Coaches
Mark Tanner
Director of Swimming
Mark brings over a decade of performance coaching experience to The Royal, having worked at every level of the sport — from grassroots development through to Olympic and World Championship preparation.
His roots are at Loughborough University — the world's leading institution for sport science — where he swam, studied, and began his coaching career. A thread of world-class exposure has run through everything since, including repeated returns to Loughborough to work alongside Olympic and World Championship medallists during Olympic preparation cycles. Along the way he has built and shaped some of the most successful swimming environments in the country, producing swimmers now performing at the very top of British senior swimming. Former athlete Oli Wilkes — Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist — publicly credited Mark in a BBC interview as the coach who taught him how to be a performance athlete. He has guided swimmers to NCAA Division I scholarships, national squad selection, and international representation — and collaborates directly with world-renowned physiologist Jan Olbrecht to apply cutting-edge energy system science at The Royal.
In Mark's words:
"As a coach, my biggest priority is the wellbeing and growth of my swimmers — not just as athletes, but as young people. I want them to leave our programme more confident, resilient, and self-aware than when they arrived.
I care genuinely about each swimmer. I want them to be happy, to feel supported, and to enjoy the journey — even when it's tough. At the same time, I want them to want excellence: to embrace hard work, commit fully to the process, and push themselves toward being the best swimmer they can be. Not because they're told to, but because they choose to.
Trust is at the core of everything. I ask swimmers to believe in the programme and in themselves — especially when things don't go to plan."
Shaun Wilding
Head Swimming Coach
Shaun brings a structured, science-based approach to swimmer development and a track record of developing high standards in age-group swimmers competing from County through to National level. His coaching has earned him selection for Swim England development camps, working with high-potential swimmers across the region and collaborating with coaches from multiple programmes.
Shaun brings a combination of performance coaching expertise and professional discipline from a successful career in financial services. He is also a competitive Masters swimmer and current Staffordshire County record holder, giving him a genuine and current understanding of the athlete experience.
In Shaun's words:
"My goal is to create an environment where discipline and consistency are the foundations of success. I believe swimmers thrive when expectations are clear and the environment is stable — when the distractions are removed and the focus is entirely on the individual in the water.
I treat every session as an opportunity for growth, where the training plan serves as the teacher. I value technical precision and a professional mindset, and I encourage swimmers to take full ownership of their development. Success, to me, is seeing an athlete build the daily habits and mental toughness required to compete at their highest level — and leaving the programme with the tools and character to excel in sport and in life."
Elliott Day
Swimming Coach
Elliott brings the perspective of a high-level competitive swimmer to his coaching — having competed in British finals and achieved medals at English and Irish championship level.
Throughout his competitive career Elliott trained under coaches Nathan Hilton — now a senior figure within Aquatics GB — and Dave Champion at Ipswich Swimming Club, giving him exposure to some of the most respected coaching environments in British swimming. As a swimmer he was selected for the prestigious DiSE programme, and as a coach he is already gaining valuable experience through Swim England's Coach Mentor Programme, working alongside an experienced international and Olympic-level coach.
Elliott began his coaching career at Stamford School, working alongside the previous Head Coach of Watford Swimming Club while also gaining further experience with City of Peterborough Swimming Club. Within his first 12 months at The Royal, Elliott has taken swimmers new to performance pathway swimming and developed them to a point where they are now among the top performers in their age group nationally.
In Elliott's words:
"I coach with empathy and a deep belief in personal growth. My mission is to help each individual not only develop their skills but to truly love the sport in all its dimensions — the joy, the challenge, the discipline, and the community it fosters. I view mistakes as essential stepping stones; each one is a chance to learn, adapt, and move forward stronger.
I hold high standards, not for perfection, but for commitment — to the team, to improvement, and to oneself. I aim to create an environment where effort is respected, accountability is expected, and growth is inevitable. Above all, I want the people I coach to leave with more confidence, character, and love for the sport than when they arrived."
Ruth Hadley
Swimming Coach
Bio coming soon.