COACHING TEAM

Jez Birds

Director of Swimming

Jez is an ex-International swimmer and has been leading the programme at BHSC since 2012. He brings a wealth of experience from his time as a pro swimmer and subsequent many years working with and developing athletes of all ages and abilities; from learn to swim through to National Champions; incorporating roles at Clubs, Universities, Performance Programmes and as a member of the England Talent Coaching Pathway. As a qualified teacher, Jez sets and manages a bespoke learning environment for the Club to ensure that swimmers at all levels get the best possible pedagogical approach to their development. In addition to his role within BHSC, Jez is also a Swim England Coach Tutor and a Level 4 Strength and Conditioning Coach. 
Contact email
headcoach.bhsc@gmail.com 

Aiden Sharp

Aiden joined us in 2021, post lockdowns, and since made quick progress to being a main face the swimmers see on poolside. She wanted to get back into the swimming world after have a year break to complete her Masters in Strength, Conditioning and Rehabilitation at the University of Portsmouth. Although she was not spending her time on poolside, she was immersed in the high-performance sporting world working with a variety of athletes up to Para-Olympic level. Aiden has worked with a variety of swimmers, being a Level 2 Teacher since the age of 17 and working with the high performance and development squads at the University of Birmingham alongside her Sport Science Degree. Before University she was a National Modern Pentathlete but decided that her real passion was on poolside helping others achieving their sporting and swimming goals.

Richard Cleugh

Richard AKA Young Beard joined BHSC in 2013 after relocating from the North West and from working in a successful programme in Greater Manchester. He not only brings coaching experience to the Club but also a rich affinity for Learn to Swim, an area in which he works currently also as a swim school coordinator for Nuffield Health, alongside his work with Henleaze. More recently Young Beard has taken a lead role in developing Henleaze Minnows, the Clubs very own Learn to Swim programme, which started in March 2019 and has grown rapidly since its emergence. In addition to teaching, coaching and coordinating, Rich Young Beard is also an STA Tutor in teaching swimming and a lifeguard trainer assessor for both the RLSS and Highfield.