SWIMMING COACHING TEAM
MARTIN LITTLEFAIR (HEAD COACH)
Email: [email protected]
Having started swimming from a young age Martin has been swimming for many years starting at club level all the way through up to international level representing England on 2 different occasions. Amongst these achievements he made multiple appearances at County, Regional, and National level standard competitions, was the first male swimmer in Dorset to break the 4:00 barrier for 400 freestyle as well as being a member of the Swansea ITC ( International training centre) between 2010 -2012.
Martin has been a member of Seagulls swimming club since 2014 starting of as a voluntary coach helping out before taking over as the assistant head coach 6 months later. Fast forward 3 years and gap year travelling he became head coach at the end of 2017. Martin's aim is to help push every swimmer to be the best they can be as well as enjoying the process and experiences that are made.
Qualifications
- ASA LVL 1 & LVL 2 Swimming Coach
- Swim England - LVL 3 Senior Swimming Coach
- Swim England - LVL 2 Open Water Swimming Coach
- ASA LVL 1 Swim Teacher
- Sports and Exercise Science - LVL 3
- AASE - Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence
- Sports Coaching Award - LVL 2 & HSLA
- Sports and Exercise Science LVL 3
- Swim England Land Based Coach
Coaching Experience
- Head Coach Seagulls Swimming club since 2017
- Over 10 Years Coaching Experience
- Dorset Inter County - Assistant Coach - 2018
- Dorset Inter County - Head Coach - 2022
- Swim England Dorset County Pathway - Skills Coach 2015
- Swim England Dorset County Pathway - Head Coach - 2022-23 / 2023 - 24
- Swim England South West Regional Pathway - Skills Coach - 2022-23
- Swim England National Age Group Pathway - Skills Coach 2023-2024 / 2024 - 2025
- Swim England National Age Group Pathway -Head Coach - 2025
- Swim England Natioanl Youth Development - Coach - 2025 - 2026
- Coached County, Regional & National Medalists
ANAND VAITHILINGAM ( LEAD COACH )
Anand started learning swimming very young due to his unique learning style / energy that found himself proceed into club swimming as well. As a swimmer Anand managed to compete at a county level and also played Water Polo in which he was part of the national training at Millfield school.
With the multiple sports that Anand has experienced over the years he has worked with many amazing coaches and has learnt a lot from these coaches to be able to adapt his sessions to swimmers that he coaches to get the very best out of each swimmer.
Qualifications
- Swim England - Teaching Aquatics LvL 1
- Swim England - Teaching Aquatics LvL 2
- Swim England - Coaching Aquatics - Lvl 1
- Swim England - Swim Coach Award (Lvl 2)
Coaching Experience
- Over 10 years of Coaching ranging from - Teaching / 1-2-1s / Club Swimming & Masters
- Pregulls Lead Coach for over 5 years
- Development in Pregulls has been able to double in size since taking over
- Swim England Dorset County Pathway - Skills coach - 2022-23
- Swim England South West Regional Pathway - Skills Coach - 2023-24
ABI WALES (LEAD COACH)
Abi has been swimming from a young age, joining Seagulls Swim Club in 2010 and progressing her swimming through to County level for the first time in 2013, attending the Dorset County Championships each year. As well as swimming, Abi also competed in diving and took part in the National Skills finals in 2016, and completed her Level 1 qualification in diving coaching in 2017. Abi swims in the Seagulls Masters squad and competed at the Dorset Masters competition in 2024.
Abi has been coaching since completing her Swim Coaching Level 1 in 2017. She is also a Level 1 & 2 qualified swim teacher and has taught at local leisure centres from 2018-2025. She joined the club as a volunteer coach in 2022 after graduating university, and has since completed her Level 2 in Swim Coaching in 2024 and is now a full-time coach at Seagulls. Her goal is to encourage swimmers to pursue and train to their best, and support swimmers in competing and enjoying participating in swimming.
Qualifications
- ASA Swim Teacher Level 1 & 2
- ASA Swim Coach Level 1 & 2
- ASA Diving Coach Level 1
Coaching Experience
- 3 years of Coaching Experience
- 7 years of Swim Teaching Experience
- Swim England Dorset County Pathway - Skills coach - 2024-25
- Swim England South West Regional Pathway - Skills Coach - 2025-26
SHANNON MCNEILLY (LEAD COACH)
- STA Award in Teaching Swimming
- STA Certificate in Teaching Swimming
- Swim England Assistant Swimming Coach
- Swim England Swimming Coach
- Swim England Official Timekeeper
- RLSS National Pool Lifeguard Qualification
- STA and Swim England Rookie Lifeguard Instructor
- STA Junior Medic Instructor
- Coach – Seagulls Swimming Club (2025–Present)
- Assistant Coach – Seagulls Swimming Club (2024–2025)
- Volunteer – Seagulls Swimming Club (2022–2024)
- Volunteer – Local Learn to Swim Programmes (2019–2022)
- Swim England Dorset County Pathway Coach (2025)
EVE GOLDSACK (LEAD COACH)
Eve started swimming with Seagulls when she was 10 and fell in love with the sport. She worked her way through the squads which allowed her to compete at County, Regional and National level. Eve took some time out from swimming to go to university and travel. Once she had graduated from Loughborough University, Eve knew she wanted to be involved in the sport again so returned to coaching. Eve’s aim as a coach is to inspire a love for the sport and get as many people to enjoy swimming as possible.
Qualifications
- Swim England - Assistant Coach Award (Lvl 1)
- Swim England - Swim Coach Award ( Lvl 2)
Coaching Experience
- Multiple years coaching within seagulls
- Swim England Dorset County Pathway - Skills coach - 2023-24
KATE REDFERN (LEAD COACH)
Kate was a competitive club swimmer, reaching Regional level and swimming abroad as part of a German exchange program. She founded the University of Plymouth Swimming and Waterpolo club taking part in Student Nationals and continuing into Masters Nationals. As a teenager she also ventured into open water swimming, competing in the Plymouth Interclub Breakwater Relay, an event that now boast over 300 individual swimmers. In early 2000 Kate, started competing in more open water events including Nationals, a Channel relay and her first 10km swim around Passage Island in Vancouver. Since 2018 she has enjoyed cold water swimming all year round.
Kate has always wanted to enter the world of coaching and when her family moved back from Vancouver and joined Seagulls it became a reality. She wants to share her love of swimming, encourage swimmers to be the best they can and enable them to build the long-lasting friendships like she still has today.
Qualifications
- · ASA Swimming Teacher
- SE Assistant Swimming Coach (Lvl 1)
- · SE Swimming Coach (Lvl 2)
Coaching Experience
- · Swim teacher in the late 90s ranging from babies to adults
- · 18 months coaching experience with Seagulls. Supporting Competitive Pathway, County Pathway and Masters, and generally helping out where needed
- · Swim England Dorset County Pathway - Skills Coach 2025-26
LIBBY BELL (LEAD COACH)
Libby has always loved swimming, learning to swim at a young age and becoming a club swimmer in London. When her boys were young, she decided to change careers from being in the Police and was drawn back to swimming. Qualifying as a Swimming teacher in 2013 She has taught swimming at all levels, from ‘Mum and Babies’ Preschool, Learn to Swim, School swimming to competitive swimming for private swim schools and classes at David Lloyd.
Swimming Qualification
- STA Swimming Teaching Award
- STA Swimming Teaching Certificate
- STA Swimming Teaching Baby and Preschool
- STA School Swimming
- SE Assistant Swimming Coach
- SE Swimming Coach (Lvl 2)
Libby has over 10 years of coaching experience having started as a volunteer coach at Seagulls with Pregulls in 2013 and has moved up through squads the club alongside her sons and now assists and cover coaches for all squads. Libby loves taking the Swimmers to meets and Galas of all levels from Novice leagues to Regional level.
