Winter 2025 Coaches
Brett
Head Coach
Raised in Victoria, Brett enters his first season with the Piranhas after coaching with Island Swimming Club for the previous 8 years.
A certified NCCP level 1 coach, Brett has been fortunate to coach all ages and skill levels, ranging from the first strokes in the water to coaching national athletes with the Claremont Sports Institute (CSI) swimming program. Brett will be pursuing a post-baccalaureate Education degree in the fall with the University of Victoria after completing a Bachelor of Commerce in 2022.
Brett always brings positivity and energy to the pool deck, and wants to encourage athletes to love the sport of swimming.
Pyper
Coach
Hi everyone, my name is Pyper and I’m super excited to be coaching with the Piranhas!
I grew up swimming and competing until I graduated highschool, and have loved continuing my involvement in the sport through coaching. I am level 1 certified through CSCA, and I coached winter swimming with Island Swimming Club for around 4 years in both the junior and competitive pool. I took a break from coaching this winter to focus on school, and am so happy to be back on deck this summer.
This will be my second summer coaching with Piranhas, and I am super stoked to be in the junior pool! I believe that swimming should be fun and engaging, and the junior pool is a great place to get creative while teaching the fundamentals of swimming. I love that each swimmer brings unique energy and personality to practice, and I am pumped to work with them this summer.
Linnea
Coach
Hi everyone, I’m Linnea and I’m super stoked to be back for another year with the piranhas!
Growing up in the piranhas community since I was 6, I consider this club my second family. I swam and competed with the club until I graduated from Stelly’s Secondary in 2024. My love for coaching grew when I began volunteer coaching in the junior pool when I was about 11. I have been part of this amazing coaching team since 2022!
Outside of the club, I’m a student at UVic and a Lifeguard & Swim Instructor at Panorama. I love spending my spare time in the woods, up a mountain, or near the ocean! Growing up, I have played more sports than I can count on two hands, but swimming has always held a special place in my heart. Through swimming I have learned valuable lessons, made lifelong friends, and had heaps of unforgettable fun!
I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to share my passion for this sport and this team with the next generation of speedy swimmers. I hope to create an environment where swimmers can grow as both athletes and people, and feel capable of achieving their goals!
Emiko
Coach
Hi! I’m Emiko and I am so excited to be coaching my first summer with Piranhas. I started coaching 8 years ago while swimming with Island Swimming. I am an NCCP Level 1 certified coach and I have coached swimming at all levels with Island, London Aquatic Club in Ontario, and now Piranhas!
I completed a BSc in Neuroscience at Western University and swam for the Mustangs. I graduated and finished swimming competitively last year, and am so excited to be staying connected with the sport I love through coaching. My favourite part of coaching is getting to teach, learn from, and laugh with all the wonderful swimmers. I can’t wait for an awesome summer!!
Lily
Coach
Hi, my name is Lily and I’m coaching in the junior pool this winter!
I’ve been swimming with Piranhas since the summer of 2014. I’ve done lots of volunteer coaching throughout the past few years but this is my first year as an official coach! I think swimming is a fun place for kids to grow a love for sports and to get to connect with their peers and community. I’m so excited to get to know all the new and ongoing swimmers this year and to have a lot of fun while still learning!
Mia
Coach
Hi everyone my name is Mia Paterson and I am so excited to be coaching in the junior pool this year.
I started to volunteer coach 3 years ago and it has been a blast. I am so excited to be an official coach this year and to have an amazing time getting to know all the swimmers this year.
I started swimming with the piranhas the summer of 2018, the club and the sport have been a very important part of my life ever since. I love the friendships I have made throughout the years. I believe that swimming is a place where you can be yourself and a place where you will always feel safe and welcomed.
I hope every new swimmer develops the same love for the sport as I have.
Simon
Coach
Hello everyone!
My name is Simon Makuch and I will be coaching junior swimmers this winter. I have been a volunteer coach for a few years, and I am excited to now be part of the coaching team.
The water is something that I have loved since before I could walk. I got hooked on swimming at our place in Lake Cowichan, and then I joined Piranhas in Grade 3. My participation in summer swimming came later and I have really enjoyed the competition. I've attended most meets in recent years and have competed at the BC High School Championships and BC Summer Swimming Provincials.
I have been influenced by great coaches over the years who have helped me grow and develop into the swimmer I am today. It's my hope to share my passion and knowledge with younger swimmers to make swimming a positive experience for younger swimmers.