Swimming

CAF SPORTS SUPPORT STAFF

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  Colonel S.A. Heer

  PATRON View Bio
  

  2023 - present

  Colonel S.A. Heer

  PATRON

  It is a great privilege for me to be the CAF Patron for Swimming. I am extremely excited to be able to give back to the sport and a program that was a great motivator for me throughout the earlier years of my life. 
  
  I swam competitively throughout my childhood and thoroughly enjoy all aspects of the sport and the camaraderie that I built being part of a competitive team. Swimming helped me build endurance, strength, and cardiovascular fitness. It allowed me to build my self-confidence, mental agility, and leadership skills. Also, there was no better lesson in self-discipline than early morning practices five times a week. The skills and attributes that I developed through competitive swimming have assisted me throughout my career in the CAF.
  
  I was also fortunate to have competed internationally with the CAF National Swim team and additionally have participated regionally with the CAF slo-pitch program. I can therefore provide firsthand knowledge of the benefits of the CAF Sports Program and its importance in helping CAF members develop humility, foster team cohesion, and maintain our fighting spirit necessary for mission success.
  
  I look forward to meeting and working with the swimmers, coaches, and staff across the country in the months ahead. See you on the pool deck soon!
   

  PREVIOUS PATRONS
  2019 - 2023	Major-General M.H.L. Bourgon
  2012 - 2018	Brigadier-General J.B. Ploughman
  2009 - 2011	Colonel J.J. McManus

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  Lieutenant (N) L.H. Dong

  CHIEF OFFICIAL View Bio
  

  2021 - present

  Lieutenant (N) L.H. Dong

  CHIEF OFFICIAL

  Lt(N) Dong is an avid swimmer who has held various roles within sport before joining the CAF. As a certified NCCP/Swimming Canada Age Group Coach and a NCCP/Swimming 101 Learning Facilitator; she has coached and developed athletes of all ages and skill levels, from children to masters programs.
   
  During her time as a team manager for Swim Ontario and Swim Canada, she helped bring the team to various domestic and international competitions including the Canada Games and the Youth Olympic Games.  After working in the sport for over a decade at all levels of competition, she is excited to bring her wealth of knowledge and experience to grow and develop the sport in role as the Chief Official.
  
   

  PREVIOUS CHIEF OFFICIALS
  2016 - 2021	Warrant Officier M. Neilson
  2009 - 2015	Captain G. King

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  Mr. G. Quenneville

  CISM HEAD COACH View Bio
  

  2022 - present

  Mr. G. Quenneville

  CISM HEAD COACH

  Gabriel holds a B. Sc. in Human Kinetics as well as several professional designations including; Clinical Exercise Physiologist and High-Performance Specialist from the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology, Swimming 201 Age Group Coach from the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) of Canada, and First Aid Instructor from the Canadian Lifesaving Society.
  
  Gabriel has held a various positions within PSP all over the globe, starting as a Lifeguard, Swim Coach and Aquatics Fitness Instructor in Petawawa, Reconditioning Specialist in Cold Lake, and is currently the Fitness, Sports & Physical Exercise Coordinator in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. During his time in Cold Lake he became a certified Swim Coach and took on the head coaching position of the Cold Lake Marlins Swim Club which he held for two years before accepting his current overseas position.
  
  “I first got involved in sports at a very young age. My parents signed us up for everything. But it wasn’t until I joined the cross-country running team at 9 years old that I really found my passion. At 13, I joined the local swim team and combined my passion for running and swimming to attempt some triathlons. The summer before senior year, I worked for the Nova Scotia Lifeguard Society and was introduced to Lifesaving sport. I have since competed at the national level in Lifesaving sport, with several national titles and medals and with hopes of making the national team one day. But for now, my focus will re-align itself to coaching the CISM team.”
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  Major A. Bronson

  CISM CO-TEAM MANAGER View Bio
  

  2023 - present

  Major A. Bronson

  CISM CO-TEAM MANAGER

  Maj Bronson Maj Bronson grew up in a family of 6 kids, all swimmers, and has competed in the sport since the age of 8. He grew up at the pool, swimming, lifeguarding, and coaching. He became involved with CISM in 2005 and has competed with the CISM team in multiple National and International events, including Rescue Lifesaving Championships, World Military Games, and several other CISM Military Swimming and Lifesaving competitions. In 2016 he took on the coaching role of the CISM team, working with them at World Military Competitions in Sweden, Brazil, and China. He has also had the amazing opportunity to coach with the 2017 and 2019 Invictus Games Teams. Maj Bronson believes that sport provides a healthy balance to the demanding day to day job requirements of the CAF and that all levels of competition offer a venue to challenge yourself and build new friendships at the same time.
  
  Maj Bronson is currently keeping busy raising his newborn daughter, who was introduced to the pool very early and shows great potential as a future swimmer!
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  Captain S. Bigelow

  CISM CO-TEAM MANAGER View Bio
  

  2023 - present

  Captain S. Bigelow

  CISM CO-TEAM MANAGER

  Capt Steph Bigelow is a lifelong swimmer. Growing up on Vancouver Island, she could be found either in the ocean or the pool. She quickly progressed through competitive swimming, competing at Olympic Trials at age 14 and earning a position on Team Canada by age 17. Joining the CAF in 2004, Capt Bigelow was introduced to the world of Lifesaving and has since competed at multiple Military World Games and Championships, most recently in the Netherlands in June 2022, where she helped set new Canadian National Records.
  
  Dedicated to her sport and professional excellence, Capt Bigelow is a 3-time All Canadian Athlete (2016-2019), where she competed for the Dalhousie University Swim Team during her 4 years of medical school. Capt Bigelow looks forward to engaging CAF members in Lifesaving and Swimming and is thrilled to take on the interim CISM Swimming and Lifesaving Team Co-Manager role!