Our Coaching Team
Competitive Programme
Rick Burton - Head Coach
Rick is a nationally recognized coach with a long swimming history in Western Canada.
Before joining Swim Ottawa in 2023, Rick was best known as the Head Coach who built a national reputation for the Fort McMurray Swim Club - growing from 18 to 250 swimmers during his 16 years at the helm. While in Fort McMurray Burton coached a number of athletes who progressed to become some of Canada’s best international swim stars. He stepped back from swimming for almost a decade when he transferred his coaching skills to the oil patch as a Quality Assurance Manager. But the smell of chlorine eventually lured him back and he most recently was the Head Coach at the Calgary Winter Club.
Rick is committed to our Club’s vision of creating strong swimmer performance through a positive team culture. Rick believes his job is not just to coach swimmers in the pool, but to help set them up for success in life outside the pool.
Andrea Smith - Senior 2 and Age Group 1
Andrea is entering her seventh year with Swim Ottawa, but is no stranger to swimming! Her career spanned 16 years, where she was a member of the Canadian National team from 1995-2000, including the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, 2 World Championships and 3 Pan Pacific Games.
Andrea began coaching with the University of Calgary Swim Club until moving to Ottawa and starting a Master’s program which operates out of our home pool. She is a level 2 swim coach with over 18 years of coaching experience and will bring her passion and energy to the Age Group 1 and Senior 2 groups this year.
Email: swott.coachandrea@gmail.com
Tim Kilby - Senior 3
Tim is entering his fourth-year coaching with SWOTT. He has coached the Carleton University Varsity Women's and Men's Swim Team from 1989-1995 and the Carleton University Masters Program from 1984 to the present!
Tim swam for the Nepean Swim Club from 1978-1988 and was a member of the varsity swim team at McMaster University from 1984-1988. He has competed in triathlons, running road races and presently has taken part in open water races! As a recently retired teacher, Tim is excited to be working with the SWOTT swimmers in the SR3 group!
Poya Fallahdoust- Age Group 2
Poya is entering his fourth-year coaching with SWOTT. He swam competitively since 2003 with his swimming career expanding into Carleton's University Varsity Team where he held the title of Team Captain for two years. During his swimming career he trained with teams in three different countries!
Poya's coaching career began in 2012, where he worked with Junior level swimmers, and he has continued to follow his passion in coaching with SWOTT. He is looking forward to his third season with the Swim Ottawa family coaching Age Group 2.
Email: swott.coachpoya@gmail.com
Lori Melien - Junior
Lori is entering her 13th season with Swim Ottawa, this year as the Junior Coach. Lori has been coaching since 1995, with various teams in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario. Technique focussed, Lori has a passion for teaching swimmers how to be the best they can be at any level.
Lori brings experience from her own 16-year swimming career, culminating in 6 years on the national team, and Commonwealth, FISU Games and Olympic relay medals. Her 5-year varsity career at the Univ. of Calgary saw her in the team captain role for 2 years, was a 4x CIAU champion and All-Canadian, graduating with a Bachelor Degree in Community Rehabilitation Studies. Lori is looking forward to coaching the Junior swimmers this season.
Precompetitive Programme
Marshall Wilson
Pre-Comp Programme Manager
Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts.
Taylor Sim
Outgoing Pre-Comp Programme Manager
Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts.
Coach Kate
Whales or Guppies Lead Coach
Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts.
Employee Name
Position
Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts.