Level 2 Swimming Teacher
- Swim England Level 2 Open Water Coach
- British Swimming Referee
Jess has a wealth of experience in many areas. She oversees the Para squad, Inclusive Learn to Swim, Swim Academy and Age Group Competitive squads. She is also a British Swimming qualified Referee.
Email Jess at [email protected]
Paul Laughey
Swimming Coach
- Swim England Level 2 Swimming Coach
- Diploma in Applied Sports Psychology
Paul became involved with swimming through his own children, and began to help poolside in 2005. Paul continued to develop his coaching skills and took over the age group squad at Soundwell Swimming Club in 2009 and since then has helped develop many swimmers from County to Regional level.
Emma Dodd
Swimming Coach
- Swim England Level 2 Swimming Coach
- Swim England Level 2 Swimming Teacher
Emma is a Level 2 swimming coach, and Learn to Swim Co-ordinator for our Kingswood classes. Emma's three children swim at BSG and she is a passionate supporter of the Club. Emma's volunteering work was recognised in 2021 when she was awarded the South West Regional Engagement Innovation award for her fundraising activities during COVID lockdown. She can be found poolside as co-coach for our Skills Development squad, as well as supporting our Performance Director with the senior squads.
Emma is also the BSG club camp co-ordinator, with many years of experience of organising swimming camps, both home and overseas.
David Cousins
Swimming Coach
- Swim England Level 3 Swimming Coach
David is an experienced Level 3 swimming coach who coaches our Regional Potential squad at Kingswood. David has worked with a variety of Bristol swimming clubs over the years, and brings his considerable experience to our team at Kingswood.
Sophia Staddon
Swimming Teacher
- Swim England Level 1 Swimming Coach
- Swim England Level 2 Swimming Teacher
Sophia has been a part of the coaching team since 2021. She is a former club swimmer and she delivers sessions to the Swim Academy, Development squads, and Club Pathway squads. She really enjoys progressing our younger swimmers as she develops their skills in preparation for competition and higher level swimming.
Email Sophia at [email protected]
Simon Gale
Swimming Coach and Teacher
- Swim England Level 1 Swimming Coach
- Swim England Level 2 Swimming Teacher
Simon has been teaching in our learn to swim programme since 2018, and is a Level 2 swim teacher as well as a Level 1 coach. He was a western counties swimmer in his (much) younger days, and more recently has completed in long distance open water swims such as the Dart 10k and Brownsea island swim, alongside Iron-distance, and half iron-distance triathlons. He is a
keen swim parent too, with a daughter within the squad system.
Other swimming teachers, coaches and poolside helpers
Bristol and South Gloucestershire Swimming club has a large team of volunteer teachers and coaches with many years of experience who all help to deliver the extensive swimming programme.
- Ben Mullen
- Sue Rees
- Clair Silcocks
- Vashti Wyatt
- Helen Giles
- Jason Silcox
- Polly Mullen
- Alex Cox
- Katya Garside
- Amanda Green
- Amelia Garside
- Ali Reza
- Harry Firebrace
- Heather Witcombe
- Alison Dodds
- Millie-Ann Davis
- Olalla Richards
- Bea Long
- Alex Taylor
- James Henniker
- Ultan Palmer
- Ellie Coldicott
- Victoria Crane
- Joseph Shalini
- Joshua Hodey
- Megan Grover
- Kate Andrews
Young Volunteers
We have a number of young volunteers who help support the club on a weekly basis. The two ways for teenagers to formally help is either by signing up to the Swim England Young Volunteers programme or through the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme which is commonly run by many schools. They do a variety of different supported roles poolside and can work with us to become swim coaches and teachers once they are 16.
Committee
Ben Mullen
Chair, swimming teacher and coach
Ben was involved with Bristol Penguins swimming club for over 15 years, and now leads the merged BSG club as Chair. He is an enthusiastic and inspiring teacher and coach and is always looking at ways to improve BSG further. Ben does the strategic planning for the club and a lot of admin work behind the scenes.
Ben was awarded the Swim England Volunteer of the year award in 2021 in recognition of his incredible behind the scenes support to swimming.
Email Ben at [email protected]
Sarah Taylor
Vice Chair
Sarah was chair of Soundwell Swimming Club for 5 years, before taking up the role of Vice Chair in the newly merged BSG club. As a swim parent, she has performed many roles within the club over the years, including competition secretary and open meet organiser. She can be found poolside acting as a Team Manager, or as a J2 swimming official.
Sarah was awarded the Swim England South West Volunteer of the Year in 2024 in recognition of her contribution to Soundwell Swimming Club, as well as going on to receive a Bronze National Award in the same category from Swim England in the same year.
Email Sarah at v[email protected]
Polly Mullen
Administrator, swimming teacher and coach
Polly enjoys teaching the junior swimmers and watching them grow into competent swimmers and move on into the main squads. Polly does a lot of admin work from joining and trials, to replacement sessions to organising galas and meets.
Email Polly at [email protected]
Matt Chubb
Treasurer
A qualified accountant, Matt was Treasurer of Soundwell Swimming Club for 5 years, before becoming Treasurer of the newly merged BSG.
A swim parent, Matt can be found poolside at galas, where is is a qualified swimming official.
Email Matt at [email protected]
Helen Giles
Operations Manager, Treasurer, swimming teacher and coach
Helen’s children both swam with Bristol Penguins and Helen has been helping out with the club for many years. Helen is now the operations mangaer at BSG and as such ensures the club runs smoothly on a day to day basis.
Email Helen at [email protected]
Jeremy Dudley
President, Open meet coordinator
As a pivotal member of the team, Jeremy’s hard work behind the scenes gives the opportunity for swimmers to compete in galas and many other things. Jeremy is also a qualified swimming official.
Email Jeremy at [email protected]
Vashti Wyatt
Secretary
Email Vashti at [email protected]
