Swimming Canada has announced the hiring of Mike Edey as the new interim assistant coach at the High Performance Centre – Quebec, which is located at the Olympic pool in Montreal.
Edey has nearly two decades of coaching experience under his belt, serving in a variety of roles in Alberta and British Columbia at the club and provincial levels. He also has plenty of experience training para-swimmers to top finishes at national and international competitions.
“I’m excited to join the staff at the High Performance Centre – Quebec. The program is unique for para-swimming in the country, and the work Mike Thompson and the athletes have done there is exemplary, said Edey.
“Our country has a decorated history in para-sport and having the opportunity to support this push forward is deeply important to me. I look forward to bringing my passion for the sport to the Centre, and playing a role in developing the NextGen programming and athletes who will continue this tradition well into the future.”
Edey brings an analytical approach, and has experience in all facets of coaching. He’s been a club head coach, a technical advisor, and has trained other coaches to guide para-swimming programs of their own.
He has a ton of experience in para-swimming, coaching at the Canada Summer Games, the World Para-Swimming Series, and has experience leading high performance athletes to the next level.
“The High Performance Centre – Quebec will play a key role in helping us to deliver on our performance goals in this quadrennial leading to Tokyo 2020, and beyond,” said James Hood, Senior Manager, High-Performance Para-swimming Programs.
“Recruiting a coach with the experience in athlete development and physical literacy, and someone who is a domestic classifier in the sport, will help build on the world class environment that has been created there. This role will also have a key focus on the development of the next generation of swimmers in Quebec and Eastern Canada.”
Mike Thompson, head coach at the centre, also spoke highly of Edey.
“Mike has a passion for coaching and love for the province of Quebec that is unmatched, making him a perfect selection to fill this role,” said Thompson.
“He has proven to be a great asset to me and my athletes. He has an extensive background in para-classification and coaching which made him an ideal person to help me grow HPC – Québec. Our skills compliment each other well and I’m looking forward to having my new colleague at my side on the pool deck to help shape the future of these athletes in Québec and the rest of Canada.”