The use of above and underwater camera systems is an important part of biomechanics work with swimmers. Video analysis allows the swimmer to see their movements and better understand areas for improvement.

Many folks are surprised to know that my career development as a Swimming Biomechanist has included a deep understanding of skill progression and coaching methods. Understanding what efficient swimming looks like is only the first step in supporting athletes. I’ll guide athletes within their stage of athlete development and toward their goals using methods that work for each individual. This includes: video of the swimmer, video of the ideal technique for comparison, identifying stroke and muscular imbalances, dryland movements and in-water drills for appropriate muscular activation and development.

Image above - I am analyzing underwater video with a swimmer during practice with the Ontario Swimming Academy.

Performance analysis is a detailed review of the phases and elements within a race. For competitive swimmers and/or triathletes, a thorough analysis of a race will identify areas for improvement - including: strokes, skills, strategy and tactics.

Learning and analyzing one race allows you to make informed training interventions and see consistent performance improvements between each race.

Athletes with prior race videos are encouraged to bring them to their session.

Image Above - My video camera is set up to collect race video at a time trial in preparation for 2021 Olympic Trials.

In all stages of my career, I have maintained work with developing swimmers through visits with club programs and provincial camps and clinics.

I have learned from experience that teaching young swimmers to value technique provides a strong foundation for a long and successful swimming career. This includes, increasing training durability, reduces chronic injuries, and improves performance. Also avoiding the frustration of having to make big technical changes after you reach high performance levels.

Image Above - I’m teaching athletes the dive start technique at a Canada Games ID Camp with over 100 swimmers from Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia.

Teaching adults has always been such fun for me! I always smile when I see the joy and excitement of a masters athlete that learned how to swim more efficiently.

I continue to support and lead many masters and triathlon clinics. However, the most impactful work with masters swimmers is the individual discussions we have. Learning about current challenges and discomfort while training is incredibly insightful. We work together to identify limitations and improve in ways that support both performance and activity for life.

Image Above - I’m providing individualized feedback on the freestyle flip turn to masters swimmers at a provincial clinic.

Teaching is a big part of the work I do. Education sessions in a classroom, or virtually through zoom, often allows for deeper discussions and analysis of races.

Through my work with provincial programs, I often supplement the in-water work with a classroom session. Swimmers are able to watch race videos of high performance athletes. Discussing race strategies and techniques of national and international level athletes can better inform an athletes understanding of performance swimming.

Image Above - Reviewing underwater race video of elite swimmers during a provincia swim camp.

I have had the pleasure of working within National programs for training camps and international competitions within both Olympic and Paralympic swimming streams.

In addition to working as a Biomechanist in the Olympic program. I also was the lead Biomechanist and Integrated Support Team Manager within the Paralympic Program.

My approach to supporting athletes within a training block compared to athletes preparing for a major competition varies greatly. I collaborate with the athlete and their coach to support current goals and targeted skills.

In a training block, video analysis and intervention methods can reflect long term goals and involve a greater focus on developing skills. However, as an athlete approaches a targeted competition, video analysis becomes a tool to support short-term goals and feedback becomes focused on race strategies and tactics.

Image Above - I am filming dive starts of swimmers preparing for competition at the 2018 Jr Pan Pacific Games in Fiji.

Supporting teams and athletes within a Games setting is always an exciting role to fill!

• 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto - Performance Analyst with the Canadian Olympic Committee.

• 2018 Jr Pan Pac Games in Fiji - Strength Coach and Biomechanist & Performance Analyst - Swimming Canada.

• 2021 Tokyo Paralympic Games - Performance Analyst with Swimming Canada (remote).

Image Above - Myself and Ryan Atkison from the COC Performance Analysis Team outside Canada House at the 2015 Pan Am Games.

The most impactful training programs have effective collaboration and communication between athlete, coach, and sport science practitioners. Within my many roles, I have always worked with other practitioners to align service delivery and work together to better support each athlete.

• Swim Ontario - I was the Lead Biomechanist and integrated Support Team Manager for 6 years, driving alignment between coach and support team members. Including: physiologists, mental performance consultants, physiotherapists, and S&C coaches.

• Swimming Canada - I was the integrated Support Team Manager for the Paralympic program for 2 years - driving alignment and coordination to best support our national team athletes across the country.

I will often ask athletes if they’re working with a physiotherapist or strength coach. Aligning the in-water work with other practitioners will result in greater rates of improvement.

Image Above - Myself with members of the Integrated Support Team at the 2018 Jr Pan Pac Games in Fiji.

Coaching has always been a passion of mine - and coach development is something I have invested much of my work. Regardless of coaching styles, every coach works toward the same goal of empowering individuals to succeed and thrive in their sport.

In all my work, I aim to support, mentor, and create opportunities for developing coaches to learn.

• Leading technical sessions with club coaches (ongoing).

• Consultant for the Swimming Canada review of the NCCP Level 2 Coaching course (April 2024).

• Chair of the Coach and Technical Leader Council at the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario (2022 to present).

• Led the Sport Science and Coaching Conference for Ontario Cycling (Dec 2023)

• Teach the Biomechanics component of the NCCP Level 3 coaching course.

• And much more.

Image Above - What I look like when I coach :)

I began my interest in biomechanics during my undergraduate studies at Western University. I started with a focus on injury and aquatic rehabilitation then switched directions toward swimming performance biomechanics for my Masters degree.

Alongside the thousands of hours of service delivery throughout my career, I have continued to conduct applied research supported by the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario and Swimming Canada. Applied research projects have always informed my biomechanics practice as the sport coetinues to evolve.

Projects have included:

• Swimmers & Injury Risk

• Kick Start Performance Implications

• Dive Start interventions

• Turn Performance Interventions

• Relay Take-over Strategies and Performance

• Return to Sport - impact of COVID pool closures on swimming technique of developing athletes.

Image Above - At my Master’s thesis defence with my supervisors Dr. James Dickey (right) and Dave Humphreys (left).