Sandringham Athletic Club Coaches
Our Coaching Team
Individual and squad coaching is available for athletes 12 years and older. The club has a wide breadth of experienced specialist coaches as outlined below. If you are new to athletics and unsure where to begin, please contact the club secretary and we’ll be able to give you some guidance.
Any fees and payments are to be discussed directly with the coach. All coaches associated with the Sandringham Athletic Club hold Athletics Australia coaching accreditation and a valid working with children check, both of which are checked yearly by the club. All coaches have also signed the club code of conduct.
Cathy Woodruff
Level: 5
Events: Horizontal Jumps and Sprints
Cathy joined Sandringham Athletic Club in 1990 and is a Life Member of the club.
She started coaching at Little Athletics and junior level and progressively developed a number of athletes who represented Australia at Paralympics, World Junior, World University Games and Commonwealth Games. Her athletes have had considerable success at State and National levels over a sustained period.
Cathy currently has a squad of young and emerging athletes. She likes to focus on the technical aspects of sprinting and horizontal jumps as well as developing speed and strength specific to the events. Her main philosophy is that the athletes in my squad enjoy the sport of athletics regardless of ability. Enjoyment and improvement go hand in hand and from there they can reach their potential whatever that may be.
Qualifications: Level 5 accredited coach with Athletics Australia, completed Single units at Deakin University - Exercise Physiology and Biomechanics and Kinesiology, completed Apprentice coach program with Dan Pfaff (world-renowned coach) in Phoenix, Arizona 2015
Achievements: Coached many Victorian and Australian champions over 30 years of coaching with several Australian representatives in various teams over the years.
Contact: 0409 954 139 or jumpsandsprints@outlook.com
Currently has limited places in her squad. Would accept 2 or 3 athletes aged 17 or over who are not new to athletics.
Coaching times: 4.30pm Monday - Thursday and 9am Saturday or Sunday depending on track availability. Other times by arrangement.
Kevin Prendergast
Level: 5
Events: Sprints, Middle Distance, 400m Hurdles
Kevin loves to help athletes reach a standard that pleases them. He is in it for the long haul, and hopes his athletes are too. He prefers to coach squad rather than individuals because in a squad the athletes form friendships and help and support each other. Training is the development of good habits.
Qualifications: Level 5 accredited coach with Athletics Australia. Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Master of Science (Mathematics), Doctor of Philosophy (Mathematics).
Achievements: happy athletes!
Contact: 0400 807 102 or kevinprendergast@bigpond.com
Coaching times: Sunday 11.00am - 12.15pm, Mondays and Wednesdays 4.45pm - 6.00pm
Tim O’Shaughnessy
Level: 4
Events: Middle Distance (800m to 5 km including steeplechase)
Tim has been coaching since 1989 but started coaching a full squad from 2010. He works with athletes of all abilities, from 13 years onwards.
He loves coaching because of the satisfaction he gets from seeing an athlete of whatever level improve and achieve their goals and potential. Middle Distance running as does all track and Field events require strong character, so he knows he is dealing with good people.
Tim has coached numerous State and National Junior and Senior champions plus Australian representatives.
Qualifications: Level 4 Specialist Coach – middle and long-distance
Achievements: Athletics Australia Life Member, Part of the coaching team at Tokyo 2020(1).
Contact: 0419 891 881 or timoshaughnessy53@gmail.com
Coaching times: Main sessions 5pm Tuesday and Thursday with additional days/times available.
Dale Stevenson
Dale has been coaching professionally since 2014. He is passionate about the Throws events and enjoys working with all athletes from beginners to Olympians.
Dale currently coaches Olympians Matthew Denny (discus) and Lauren Bruce (hammer).
Previously the Performance Lead for throws at NZ Athletics, we are very thrilled to have Dale back home in Australia. Dale brings a wealth of experience and a great attitude to coaching at Sandringham.
Contact: dale@drsperformance.com.au
Jo Linford
Level: 4
Events: Throws/Multi Events
Jo has been involved in athletics since she was 5 and continued competing until her 30s when she retired. Jo has been coaching for just over 30 years and has consistently engaged in continued coach education. She is currently coaching a group of throwers ranging in the ages of 12 and up. Jo has coached a number of state and national title holders over the years along with coaching in school programs which she thoroughly enjoys.
Qualifications: Level 4 Throws/Multi Event Coach
Contact: 0418 551070 or javjo27@hotmail.com
Coaching times: Tuesdays 5.30pm - other times by appointment
Tom Morehouse
Level: 3
Events: Sprints, Hurdles & Throws
Tom has done athletics from a young age at Moorabbin and transitioned across to Sandringham as a teenager to pursue multi-events. As an athlete, Tom was a talented decathlete and has still been known to pick up a shot put and throw for club points even after retiring from competition! Tom now coaches a solid group of sprinters (up to 400m) and hurdlers, that enjoy their training sessions together and are always fostering a positive training environment. Tom supports his athletes throughout the year with tailored track and gym programs.
Tom is also involved with school coaching at Brighton Grammar and is great at creating pathways for school students to join and love track and field. His athletes compete at both AV meets and VAL events. The squad has enjoyed great success in recent years with wins at the Victorian State Champs and the Stawell Gift.
Qualifications: Level 3 IAAF Sprints, Hurdles and Relays.
Achievements: Coached Dhruv Rodrigues Chico to win the 2019 Stawell Gift
Contact: 0417 538 045 or tom.i.morehouse@gmail.com
Coaching times: 5pm – 7pm Tuesday and Thursday, 10am Sunday morning. Or by appointment.
Clodagh Grogan
Level: 3 Performance Coach
Events: Sprints, Hurdles & Horizontal Jumps
Clodagh has been involved with athletics since she was a junior and is still competing as a senior athlete at Sandringham. Clodagh is an experienced coach who takes great care to ensure all her athletes are developing their fundamental running skills and enjoying every training session. Clodagh’s athletes have recently had great success at States and National events.
Qualifications: Level 3 Performance Coach - Advanced Sprints, Hurdles & Horizontal Jumps
Contact: 0434 645 948 or clodaghgrogan@gmail.com
Coaching times: By appointment
Tom O’Connor
Level: 3
Events: Sprints and Jumps
Tom has seven years experience as a sprints, jumps and S&C coach in a number of school programs and currently really enjoy working with Lloyd Knight and a squad of sprinters aged 16 and older. He previously competed as a long jumper and sprinter throughout high school.
Qualifications: AA Level 3 Performance Development Coach (Sprints/Relays/Hurdles), Level 1 Strength & Conditioning Coach, Bachelor of Science (Human Structure & Function), currently completing Master of Physiotherapy Practice
Contact: toconn97@gmail.com
Coaching times: Monday/Thursday/Saturday by appointment
Priscilla Bizzotto
Level: 2
Events: Sprints, Strength and Conditioning, Transitioning Athletes & Recreational Running
From an early age, Priscilla has always had a love of sport, be it was a team sport or individual pursuit, it was sport and the community that came with each sport that ensured her development to who she is today. Athletics and predominantly running has always been her base, her passion and a place to come home to.
With over 25 years in the Fitness Industry as a Personal Trainer, Functional Movement, High Performance, and Women’s health and performance coach, along with her time as an athlete and then Athletics coach, Priscilla is able to draw on this knowledge to coach all levels of athletes, from grassroots through to high-performance levels. She believes there is nothing greater than developing an athlete, in mind and body, to be the best they can possibly be in their chosen discipline.
Priscilla also works as a Primary School and Senior School Athletics coach in APS and GSV schools and delivers the Haileybury Leadership program at Worawa Indigenous School.
Qualifications: Aths Aust Level 2 Athletics Coach, Aths Aust Level 2 Recreational Running - currently completing, Cert III & Cert IV fitness, Fitness Australia, Dip. Fitness Coaching & High Performance
Contact: 0417 324 710 or scilsphone@gmail.com
Coaching times: (Squad sessions)
Sunday 9-10.30am, Monday 5-6.30pm, Thursday 6-7pm.
Other times by appointment.
Nick Baltas
Level: 2
Events: Javelin
Nick has 30 years of javelin coaching experience. You can see his squads training and competition results on instagram @baltas.javelin.squad
Coaching times: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday from 5.30pm, and Saturday afternoon.
Contact: 0402 220 926
Kim Mulhall
Level: 2
Events: Throws
Kim began Little Athletics at the age of 5 at Moorabbin, eventually finding her way to Sandringham in U13. She has been involved in the Senior club for 7 years. As an athlete, Kim made 2 x World Junior teams, 1x World University team and 2x Commonwealth Games. Coaching started for Kim in 2010 where she worked at Wesley College and slowly building up to individual coaching and at Little Athletics level. Kim has coached across a number of schools and now looks after the Athletics at Caulfield Grammar School.
Qualifications: Level 2 Accredited Coach, Bachelor of Health / Exercise Science
Contact: 0400 992 115
Coaching times: By arrangement
Ruby Holten
Level: 2
Events: Sprints, Hurdles, Horizontal Jumps & Multi-events
Ruby has been doing athletics since the age of 4. Starting at Chelsea LAs for 10 years, she gradually transitioned to Sandringham when she was 12 to be coached by Roy Boyd and has been there ever since. Ruby was a sprint hurdler and heptathlete and now competes as a sprinter in the VAL. She enjoys coaching athletes of all ages and covers basic to advanced technique development and strength and conditioning training. She does not currently coach a squad due to being a professional firefighter but can arrange various times each week.
Qualifications: Master of Applied Sport Science, AA Level 2 Development Coach, AA Level 2 Recreational Running.
Contact: rubyholten@outlook.com
Coaching times: By appointment
Liam Tully
Level: 1 Community Coach
Events: High Jump
Liam is a coach that has been involved in athletics since he was 8 years old and been an athlete competing in High Jump at a national level since 2018. Liam is involved with high jump coaching at Haileybury Grammar School.
Contact: 0479 093 915 or liamtully01@gmail.com
Coaching times: By appointment
Kundali Powell
Level 1 Community Coach
Events: Sprints and hurdles
Kundali has been involved in athletics since 11 years old competing as an athlete at Sandringham and at a National level for the 400m hurdles. Kundali has coached through the Sandringham Little Athletics system since 2019 and has a passion for developing athletes fundamental running skills whilst having fun.
Contact: kundalipowell@gmail.com
Coaching times: Sundays - alternating 11.30am and 2pm each week. Contact for further information.
