Meet our coaches
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420
Sophie Jackson (State Coach) As well as being our Head Instructor, Sophie is our lead 420 coach for 2020-21. Sophie is a regular competitor at the national level, being a past member of many Victorian Sailing teams. In recent years Sophie has come 6th at the 420 World Championships, gaining her entry to the Victorian Institute of Sport and transitioning into the 470 class. She is also the current Aero 5 World Champion. With 4 years of coaching under her belt and plenty of sailing experience at the top level, Sophie is a much respected and appreciated member of our coaching team. |
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Laser
Rhett Gowans (State Coach) Rhett is a part of the fabric at MYC. Being a member of the first group of Optimist sailors at the club Rhett is often the face of success at MYC. In 2016 Rhett won the Australian National title for the Laser Radial class, and spent the following 12 months in the Victorian Institute of Sport. He is also the current Aero 7 World Champion. Rhett is a Laser class state coach for Victoria and is the long time coach of an extremely successful Toorak College Sailing Team. Rhett is a valued member of the club, and coaching team with his leadership and organisation being an asset to us all. Brody Riley (State Coach) Brody's experience in the laser class is extensive and his success in the class proves the large amount of knowledge and skills he has to offer upcoming laser sailors. Brody is a highly respected coach and passionate about helping youth sailors achieve their goals. His personal results in the laser class include 2020 Australian Male Laser Radial Champion, previous Laser 4.7 Australian Champion and a past Victorian Institute of Sport athlete for Sailing. |
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Optimists
Level 5 - Josh Galland (State Coach) Josh is our Learn to Compete Optimist coach for the 2020-21 season. Josh's sailing knowledge and coaching abilities are a great asset to MYC, and his passion for sailing and seeing young sailors grow and improve is highly regarded. Josh's personal sailing results include top 3 in the Australian 29er fleet and many years in the Victorian Institute of Sport as a sailing athlete in the 29er and 49er class. Level 4 - Sam Savage Sam is an up and coming coach at Mornington. Having learnt to sail locally Sam joined MYC as a youth keen to learn more about our great sport and develop his instructing and coaching skills. Over the past 4 years Sam has become one of the clubs most reliable and skilled instructors, as well as being one of our Youth Captains in 2018. He now moves into this new position eager to learn and grow with his charges, as he helps share his passion for sailing with our Learn to Race sailors. Sam is also an experienced Army Cadet, including holding leadership positions within the cadets. He also capped off his time in the Peninsula Grammar Sailing team as Captain. Additional coaches Mel Hitchen-Haw (State Coach) Mel is the outgoing Head Coach at MYC as she moves into a full time role in PE teaching. She still hold a key role is mentoring and developing our coaches and instructors, and will be seen in various coaching roles across the season. Mel's personal sailing background saw her as a member of the Victorian Sailing Team, Australian Optimist Sailing Team and competing in the optimist and laser 4.7 at an International level, coming 2nd in the Under 16 Girls division in the 4.7 World Championships. Her coaching background is also extensive and she was the 2019 Victorian Coach of the Year. Mel is coach for the Victorian Optimist fleet and over her 4 years at MYC Mel has worked with sailors from Green Fleet through to the top Open fleet sailors. Mel loves working with and developing club sailors to reach their personal goals, some which strive for and have become members of the Australian Optimist (junior) Sailing Team. Having attended and been part of the large and one of the longest running successful sailing schools in Victoria St Leonard's College, Mel is a teacher, and the sailing coach, at Peninsula Grammar. |
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Bunny Warren (International Coach)
MYC is extremely lucky to occasionally have International Coach Bunny Warren involved in coaching our sailors, when he is in Australia! Bunny spends most of his time coaching internationally, and has been coaching for 25 years, including 3 x Olympics as a 470 a 49er coaching, with his sailors achieving a silver in the women's 470 and other top 10 results. He has worked with many abilities, ranging from early development to youth development and on to Olympic and World champions. His experience across classes is vast working with many different levels, delivering particular assessment and needs and specializes in a ‘ Fast Track ‘ formula to success. Bunny specialist class include 420, 470, 29er, 49er, 49er FX, Laser and Laser Radial. Bunny is passionate about the ‘Youth ‘ and ‘Development' levels, with many of todays top Pro sailors and Americas Cup teams coming from his past development and youth teams over the Years from Australia, UK and USA. |
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Chris Jackson
With a keen interest in junior and youth development, Chris is passionate about seeing kids around the club, learning about and most importantly enjoying our great sport. With stints as Head of Coaching for Victoria and for Tasmania, Chris is a guiding light and mentor for our developing coaches. You will see Chris on the water throughout the year as he coaches in our programs when needed, and spending time working with our coaches. |
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