Artistic Swimming Coaching Team

Head coach - Lou Skidmore                                

 

 

 

Squad

Coach

bio

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15+ competitive

Louise Skidmore

Junior European Silver Medallist 1990 – Duet and Team

Won the National Team Championships with Bristol Central numerous times.

National Duet Champion with Maria in 1990

Competed for Junior and Senior GB 1986-1992

Competed in the 1991 World Championships in Perth Australia – Duet and Team

Competed in the 1991 Pre Olympic Games in Barcelona

Winner of The Holland trophy – 1990 Awarded to the swimmer with the highest total of routine scores - solo, duet and free routine.

Gloucester County 400m and 800m Freestyle Champion 1986

Started coaching for City of Bristol 2017.  Have achieved podium results since then.  Including Gold at the 2019 National Age Group Championships, Free Team and Gold at the 2019 Scottish National Age Group Championships, Free Team.

2013 Swam the English Channel

2014 Swam the length of Lake Windermere

I started swimming and synchro at the age of 10years to help control my Asthma.

Maria and I use to giggle a lot during duet training and often told off!!!

13-15 competitive

Ange Boitsidis 

I started synchro at the age of 7 competing for Walsall Synchro Club and finally retired at the grand old age of 25! During that time, I competed at all levels including Internationally at Junior and Senior levels. Since returning to Synchro as a coach I have gained my level 2 artistic swimming coaching certificate and am a Certified Alixa Flexibility Coach. I also swim Masters Artistic Swimming as well!! We are all swimming mad in my family too: My father coached the GB Junior Water Polo team (a long time ago now!), my mother was GB Artistic Swimming team manager, my brother used to play water polo and now is a swimming coach for Walsall, and my sister used to do Synchro, and is now involved with Water polo too. Oh – and my Daughter is also a member of the squad!! 

 

I also swam with Louise for many years too as part of GB. Lots of happy memories (and some shared miserable ones of early mornings at Crystal Palace!!)

 

A few of my achievements for you: 

  • European Junior Team Champions: 1984
  • GB Junior Solo and Duet: 1985
  • GB Junior Duet: 1986
  • GB Junior Team: 1984-1986. 
  • GB Senior Squad: 1987 – 1995. 
  • World Championships 1991: 8th
  • European Cup Bronze: 1995. 
  • National Junior Champion: 1984
  • National Duet Bronze: 1987
  • 12u National Silver: 1983
  • 13-14 National Silver: 1985
  • Regional Solo Champion 1986 to 1996
  • Regional Duet Champion: 1985 to 1996
  • Regional team champions: 1982 to 1996. 

 

Masters: 

  • World Masters 2019: Solo Bronze
  • European Masters 2018: Team Gold, Combo Gold
  • National Masters: 2018, 2019: Solo Gold
  • National Masters 2019: Duet Gold
  • National Masters 2019: Team Gold, Combo Gold. 

 

Coaching Achievements: 

  • Combo Cup: 12u Div 1 Gold (2019), 15u Div 1 Silver (2019). Part of winning Combo Cup squad for Reading. 
  • National Champs 2018: Senior Tech Solo Bronze. Tech Duet 6th
  • National Age groups 2019: 13-15 Combo Silver, 12u Solo Bronze. 
  • National Champs Duet Bronze: 1997. 

13+ combo

Laura Perry

I began my synchro career at Witney and District Synchronised Swimming Club when I was 9 years old.
 

I continued to swim and eventually coach there until I was 18 when I moved to Bristol to attend university. In February 2019,

 

I began coaching at City of Bristol Aquatics. Alongside my work as a coach, I am also training to compete as a Masters artistic swimmer.

12 & u competitive

Tricia Maggs

At age 19 I qualified for the Senior GB Synchro Squad and competed for 3yrs. Including taking part in the pre Olympics at UCLA in 1984.

 

When I retired at 22yr from competing internationally I started to help coach at the club in between travelling and performing in professional aqua shows.

 

I have coached many girls to international level and trained in Canada and Italy.

 

During this time I was also  GB  junior coach for 3yrs taking the squad to the junior Europeans and the duet to the Junior world championships.

 

Choreography is my passion, every team I have coached has meddled. I love the process of developing a routine to suit the girls I'm working with.

12 & u development

Paula Brand

I have been a coach at COB for 7 years within that time I have trained as a tutor delivering courses to aspiring artistic swimming coaches across the country. 
 

I am a level 3 judge and am looking to qualify as a referee for my next step. I swam for a number of years reaching regional junior soloist, and competing with the then Bristol Central senior team winning the redwood trophy at Nationals. 
 

I made the Rio Olympic duet costumes, and I paint with watercolours in my spare time

Starter synchro

Paula Brand

As above