Mark Townsend
Head Coach

Mark Townsend has been involved with the Abbotsford Whaler Swim Club since 2003. This is Mark's third year as the head coach of the Club. His dedication and passion for the sport of swimming is evident in the enthusiasm he brings to each practice.

Mark started swimming in 1964 with  the Juan de Fuca Cohoes Swim Club. More recently,  he has been involved as an official and swimming parent with the Whalers, Williams Lake Blue Fins and Chilliwack Spartans. He is currently working towards his Level 2 NCCP certification. He is a geomatics engineering technologist and an avid distance runner.

Andrea Seaton

Andrea has been involved with competitive swimming since 1994. This is Andrea's second year as a coach for the Abby Whalers Swim Club. She first began her swimming career with the Spartan Swim Club at age 6. She excelled in backstroke and has numerous provincial medals under her belt. In 2001she began coaching with the Spartans under the direction of Vince Mikuska. She has coached swimmers of all ages and is eager to continue sharing her enthusiasm and love of the sport.

In 2005 she was introduced to summer swimming through coaching the Hope Otters and is excited to begin another summer with the Abbotsford Whalers. Andrea is energetic and enjoys helping swimmers exceed in swimming. She has completed her NCCP Level 1 and is a science student at UBC.

Melissa Lam

Melissa was first involved with the Abbotsford Whalers as a very young swimmer. In previous years, she volunteer coached in the summer and with the winter-fit program. This will be her second year as an assistant coach. She brings a positive and fun attitude to the pool with great commitment to her swimmers.

Melissa was a former swimmer with the Mission Marlins and Spartan's swim club. In 2005, she was part of the University of Calgary varsity swim team. She is currently working towards her NCCP level 1 coaching certificate and also teaches swimming lessons through the year. Melissa is attending the University of Calgary in which she hopes to pursue a career in medicine.

Vicki Niiranen

Vicki has been involved in competitive swimming since 1972, swimming both summer and winter swimming. Throughout her career of swimming she broke many records, won many gold medals at Provincials and made the Junior Canadian National swim team. Her strengths were butterfly and freestyle. When she was 16, she decided to devote her love of swimming to coaching and became a swim coach. Her own children started summer swimming in 1997 and Vicki quickly became very involved with the swim club as the Director of Speed Swimming. After a few years of volunteering, she wanted to put her heart back into coaching and help the young swimmers develop their own personal successes as well as a passion for swimming.

Vicki has been an Assistant Head Coach for the Langley Flippers and last year was the Head Coach for the Haney Neptunes. She has advanced many swimmers, both individually and on relays, to the Provincial level and looks forward to continuing those goals with the Abbotsford Whalers Swim Club. Vicki keeps very busy with her family, coaching, bookkeeping business and singing career and is very excited about the new swim season with our swim club.