Coaches

The ESWIM Board of Directors is very pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Novak as the new Head Coach of ESWIM starting August 1, 2020.

Roberts swimmers have achieved 45 National Age Group Records, 75 Provincial Records (Manitoba/Ontario), a Senior Canadian Record, 3 World Junior Records and 2 Age Group National Titles (2009 & 2011), an Age Group National Womens Title (2016), 12 Jr. Provincial Titles and both Eastern and Western Canadian Titles. He has coached 150+ Provincial Champion swimmers and 30 Single Age National Champions. Robert has received the CSCTA Award for Domestic Excellence for 15 consecutive seasons and has coached many swimmers that have been selected to Provincial Teams, Junior National Teams, Commonwealth Games, World Championships, and Olympic Games.

His accomplishments have been recognized by Swimming Canada which has selected Robert for NACC staff, Australian Tour Teams, Junior Pan Pacific Championships, World Junior Championships and Swimming Canada's Select Coaches Program. Currently pursuing his NCI Level 4 certification, he was selectedtotheCanadianCoachesAssociation2020MentorshipProgram. Roberthasanappreciationfor the development of a strong, progressive program that builds the technical, physical and mental base for performance excellence in the pool while providing a positive overall swim and life experience for swimmers. Motivation and growth of the swimmers, steering them past obstacles is a core strength of his. He also brings the continuous learning and development philosophy to the coaching staff, himself included. We hope you will join us in welcoming Robert back to the ESWIM family. We truly look forward to remaking his acquaintance and continuing ESWIMs legacy of a commitment to excellence.

I feel truly privileged, honoured, and thrilled to be given this opportunity and I cant wait to lead the team intothenextchapterofwhatisaremarkablelegacyinCanadianswimming. MyfamilyandIare extremely excited to move to rejoin the ESWIM family. Im excited to meet our athletes and family members and get right to work - Coach Robert Novak

Brett  started his swimming career right here at the Etobicoke Swim Club, competing for 8 years before moving on to compete for York University.

Brett graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Health Science as well as attaining his Bachelor of Education.  From there he completed his Master of Education in Coaching Studies from the University of Victoria in 2018.

Brett's interest in coaching began at Camp Chikopi, a swim camp in northern Ontario where he has coached since 2009. Brett joined the ESWIM coaching staff in 2012 and has had the privilege to coach athletes up to the Canadian Junior Championship and Eastern time standards, setting 9 Provincial and 7 National Age Group records along the way. 

Athletes that Brett coached have gone on to be named to Junior National, Senior National and Olympic teams.

A product of ESWIM, Brett is a strong believer in well-rounded student-athletes and strives to help each athlete achieve success in and out of the pool.

Brett is looking to coaching the Junior National group this season.

A former High Performance swimmer with the Regina Optimist Dolphins, Coach Kaddache contributed to his Clubs success as consistent Provincial Champions in Saskatchewan for 4 years.  He was a finalist in the 200 butterfly and 400 IM at Canadian Championships, and represented his native Algeria on their National Team for 5 years. 

He began his coaching career coaching younger swimmers at the Dolphins, and in 2019 was selected to coach Team Saskatchewan for the Western Canada Games.  Coach Kaddache has had success training his athletes to qualify for National level competition, as well as Provincial record-breaking.

Petra began her swimming career with ESWIM in the Intro program at the age of 8. Entering the competitive program, she worked her way through the groups over the following years. Having developed an interest in coaching, she transitioned out of the pool and onto the deck in 2011, when she joined the ESWIM coaching staff, and has remained as an important member ever since. Petra has coached various groups within the club, ranging from the Intro program up to the Provincial group. She has also spent many of her summers coaching the ESWIM Camp which has allowed her to train swimmers from around the world.

Having felt first hand the positive effects that competitive swimming can have, Petra is keen to pass on both her knowledge and love for the sport. She believes that sport plays a crucial role in teaching both dedication and discipline, which are important fundamentals that every young athlete should have and are valuable lessons they can take with them into their futures.

With each new season, Petra is looking forward to the next chapter in her coaching career, as she continues to learn alongside the swimmers she coaches.

David began his swimming career at ESWIM in 2006 where he swam competitively for 9 years until he graduated in 2015. He represented ESWIM at the Provincial and Junior National levels, where he medaled at both the Canadian and Jamaican Age Group National Championships. After graduation, David continued to compete at the Varsity level at Laurentian University, eventually becoming the Team Captain. During this time, David completed a Bachelor of Sport and Physical Education, in addition to a Bachelor of Education. David began coaching in Sudbury with the Sudbury Laurentian Masters and Sudbury Laurentian Swim Club. He is honoured to be coaching at his former Club and is very excited to join the ESWIM coaching team this season!

Calise dove into the world of swimming when she began swimming at Lakeshore Swim Club when she was 10. She swam there for five years before making the change over to ESWIM, where she swam for two years. 

Calise's love for coaching began at the beginning of her second season at ESWIM when she was an assistant coach with the Top B group. The younger swimmers and their hardworking attitudes always reminds her of why she admires the sport. She continued to help with the Top B group for two years, and also began coaching in the Intro Program.  She coached Intro level 4 for one season. During the season, she has also found joy in coaching the ESWIM summer camp for two summers, getting to know the variety of swimmers in the club. 

Calise is very excited to be your Advanced Coach!

Elizabeth Skuriat is joining the ESWIM family as the new coach of our Junior A. Elizabeth swam competitively before for the Halton Hills Blue Fins for 10 years as a distance specialist before moving to the east coast to swim for Acadia University while studying kinesiology. During her time at Acadia, Elizabeth was captain of the varsity team for two years and swam at the USports level. She coached for the Halifax Trojans Swim Club for two years while working on her Master's of Science before moving back to Ontario. Elizabeth now works as a research coordinator at Hamilton Health Sciences on cardiology trials. 

Charlie Lewis is joining the ESWIM family as the new coach of our Junior B group. A former High-Performance swimmer of the Etobicoke Swim Club, Coach Lewis shares the ESWIM values of excellence and putting in the right tools in place to succeed and understands ESWIMs focus on the holistic development of the whole student-athlete. Coach Lewiss enthusiasm for the sport and her promotion of a friendly and professional training environment demonstrates her admirable team spirit and collaboration. 

Bianca is yet another ESWIM alumnus who started swimming in Top B at the very young age of 4, working her way through the groups, competing at the National level until she was 17. She began coaching Intro in 2016 where she continues to be an integral member of the Intro coaching staff. Bianca also had opportunities to assist coaching the Top B, Top A and Provincial groups in the past. She is currently embarking on her fourth year at York University majoring in Children, Childhood and Youth Studies with a minor in Psychology as well as being in the Concurrent Bachelor of Education program. Bianca is excited for the upcoming season so that she can utilize her coaching skills, swim experience and her education to support and engage young swimmers in Top B at ESWIM!

Dalen Labayen is joining the ESWIM family as the new coach of our Top C group. TOP C will be the first of our progressive competitive age group levels. There will continue to be a large emphasis on proper stroke technique, as well as a healthy dosage of kicking, balance, coordination, and skill development in the water. Basic interval training will be introduced and will be used to help strengthen and reinforce the key technical aspects of the sport. On the deck, the student-athletes will explore movements in all planes helping develop coordination, athleticism, mobility, and flexibility all of which will lay a strong foundation for our student athletes for years to come. Athletes in TOP C will compete primarily in ESWIM-hosted events and will be between 8 -10 years of age.

His goal as a coach is to teach our swimmers the same sense of dedication, sportsmanship, fundamentals, and team spirit that was instilled in him during his swim career at ESWIM. He hopes to create lifelong student-athletes by equipping them with a passion for the sport and the tools to succeed both in and out of the water.