Coaching
Coaching on the UOAPS programme is provided by three full-time coaches, with assistance from volunteers. Close links with the coaches of the affiliated swimming clubs provide a wider network that supports and nurtures local swimmers.
The current full-time coaches are:
- Patrick Miley - High Performance Squad
- Gregor McMillan - Performance Squad
- Lisa Houston - Performance Development Squad
Patrick has coached at Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth Games. Patrick's daughter is the Olympian Hannah Miley, who swims with the high performance squad.
Gregor has extensive coaching experience, including with the predecessor COAST programme.
Lisa joined the programme in autumn 2018 from Dundee City Aquatics where she was the development coach.
- Performance Pathways
-
The UOAPS programme is the apex of a city-wide performance pathway that builds from local learn-to-swim programmes, through affiliated clubs, to elite level.
Before they join UOAPS junior swimmers are likely to have been identified as having potential at local club level and been part of a Club Junior Development Squad.
Juniors can then be invited to experience the UOAPS environment through Club Connect before progressing into the Performance Development Squad, where they will be be supported by Coach Lisa Houston.
Swimmers with the potential to go further will advance into the Performance Squad under the guidance of Coach Gregor McMillan.
At the pinnacle of the UOAPS programme is the High Performance Squad overseen by Coach Patrick Miley.
A range of criteria will be used to determine progression through the programme, with attendance, attitude, consistency, and aptitude all considered alongside performance.
L to R: Patrick Miley, Gregor McMillan
- Swimmer Profiles
-
The following are among the swimmers on the programme. More profiles and pictures will follow.
Hannah Miley is a double 400IM Commonwealth Games Gold medallist (Delhi 2010, Glasgow 2014) and took Silver at Gold Coast 2018. Hannah is a triple Olympian, with numerous successes at World and European level.
Conner Morrison is a para swimmer in the SB14 category and broke the World and European record in the SB14 Breaststroke (SC) in December 2017.
Toni Shaw is a para swimmer and represented Scotland in the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in the S9 / S10 categories where, at 14, she was the youngest athlete on the squad. At the 2018 World Para-Swimming European Championships in Dublin Toni won six medals (2 of each) and in late 2018 was appointed as a Scottish Swimming Learn-to-Swim Ambassador.
Banner Image: the banner image is from the 2017/18 season when the four swimmers shown were University of Aberdeen student sports bursars and participated in the UOAPS programme.