Coaches

BOB & ALISON COOPER - DIRECTORS
Bob & Alison have over 20 years coaching experience and are well known and respected throughout the world of Acrobatics.  They have worked for British Gymnastics as National Tumbling and Acrobatic Coaches taking teams to World and European Championships and have produced many Senior & Junior World Champions for Spelthorne and Great Britain.  They hold 5 National titles each (Bob in Mixed Pairs and Alison in Womens Pairs) and as former gymnasts won medals at World and European Championships. Both Bob & Alison are International Performance Coaches and are holders of the British Gymnastics Master of Sport and British Gymnastics Master Coach Awards.  More recently they have assisted coaching the USA National Team whilst spending time abroad.

NEIL GRIFFITHS - HEAD COACH
Neil is the Head Coach at Spelthorne.  Neil trained at Spelthorne in the mixed pairs discipline and won the Senior World Championships for Mixed Pairs in 1998 after taking an individual Gold Medal at the World Championships in 1997 and a Silver Medal in 1995.  He held the title of Senior British Champion in Mixed Pairs for 4 years. Neil is an International Performance Coach and has over 10 years of coaching experience.  He has produced World and European Champions for the last 5 years for Spelthorne and Great Britain and is currently ranked as one of the World’s top coaches.

ANDREW GRIFFITHS
Andrew trained at Spelthorne as a tumbler and has been coaching for 5 years.  He is a High Performance Coach - Level 5.  Andrew is considered a true speciallist at producing the highest calibre of gymnast in the 11-16 age group where his gymnasts have consistently achieved World and European Medals for the past 5 years.  As a gymnast Andrew won a Silver Medal at the Junior World Championships in Men’s Tumbling in 1995 and was British Junior Champion in 1994 and 1995.

NICOLA YELLOP
Nic trained at Spelthorne in the women's pairs discipline and now specialises in Choreograpy.  She has played a major part for the past 5 years in Spelthorne winning many World and Euorpean medals. Nic is a High Performance Level 5 Coach and has over 12 years coaching experience.  Nic won a Bronze Medal at the Junior World Championships in 1991 and was Senior British Champion in Womens Pairs in 1995.

CAROLINE COGBILL - WELFARE OFFICE
Caroline has been working at Spelthorne for over 15 years. She has experience at working with all disciplines and shows an excellent ability of working with all children. Caroline is qualified as a Senior Club - Level 3 Coach, is a qualified Nurse and is the Club’s Welfare Officer.

ADAM MCASSEY
Adam is one of Spelthorne’s Deputy Managers and has been coaching for 6 years, he is a Senior Club Coach - Level 4. Adam is currently coaching the Junior Elite Acrobatics Squad which have gone from strength to strength taking Regional and National Titles as well as winning many presitgious International Tournaments. Adam is the current Overall World Bronze Medallist in Mens Four’s and the current British Champion which he has won for the past 3 years. His achievements to date as a gymnast also include Silver Medals in the Junior World Championships in 2004 and 2005 and a Bronze Medal in the Senior World Championships in 2007.

KATIE COGBILL
Katie has over 11 years coaching experience, is a Senior Club Level 4 Coach and works alongside Adam with the Junior Elite Acrobatics Squad. Katie’s dedication to coaching is second to none and her contribution to the achievements of the Junior Elite Squad are outstanding. Katie competed in many International Competitions and won the British Championships in both Womens Pairs and Womens Groups.

ANGELIQUE MCMANUS
Angelique has been coaching for over 11 years, is a Senior Club Coach and is currently coaching one of the Development Squads at Spelthorne. Angelique is also qualified as an International Brevet Judge and has a wealth of experience in all areas of the sport. She was 6 times British Champion in Womens Pairs and won a Bronze Medal at the 1986 World Championships and a Silver Medal at the 1986 European Championships.

TRACY AXTEN
Tracy has been working at Spelthorne for the past 4 years and is an Assistant Club Level 1 Coach. Tracy coaches the Development Squads where she has tremendous knowledge, energy and enthusiasm and an excellent ability to work with children of all ages.

TRUDY MALINS
Trudy is an Assistant Club Level 1 Coach as well as a pre-school teacher which gives her the unique ability to handle and relate superbly to the younger children creating fun alongside the hard work. Trudy has experience in both gymnastics and trampolining and holds a Regional Inter-Schools Gold Medal.

JULI COWLER
Juli is one of the Deputy Managers of the Club as well as a Level 3 Pre-School Coach which she has been teaching for 6 years. Juli’s ability to work with pre-school children is second to none and many of the top gymnasts at Spelthorne started with Juli’s classes. Juli is also qualified as a Level 2 General Coach, a Level 1 Assistant Artistic Coach, is taking a Level 1 Judging Course in September and hopes to do a Level 2 Acrobatics Course soon - she has 5 children, 2 of which have achieved International Success in the sport and 3 which are showing the ability to in the future.

SHARON STURT
Sharon started coaching after training as an artistic gymnast for 8 years. She coached for 5 years and then took some time out to have her 2 children (both of whom have won World Medals in Acrobatic Gymnastics for Spelthorne). Sharon returned to coaching about 8 years ago and is now a Level 2 Coach and has experience in General, Artistic and Acrobatic Gymnastics.

KERI BURGESS
Keri trained as an artistic gymnast for 10 years before she got married and had 5 children. She is a Level 2 Pre-School Coach and a Level 1 Assistant Artistic Coach. Keri has tremendous patience and enjoys working with children of all ages especially teaching the Pre-School and General Classes.

LEIGHANNE COWLER
Leighanne has been training as a gymnast since she was 2 years old! She is the 2009 Junior British Champion in Womens Groups and part of the Acrobatic Team going to the European Championships in October 2009. Leighanne began coaching as an assistant at the very young age of 12 and has gained experience working at many different Clubs. She is a Level 1 Assistant Coach in Acrobatics, a Level 2 Coach in Cheerleading and has a First Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science.

SOPHIE BALDOCK
Sophie trained at Spelthorne as a gymnast for 13 years. She is a Level 1 Artistic Assistant Coach and has an A Level in Dance and PE. Sophie has been coaching as an assistant at Spelthorne for 4 years and is now working with the Artistic Development Squad.