Our Coaches
Meredith Thompson-Edwards "Mere" coachmere@orilliachannelcats.ca
Head Coach Meredith Thompson-Edwards has lived in Orillia her entire life and is now raising a family of her own. She has been coaching with the club since 1995 and competed in the sport for over ten years, during which time she qualified for many highly competitive meets such as Ontario Cup, Eastern Cup and Nationals.
Her position as an assistant allowed her to coach all age groups within the club. "Working with different age groups has enabled me to familiarize myself with the whole team, which is a huge benefit when planning group activities and encouraging group cohesiveness." Meredith feels knowing all of the swimmers will help to develop a more personable atmosphere which aids in creating a positive fun environment for all involved. She currently coaches the Channel Kittens (entry level swimmers) Silver and Gold training groups.
Meredith has worked along side her mother Elaine her entire coaching career, and admits it has been a very positive experience. "We both encourage the swimmers to be hard working, dedicated and supportive of teammates. Qualities that come natural for me because they were instilled at home my entire life."
In Meredith’s opinion, competitive swimming enables children to improve social, organizational and swimming skills. It creates opportunities to boost confidence and improve cardiovascular fitness level. These are all qualities that swimmers can continue to utilize into adulthood. "My goal as Head Coach is to continue to provide a positive, fun and challenging environment that my swimmers can learn from and use in all areas of their life."
Meredith attended Georgian College in Orillia and obtained diplomas in the Developmental Services Worker program and the post-graduate Therapeutic Recreation program. She is a certified Age Group Swim Coach, and has completed Level 3 Theory, Developing Athletic Abilities, Coaching and Leading Effectively, Psychology of Performance and Managing Conflict modules through the National Coaching and Certification Program, working towards obtaining Senior Coach status. She held the Canadian Record in Women’s age 35-39 200 m breaststroke and competed at Masters Long Course World Championships in August 2014 placing 6th in 200 backstroke, 50 butterfly, 8th in 100 butterfly and 11th in 200 Individual Medley.
Elaine Thompson Coached from 1982-2020
We will miss your smile, love of life, encouraging ways and seeing your face every day on the pool deck. "It‘s a great life if you don’t weaken." We love you Coach Elaine!
Assistant Coach Elaine Thompson was born and raised in Orillia and has been affiliated with the Orillia Y.M.C.A. since the age of 8. It was at the ‘Y’ that she developed her love of swimming. After completing the levels of the swim program she began teaching swimming at 12 years of age. When she was old enough she completed all the life saving courses and did some life guarding as well. She left the ‘Y’ after high school to continue her studies and get married. In 1974 she returned to the ‘Y’ when her children became involved in the programs. It was here that Elaine became very interested in Synchronized Swimming as well as a program for children between the ages of 6 months and 7 years. She was involved in the Under 8s swim portion of the program for several years as well as a Synchro coach for 18 years. In 1982 when her youngest daughter, Meredith became a member of the Orillia Channel Cats swim club Elaine was asked if she would be interested in helping coach some of the younger swimmers on the team. At first she thought it would be too much as she was still heavily involved with the Synchro Club. But as fate would have it she decided to give it her best shot and has been with us over 30 years.
Elaine feels that children who participate on swim clubs develop a very good level of overall physical fitness and co-ordination, which facilitates them becoming accomplished all-round athletes. She feels that swimming is one of the best sports to condition the body‘s cardiovascular and muscular systems. Competitive swimming is a very disciplined sport that emphasizes goal setting and time management which carries over into the swimmers’ academic and social life as well as developing a child’s self esteem and self-worth. Elaine is looking forward to yet another season with The Orillia Channel Cats swim team. She is a certified Age Group Swim Coach.
Meghan Tibbett coachmeghan@orilliachannelcats.ca
Born and raised in the Orillia area I grew up around water. Having swam for the channel cats for 7 years and worked as a lifeguard / swim instructor for over 10 years being around water and coaching has always been like 2nd nature to me. I have always enjoyed coaching kids of all ages and love being able to take what I have learned over the years and apply it to my groups. It’s an amazing opportunity and experience to be able to coach for the team I grew up swimming for and alongside those who also coached me. I hope to have the same impact on those I coach as those who coached me.
Justin Fairgrieve coachjustin@orilliachannelcats.ca
Justin’s journey with swimming is a testament to his dedication and passion for the sport. After moving to Orillia in the summer of 1990 and joining the Orillia Cats that fall, he spent six years with the club. He then returned to his hometown to complete high school, swimming for the Mayfield Mavericks and competing multiple times at the OFSSA Championships. Even after graduating Grade 12, Justin stayed an extra half year to finish the swimming season.
Upon moving back to Orillia to start his family, Justin’s involvement with the sport continued in a new capacity. He initially became a Level 1 official to support the club when his daughter joined the Kittens in late 2019, and later, his son joined in late 2022. His transition into coaching was a natural progression, driven by his enjoyment of nurturing swimmers from learning to swim through to competitive racing. For Justin, coaching is not just a way to support his children and community but also a deeply rewarding experience as he watches swimmers grow and achieve personal milestones.
Justin has completed his Swimming Fundamentals Coaching Course and is currently working on the prerequisites for the 201 Age Group Coach course. He is committed to continuously improving his skills and techniques to better support his swimmers in achieving their goals. As he looks forward to his new role as the Bronze Coach, Justin is excited about the new challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Melanie Van Pypen coachmelanie@orilliachannelcats.ca
Melanie was raised in Simcoe County and was a swimmer for many years with the Barrie Trojans and when living away from home, the Thunder Bay Thunderbolts. She worked as a lifeguard and swim instructor for many years in Thunder Bay and Whitehorse, Yukon. Melanie began as an assistant coach with the Barrie Trojans and then joined the Thunder Bay Thunderbolts coaching team as a junior and masters coach when she was at Lakehead University as a Kinesiology student. She is thrilled to be joining the Channel Cats and to be reviving her coaching career.
Swimming has always been Melanie’s passion and she swims year round in our local lakes. Melanie is an avid Ice Swimmer, the 12th Canadian to swim an Ice Mile and competes in ice swimming competitions internationally. She is an Open Water Swimmer, currently training for marathon swims; and she swims with the Orillia Masters group as well.
Melanie lives in the Horseshoe Valley area with her family who enjoy canoe tripping, rock climbing, camping, skiing, and adventuring together. She has worked with children as a coach, teacher, and kinesiologist, and for many years ran the nearby Oro Medonte Forest School.
As a coach, Melanie guides her swimmers with a philosophy of finding comfort in the water, always focusing on keeping swimming fun! It is a wonderful opportunity to watch swimmers develop their own passion for being in the pool while learning how to move efficiently through the water, while her own love for the water shines through.