Our Coaches

Olivia 

Head Coach

Born and raised in Delta, British Columbia, Olivia has been involved in BCSSA for the past fourteen years, where she competed and coached in multiple aquatic disciplines. She started swimming competitively for the North Delta Sunfish in 2010, later expanding into artistic swimming with the BC Aquasonics. She currently competes for the University of Victoria Vikes at a National level and is a two-time recipient of the Canada West Student-Athlete Community Service Award, highlighting her involvement with the community. Olivia has over eight years of coaching experience with the Sunfish and is the acting Provincial Coach Representative for the 2024-2025 BCSSA Season.

Olivia is a fourth-year undergraduate student at the University of Victoria, where she studies Environmental Studies, Psychology, and Public Administration. She is excited to help swimmers reach their goals and have fun!

Johanna 

Assistant Coach

Johanna swam with the Orcas for 12 years, during which she served as a Volunteer Coach, Junior Coach and is now in her fourth year of coaching with the Orcas. She has been a BCSSA member for 14 years and swam for one year with the University of Victoria Vikes. Throughout Johanna’s swimming career she swam at the regional and provincial levels.

Currently Johanna is in the second year of her Kinesiology degree, and is training for triathlons and long distance races. Johanna is excited to be on the pool deck every day  to work with swimmers of all ages to improve their swim technique, support and motivate swimmers to reach their goals, and have fun in the sport of swimming!

Drew 

Assistant Coach

Born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Drew has been a competitive swimmer for over 12 years, having competed for both the Edmonton Keyano Swim Club and The University of Victoria Vikes at a national level. Through his swimming career, Drew has had the opportunity to compete for both Team Alberta and Team Canada nationally and Internationally.


Currently, Drew is an undergraduate student at the University of Victoria in his fourth year of studying history and film studies. After two summer seasons and a winter season, this will be Drew’s second winter season with the Orcas and he is very excited to continue helping Orcas swimmers achieve their goals and develop a love for the sport.

Alex

Assistant Coach

Born in Edmonton Alberta and moved to Okotoks at 9 years old, Alex swam competitively for the past 13 years, with both Edmonton Keyano and the Okotoks Mavericks. Alex competed up to the Canadian Western National level. Alex is currently in his first year at Uvic studying marine biology, however, Alex is no longer swimming competitively and is instead looking into other passions such as scuba diving. This is Alex's first year coaching and he is looking forward to being part of the swimming world in a new capacity, as well as fostering the same love and passion for swimming that he once had as a young athlete.

Jocelyn

Assistant Coach/Head of MiniPod

This is Coach Jocelyn's first season with the Orcas and she is thrilled to be part of the team.  This may be Jocelyn’s  first year with the Orcas but it is not her first year with a summer swim team! Jocelyn started summer swimming in Vancouver at the age of 6 in 2009 and continued until 2017 when she joined the Vancouver Pacific Swim Club (VPSC); she also joined the University of Victoria swim team in her first and second year.  In addition to swimming, Jocelyn loved track and cross-country and played volleyball at a national level throughout high school.


Jocelyn coached with the Vancouver Vikings for three seasons and is excited to bring her knowledge and experience to a new team! She is currently in her final year in the Faculty of Education at the University of Victoria and plans to become an elementary school teacher. 

Over the past few summers, Jocelyn has enjoyed working with swimmers and helping them develop their swimming skills. She could not resist coming to coach with the Orcas this winter season and is looking forward to a successful season of hard work!

Mckechnie 

MiniPod Coach

McKechnie has been swimming with the Orcas for 6 years, during which time she medalled at Regionals and swam at the Provincial championships. She started swimming at an older age, but really loved the inclusive environment of the Orcas swim team and knew this was a team she wanted to belong to. 

While this is her first year on the coaching staff, she previously volunteered both as the Oak bay high swim coach and in the Orcas volunteer coaching program. She found she really enjoyed working with younger kids and so is very excited to be coaching the Mini pods.

McKechnie has started her first year at the University of Victoria and will be studying history. 

McKechnie loves seeing swimmers accomplish their personal goals as well as seeing the friendships they foster through swimming. She is really looking forward to the upcoming winter season and working with the Orcas youngest swimmers.

Claire 

MiniPod Coach

Claire has been swimming with the orcas for going on 9 years. During her years swimming with the orcas, she’s made so many long-lasting friendships, achieved goals and learned so much. Claire has been coaching for year now, and participated in the volunteer coaching program before that. 


Currently, Claire is in her graduating year at Victoria High School. She’s beyond excited to coach again this year and can’t wait to work with new and returning swimmers. Claire’s favourite part about coaching is seeing the improvement and hard work all of the swimmers put in and the smiles on their faces when they achieve their goals!