MEET OUR COACHES
Born and raised here in Whitehorse, Bronwyn is a native Whitehorse Glacier Bear swimmer, swimming since she has been five years old. During her time as a Bear, Bronwyn was fortunate enough to earn a spot on team Yukon, team BC and both Junior and Senior Canadian Teams.
After graduating from high school, Bronwyn earned a scholarship to swim and study at NCAA Division I school, Indiana University. While there, she was varsity captain, Big Ten Champion and honourable All American. She completed her studies with a bachelor's of Science in Kinesiology, majoring in Exercise Science.
Bronwyn retired from swimming after the 2016 Rio Olympic Canadian Trials and moved back home to Whitehorse. Since then, she has found her way back to the pool, but this time as a coach.
Bronwyn is excited to be back with the Glacier Bears as Head Coach and is motivated to help young swimmers experience some of the great opportunities she had herself.
Hayleigh's love of competitive swimming started with the Regina Dolphins in the early 90's, and she never looked back (or learned how to play any other sports...).
She swam with GO Kingfish in Ottawa for 10 years, and competed at EOSA, Provincials, and Team Champs. She once famously hit Olympian Alex Baumann in the face with her paddle while he was visiting her swim club (Alex, if you're reading this: I'm so sorry). She went on to swim varsity at the University of Guelph for 4 years, and was a team captain in her final year.
Hayleigh retired from swimming in 2012, and really missed the smell of chlorine. She's always been drawn to water and is so excited to be back on deck as a coach. She's thrilled to be supporting the Glacier Bears in achieving their goals and talking about all things swimming.
When not at the pool, Hayleigh makes maps, enjoys exploring the Yukon in a canoe, from a bike, and on foot, and is swimming again with the Graylings!
Spencer Edelman grew up in Whitehorse and started swimming full time with the club when he was 13 (played hockey, baseball and swam summer club before). From 13 to 17 he qualified and competed at divisionals, provincials, Canada Summer Games etc.
From 2005 to 2010 Spencer swam for the University of Lethbridge and specialized in short distance fly, sometimes swimming free and back. During a few of the summers, he would swim for the Whitehorse Glacier Bears at provincials and other meets. Spencer graduated with a degree in Kinesiology in 2010 and a graduate degree in Health Sciences in 2012.
Spencer now has a wife and 3 younger children, swims and races the Yukon River Quest every summer
Alexa has been part go the club since she moved to Whitehorse in 2011. Alexa loves being in and around the pool. You can find her at the pool most days between coaching and life guarding she practically lives there.
Alexa was a swimmer for 10 years and she was an avid mid distance freestyler. She started coaching for the club about 4 years ago. She started being buddy coaching with the teddies and has moved up to coaching almost every group on and off.
She has been off at university for the past two years becoming an elementary teacher. Working with kids is a great passion of hers and she is very very excited for the new season.
GO BEARS!!!!
Shereen has been a part of the Whitehorse Glacier Bears on and off for 25 years. She started as a swimmer from 1977-87. She started coaching right out of High School in 1988. She coached Mackenzie Downing when she was a cub at 6 years old. She has always had a passion for swimming and coaching. She said "It is a pleasure to be out there coaching swimmers of all ages". She took a break for a few years while she went to school to become a teacher. It was during this time that the club was transitioning from a summer club to a winter club.
She coached the Indigenous Games 2003 & 2023 swim teams. We had 9 swimmers attend the event in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Her goal as a coach is to ensure that all her swimmers try their best and have fun. If they compete, it is always about setting personal goals for each swimmer and being a good team player. She sees many parents that she used to swim with back in the day, that now have their own children in the club.
She started back with the winter club in March 2012 and has really enjoyed her time with the swimmers. Shereen says, "see you in the pool or on the deck…"
Gina loved being a member
of the club and fondly remembers long greyhound bus trips to swim
meets and making up cheers that are still shouted by glacier bear
swimmers on the pool deck today.
With her daughter now joining the club, Gina is excited to
start coaching again. She wants to focus on building team
connection, creating a positive environment and having lots of
fun. You'll be able to see her on the deck on Saturday
mornings with our Teddies groups.
Kayla was born and raised in Whitehorse, but began swimming at the age of 6 when she lived in Yellowknife. Once back in Whitehorse at the age of 10, she began swimming with the Glacier Bears and spent many of her days at the pool, either swimming, coaching or lifeguarding. In highschool, Kayla completed her NCCP coaching certification for swimming, as well as her lifeguarding certifications.
Kayla went on to swim for the University of Calgary after graduation, before becoming a developmental coach with the Calgary Dinos swim team. Kayla coached for the Dino's for four years in Calgary, before returning home to Whitehorse where she worked as the Assistant Head Coach of the Glacier Bears under Head Coach Stephanie Dixon. Kayla is excited to be back on deck with the Glacier Bears after a few years away, and looks forward to seeing her swimmers develop into the best swimmers they can be.
When not on deck, Kayla works for the Yukon Government and loves outdoor rock climbing (and is also an ACMG certified rock climbing instructor), mountain biking, split-boarding, camping, general mountain adventuring and hanging out with Nomic, her adventure pup.
Corey has been a part of the Whitehorse Glacier Bears as a coach for 13 years now. Hailing from St. John's Newfoundland he has been coaching swimming for just over 25 years. Starting as an assistant coach with the St. John's Legends swim team, moving and moving on to numerous different clubs and teams he has worked with every level of swimming from pre-competitive to University all the way to senior masters swimmers.
Outside of swimming Corey enjoys camping, mountain biking, basketball and fly fishing.
Charles Noyen has been around the pool for much of his life and is excited with the opportunity of joining the Whitehorse Glacier Bears Swim team as a coach this season. Charles was a national level swimmer out of Edmonton, AB and swam with the University of Alberta Golden Bears. While attending post secondary education, Charles coached a local summer swim club for 2 seasons and also holding the position as Head Coach.
He moved to Whitehorse in 2011 and joined the Yukon Graylings Master Swim Club, both as a swimmer and coach. Charles has recently competed at BC Masters Provincials and remains a swimmer with the Graylings.
The 2023/2024 season will mark his first year as an assistant coach of the Whitehorse Glacier Bears and will be coaching Black Bears.
