Coaches

Ulf Ornhjelm has over 35 years of coaching experience and has coached swimmers to numerous National and provincial records. He has placed swimmers on Canadian National, Junior, Youth and Age Group Teams. In 2008 he was selected to the team Canada coaching staff for the Youth Olympic Festival. He was also elected to the Team Canada coaching staff for the North American Challenge in 2008.

Ulf started coaching in 1989 for the ACE Swim Team and became the Head Coach from 1992-1998. In the fall of 1998, he moved on to the Newmarket Stingrays Swim Club as the Head Age Group Coach a position he held until the summer of 2013.

Ulf has received numerous awards for his coaching including Swim Ontario Age Group Coach of the Year Award and CSCA Domestic Excellence Award for National event Winner.

Educated at the University of Cincinnati, where he was elected as men’s captain for the swim team his junior and senior year. He was also a two time Most Valuable Player on his team and the recipient of the Jimmy Nippert Award in 1987 for the top senior male student athlete at University of Cincinnati. He is also a certified level 3 coach and still honoring an Ontario College of Teachers certificate. As well he is recognized as a ChPC (chartered Professional Coach) with the Coaching Association of Canada.

Kim brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her coaching and management positions. Her vast experience is based in coaching competitive swimming of all ages & abilities. She has NCCP 3 certification and is a Level 3 swimming offical. She started coaching in 1991 for the North Bay Y Titans. She continued her coaching career for Laurentian University Swim Club where she apprenticed under Dr. Jeno Tihanyi and other talented head coaches. After graduating with honors in Health & Physical Education in 1998 she became the Head Coach for the Valley East Waves.

In 2000 she joined the COBRA Swim Club where she held numerous coaching positions. Often refered to as 'The Glue' of the organization, she is a benevolent leader, innovator, and builder in the sport we all love. Her coaching successes include numerous Provincial medalists & finalists; provincial tour teams and record holders, as well as assistant coach for Team Canada 2019 World Para Swimming Championships in Italy. This experience combined with her knowledge of the inner workings of the sport make her leadership role as Operations Manager integral to the success of our organization.

Some recent accolades include:

• 2020 Swim Ontario Hometown Hero
• 2021 Swim Ontario Male Para Coach of the Year
• 2022 Swim Ontario Male Para Coach of the Year
• 2024 Swim Ontario Masters Coach of the Year

Tony has been involved in swimming since he was 6 years old. He was a competitor for over 20 seasons, being a member of clubs in Welland, Niagara Falls, St. Thomas, St. Catharines (Varsity and club), and finally with COBRA Masters. A graduate of Brock University with a BSc in Mathematics(2002), and a Presidents Award recipient in his final year. Tony began coaching with COBRA in 2003 and is a certified NCCP Level 2 coach. His swimmers have won numerous Provincial and Canadian Age Group Championship medals. Highlights include: OSCA Award for Coach of the Year of the 12 & Under Female category for the 2008-09 season; Placing swimmers on North American Tour Teams for 3 consecutive years from 2009-2011.

Jorge Neves began his swimming journey at the age of 10 in Portugal, where he later became a National Champion and record holder. In 1988, he embarked on a coaching career, beginning at the Etobicoke Swim Club and continuing at the York Swim Club until 2001.

Jorge's coaching career is highlighted by a series of impressive accomplishments. Many of his swimmers qualified for provincial competitions and earned provincial champion titles. He also helped develop swimmers that went ahead to receive full swimming scholarships and others that reached levels as far as Canadian trials and the Commonwealth games.

Jorge's commitment to the sport was undying, and after a sabbatical of nine years to spend quality time with his family, he returned to his coaching journey in the 2010/11 season. He brought his wealth of knowledge and experience to the Cobra Swim Club, where he took on the role of a 13 & under Age Group coach.

Since joining Cobra, Jorge has continued to make a significant impact. His coaching has led to the development of several junior national and Provincial finalists and medalists. In 2019, Cobra Swim Club has thrived, achieving the remarkable distinction of being the best Backstroke team in Ontario for 13 & under swimmers.

Jorge Neves' coaching legacy is one marked by excellence, dedication, and a profound love for the sport of swimming. His ability to mold swimmers into champions and his continued success as a coach showcase his solid commitment to the sport's growth and development.

Ian's vibrant personality and extensive two-decade commitment to the COBRA team underscore his profound impact on the swimming community. His remarkable ability to instill enthusiasm and motivate swimmers to surpass their potential is evident in his coaching journey. Serving as the coach for Paralympian Matthew Cabraja during the 2020 Tokyo Games is a testament to Ian's expertise. His international coaching experiences, including being an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2018 World Series of Para and the 2019 World Para Swimming Championships in Italy, as well as his selection as one of four apprentice coaches for the 2019 Para World Championship in London, England, highlight his dedication to shaping the next generation of athletes.

Some recent accolades include:

• 2018 Ontario Coaches Association – Grassroots Coach of the year
• 2019 Brampton Board of Trade Top 40 under 40
• 2021 Swim Ontario Male Para Coach of the Year
• 2021 Swim Ontario Coach Service Award
• 2022 Swim Ontario Male Para Coach of the Year

Cathryn started at the COBRA Swim Club when she was in grade 1 in the JSC program and quickly fell in love with the sport. She became apart of the COBRA competitive team and was a dedicated athlete for many years. She not only was able to swim under every coach at COBRA but also has been able to learn and be mentored by them. She started instructing and lifeguarding with the JSC program and became passionate about teaching and inspiring young athletes about the sport of swimming. Cathryn started coaching the Teen Aqua program and now is coaching our competitive group. She has graduated from The University of Toronto completing her BA in Social Sciences & Humanities, and doing a double major in history and sociology. To further her coaching career, she is currently taking her coaching level 2.

Emma has been involved in Cobra since 2007. She has been in every program offered from Competitive, to Teen Aqua to Masters and is a leader in the Junior Swim Club program. She is a graduate of Trent University with a BAH in Forensic Science, History and English (2022) and Seneca College with a Dipl. in Law Clerk (2023). Emma is also a fantastic resource for all things leadership at Cobra. She has run numerous leadership courses for the athletes with the goal of getting them to volunteer in our JSC program. Emma works closely with our volunteers to ensure they are qualified and can gain invaluable experience before moving up as a JSC staff. Emma extends the welcoming atmosphere of Cobra and is looking forward to develop the upcoming generation of swimmers.