Renate Terpstra - Head Coach -
Tier 1
This is Renate's 8th year with the Vernon Kokanee Swim Club.
Renate has a Bachelor degree in Physical Education, is a Certified NCCP Level 2 Swim Coach and is currently a Trained Swimming Senior Coach.
Tara Taylor - Assistant Head Coach - Tier 2 and 3
After an unsuccessful season attempting to teach elephants in the Serengeti to swim, Tara decided to teach the Tier 2 and 3’s with the Vernon Kokanee Swim Club. Tara is an NCCP Level 1 (working on level 2) coach with a background in Kinesiology and Psychology. She was a member of the 2000 Canadian Olympic Team and a competitive swimmer for seventeen years. Tara believes a strong technical background, hard work, and fun lead to a successful season.
Sharon Irvine - Assistant Coach - Tier 4
Sharon was raised in Richmond and swam competitively in the teens with the Richmond Kigoos. She has coached in a variety of sports including basketball, volleyball, soccer, and t-ball. Sharon attended the University of Victoria and attained her Bachelor of Education degree with a focus of Elementary Physical Education in 1998. Since 2000, Sharon has worked as a Teacher on Call in the North Okanagan Shuswap School District. Currently Sharon is working on her Swimming 101 course. Sharon has one daughter, Breanna, who is attending the University of Calgary. She lives with her husband, Doug.
Johanna Thayer - Assistant Coach / Grassroots Program
Johanna Thayer was born and raised in Vernon. She has been swimming with the Vernon Kokanee Swim Club for 8 years and has vast knowledge in swimming. Johanna is a Grade 11 student currently attending Vernon Secondary School. She hopes to one day become a certified elementary school teacher and she loves children. She is beginning her certification in being a swim teacher and is working on her Swimming 101 course. This is Johanna’s 2nd year of coaching and she is looking forward to coaching her swimmers.
Amy Melvin - Assistant Coach / Grassroots Program
Amy was raised in Vernon and swam with the Vernon Kokanees for 10 years. She has been involved in the aquatic world since 1994, and has also worked with children with learning and physical disabilities.
In 2003 Amy moved back from Vancouver to further pursue her aquatic career.
In 2009 she gladly took on the role of the grassroots swim coach to bring it all back to were her love for competitive swimming all began. Amy is a certified Swimming Fundamentals Coach and is looking forward in further strengthening her coaching skills.