Who are Garstang Gators?
The Small, Friendly, Rural Swim Club
Garstang Amateur Swimming Club, proudly known as the Garstang Gators, has been at the heart of our local swimming community since the early 1980s. The club was formed shortly after the Garstang swimming pool was built in 1974, and from the beginning, we’ve combined Learn to Swim programmes with a strong focus on competitive development.
We are a Swim England-affiliated club and hold SwimMark accreditation, demonstrating our commitment to high standards in coaching, safeguarding, and club governance. All our teachers and coaches are DBS checked and hold up-to-date Safeguarding qualifications, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for every swimmer.
Today, Garstang Gators is a small, friendly club with just under 100 swimmers. Since September 2019, we’ve focused our coaching from Level 5 upwards, helping swimmers refine their technique, build endurance, and prepare for competition. Our structured squad system supports progression from Foundation through to Performance, aligned with Swim England’s Coaching Awards.
We proudly compete in the North West Micro League and North Lancs Sub League, giving swimmers the chance to represent the club in team galas. We also encourage individual entries into open meets and other competitions, helping swimmers gain experience and confidence in a variety of settings.
Beyond the pool, we foster a strong sense of community. Older swimmers are encouraged to stay involved — whether assisting on poolside for their Duke of Edinburgh Award, training as lifeguards, or beginning their journey as swimming coaches. This mentoring culture helps build leadership skills and keeps the Gators spirit alive across generations.
Garstang ASC is run by a dedicated volunteer committee, with roles including Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Welfare Officers, and Gala Secretaries. We welcome all parents to get involved — committee members are elected at our Annual General Meeting, and we hold four meetings a year to guide the club’s direction and ensure transparency.
Whether you’re diving in for the first time or chasing personal bests, Garstang Gators is a place to grow, compete, and belong.
Meet the Team
Julie Barber
Chairwoman
Julie has been with the club for many years with her children competing at County and Regional level. She is our representative at meetings across the North West and lkeading us forward.She is also in training to be a J2 official helping out at galas. If not running the club she can be found running along the A6 training.
Sue Roome
Club Secretary
Sue has dedicated herself to the club for over 40 years. She does all of the administration for the club and without her things would go seriously pear shaped. If she’s not helping Gators then she will be hiking, biking or off on some other adventure with her grandchildren.
Terence Logan
Team Manager
Terence looks after the teams, galas, and organisation of events. If we are travelling to far flung places to swim then it’s probably his fault. In his spare time he loves movies but normally you will find him at a pool somewhere of a weekend with his boys.
Dave Swift
Lead Coach
Coming Soon
Ian McKean
Coach
Having swum from a young age for Gators, Ian is the oldest member of the club. He has seen many swimmers come and go along the years, coaching swimmers who have gone on to Nationals. Outside of the club it is two wheel adrenaline that keeps Ian in shape, unless we pull him in to swim in the Swim League.
Gayle Ashmore
Assistant Coach
Coming Soon
Adrian Jones
Coach
Adrian was previously a member of a swimming club for 18 years where as well as teaching he competed in many National and International lifesaving competitions.
He once auditioned to appear on the quiz show Blockbusters (We wonder how many will remember this tv show) but two of his school friends got selected instead of him. He shouldn’t have asked Bob for a P.
Jess Critchley
Coach
Coming Soon
Kirsten Swift
Coach
Coming Soon
Belle Sherratt Holman
Coach
Belle has just left us for Derbyshire, so won’t be coaching regularly. She will be helping us out when back in the area, The new location will be perfect for her as she loves being out on her motorbike or walking with the dogs.
Claire Rowlandson
Team Manager
Claire works as a scientist and spends her day looking down a microscope at blood cells. Away from the lab she enjoys fitness, reading and cheering our swimmers on from poolside. She is also in training to be an offical.
Cheryl Gilbertson
Team Manager
Cheryl enjoyed competitive swimming as a kid so is no stranger to the dedication involved. She love’s to see her girls and all the other kids at gators getting the same enjoyment and experiences with Gators.
Mark Gilbertson
Team Manager
Mark has chased adventure for 35 years, on two wheels, two feet, or in the water. A former competitive swimmer with Kirkham & Wesham ASC, he now gets his biggest buzz from watching the next generation, including his daughters, train and shine. Highlights include the UK’s first 24-hour mountain bike race and stumbling across George Orwell’s motorcycle on Jura. When not coaching, riding, or running, he’s usually tinkering with a motorbike rebuild.
Ioan Parry
Team Manager
Whilst never being part of a swim squad, Ioan has always been a keen recreational swimmer and was part of a diving squad in his younger years. He’s been a keen mountain biker, runner, hiker, climber and has even dabbled in some sprint triathlons. Basically, he’s always loved the outdoors and being active, and now enjoys yelling (supportively) from poolside at Gators’ swimmers to ‘keep going’ and ‘go faster’ at most of the galas
Jamie Edgar
Male / Open Welfare
Jamie has two daughters who have been swimming the club for just over two years now and regularly compete in swim galas. Outside of the club, hei s an engineer and is interested in anything remotely technical (especially anything relating to heritage railway or retro computing). He also enjoys to run, hike and swim when time and weather allows.
Chrissi Teale
Female Welfare
A a parent with her son swimming for the Gators. Outside of her role sheis a passionate bookworm who loves getting lost in a good story. She also enjoy long walks with my son and our dog, soaking up nature and spending quality time together. When she is not walking or reading, you’ll musically find her listening to rock music. She is always happy to chat, support, and help wherever she can.
Without the help of volunteers kindly giving up their time to manage the kids at galas, help coach poolside, help with welfare problems if they arise, judge or timekeep, as you can tell there are lots of cogs that go into making a club run. If you would like to get involved then please let us know even if you can only spare a couple of hours once a year we will find a role for you.
