Coaches
Meet the Active Attitude Team…
Ashleigh McCaw (Director)
About Ashleigh:
Ashleigh has always enjoyed sport and being physically active. From an early age she was swinging on bars in the playground and doing handstands. As a youngster, Ashleigh played netball and did competitive gymnastics. She started coaching gymnastics at the age of 14 and has been involved with instructing children’s physical activity ever since. She enjoys teaching gymnastics, swimming and athletics, as these sports develop fundamental movement skills which provide the foundations for other sports.
Ashleigh has previously worked in gymnastics and swimming organisations and for Gymnastics New Zealand. Ashleigh is looking forward to getting more Northlanders involved in gymnastics and helping to develop youth sports coaching as a recognised profession in New Zealand.
Qualifications/Training:
- Bachelor of Sport and Leisure (Hons).
- Fitness Business Diploma
- Certificate in Personal Training
- Certificate in Sports Administration
- Gymnastics New Zealand Coaching Qualifications (Gymnastics/Gymsports): Basic Skills, Recreation Coach, Play Gym Leader, Junior Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Coach, Junior Tumbling Coach & Junior Aerobics Coach.
- Swimming NZ Swim Teaching Certificates: School Age, Adult, Early Childhood, and Teaching Swimmers with Disabilities.
- Trained Level 3 Run Jump Throw (Athletics) Coach
- Trained Get Set Go (Athletics) Coach
- Gymnastics New Zealand Elementary Aerobics Judge
- Coaching New Zealand (Level 2)
Favourite Sport: Gymnastics
Favourite Healthy Food: Strawberries
Favourite Quote: “It’s is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.” – Theodore Roosevelt
Natalie (Nat) Cossey (Head Coach)
About Nat:
Nat always wanted to become a teacher, and from coaching at Active Attitude while studying towards her Sport and Recreation qualifications she has found that coaching is her passion. She comes from a family who love sports and being outdoors.
Qualifications/Training:
Bachelor of Sport and Recreation
Gymnastics New Zealand Qualifications: Foundation Coach & Elementary Trampoline Coach
Favourite Sport: Netball
Favourite Healthy Food: Ambrosia
Favourite Quote: “Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.” – Jack Canfield
Donna Allen (Administrator)
About Donna:
A mother of a daughter who grew up in the cheer-leading world. She has a background and qualifications in administration, cooking and as a pre-school educator.
Qualifications/Training:
Favourite Sport: Cheerleading
Favourite Healthy Food: Watermelon
Favourite Quote: “The best therapist has fur and four legs.”
Katherine (Kat) Tasker (Marketing and Coach)
About 
Kat:
Kat has a background in cheerleading and dance which led her to attend performing arts school when she was 18yrs. Over the years she has performed in numerous dance shows in styles such as hip-hop and contemporary. In 2019 she graduated from Northtec with a Bachelor of Applied management with a particular interest in marketing and brand promotion. Last year she also completed a certificate in communications media giving her skills in campaign planning, social media management and public speaking.
Favourite Sport: Netball and Cheerleading
Qualifications:
- Certificate in performance and dance
- Bachelor of Applied Management
- Certificate in communications media
Favourite Healthy Food: Avocado
Favourite Quote: “When there is no enemy within, the enemy outside can do you no harm”
Mika Sakai-Cates (Academy Tutor)
About Mika:
Mika’s early post uni work life was in journalism, education, and consumers’ cooperative society. During her extensive travel Mika has lived in many different countries. She has taught many years at NZ high schools and intermediate schools and also at CEW (Community Education Whangarei) and Multicultural Whangarei. Mika is well aware of the importance of respect for different cultures and has an excellent ability to interact with people of all ages from a multicultural background.
Qualifications/Training:
- Bachelor in Social Sciences
- Postgraduate Diploma in Education
- NZ Registered Teacher (Secondary School)
Favourite Sport: Dance
Favourite Healthy Food: Sushi. Any fruits except persimmons
Favourite Quote: Walk on with hope in your heart, and you will never walk alone.
Toni Saunders
About Toni:
Full-time employee at NDHB working as an Anaesthetic Technician for the past 3.5 years. Prior to that life was dedicated to dance and cheerleading, as a gym owner, coach, choreographer and judge. Enjoy being outside, trail walking, running and enjoying the beauty of Northland.
Qualifications/Training: Diploma in Applied Science, Qualified Anaesthetic Technician, lifetime dedication to dance and cheerleading.
Favourite Sport: Cheerleading of course
Favourite Healthy Food: Carrots
Favourite Quote: “Believe you can and you’re halfway there”
Juan Pablo (Chiko)
About Chiko: Chiko has come from Chile, he started breaking in 2004 in Santiago Chile. He would love to see the evolution of kids and their journey of learning break dance. His focus is to excel in his sport and to reach the Olympics. He loves dancing and teaching and wants to be a great coach.
Qualifications/Training: Ignita in Cambridge
Favourite Sport: Soccer, BMX, diving and break dancing
Favourite Healthy Food: Fruit Salad
Favourite Quote: “If I do it, you can do it too”
Bridget Lambert
About Bridget:
Bridget was the driving force behind getting our Competitive Trampoline classes off the ground here at Active Attitude. Having been involved in competitive trampolining throughout her childhood, she is keen to pass on her passion for the sport. Bridget has three children who are also Active Attitude members.
Favourite Sport: Trampoline
Favourite Healthy Food: Watermelon
Favourite Quote: “A Champion is defined not by their wins, but by how they can recover when they fall” Serena Williams
Tyran Mirko
About Ty:
Ty is a stunt man in training, clown and circus skills enthusiast. Not settling for a single talent, he has dabbled in acrobatics, parkour, juggling, knife throwing, archery and many other odd skills. When he is not training, he is filling his time with cartoons and Dungeons and Dragons!
Qualifications/Training: Certificate in Swim Teaching, 8+ years of Parkour/Tricking
Favourite Sport: Sword fighting (HEMA)
Favourite Healthy Food: Anything I can share with a friend
Favourite Quote: “And why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up. ” Thomas Wayne (Batman Begins)
Ashleigh Ellis
About Ashleigh:
Ashleigh is currently studying towards a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation in Whangarei and loves getting involved in all sports and different outdoor Rec activities.
Qualifications/Training: Diploma in Sport and Recreation
Favourite Sport: Sailing
Favourite Food: Raspberries
Favourite Quote: We can’t direct the wind but we can adjust the sails.
Trinity Peirson-Harrop
About Trinity:
Qualifications/Training:
- Certificate of Sport and Recreation
Favourite Sport:
Favourite Food:
Favourite Quote:
Lucy Bland
About Lucy: Lucy is one of our Active Attitude Coaches and is a student at Whangarei Girls High School.
Qualifications/Training: XTND Youth Leadership and Coaching Qualification.
Favourite Sport: Cheerleading and Netball
Favourite Food: Thai Food
Favourite Quote: “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard”.
Jessica Woollam
About Jessica : Jessica is one of our Active Attitude Coaches and is also a student at Dargaville High School. She has been involved with Active Attitude since we first started our club in Dargaville in 2012.
Qualifications/Training: XTND Youth Leadership and Coaching Qualification.
Favourite Sport: Netball
Favourite Food:
Favourite Quote:
Thomas Davidson
About Thomas : Thomas is one of our Active Attitude “Coaches in Training” and is a student at Pompallier Catholic College. Thomas has been a member of Active Attitude since we first started our club in Dargaville in 2012.
Qualifications/Training: XTND Youth Leadership and Coaching Programme.
Favourite Sport: Gymnastics
Favourite Food: Bacon
Favourite Quote: “Study your opponents and train against them and you will have gold.” -Sun Tzu.
Piper West
About Piper : Piper is one of our Active Attitude “Coaches in Training” and is a student at Whangarei Girls High School. She has represented Northland in Aerobic Gymnastics since 2016 and was one of our original Active Attitude members who started with us back in 2012.
Qualifications/Training: Currently in her first year of Active Attitude’s Coach in Training Programme.
Favourite Sport: Aerobics
Favourite Food: Nectarines
Favourite Quote: “Everyday may not be good, but there is something good in everyday.”
Leah McRae
About Leah: Leah is one of our Active Attitude “Coaches in Training” and is a student at Whangarei Girls High School. She has represented Northland in Aerobic Gymnastics since 2015.
Qualifications/Training: Currently in her first year of Active Attitude’s Coach in Training Programme.
Favourite Sport: Aerobics
Favourite Food: Berry Smoothie
Favourite Quote: “Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself”
Briar Horan
About Briar: Briar is one of our Active Attitude “Coaches in Training” and is a student at Christian Renewal School.
Qualifications/Training: Currently in her first year of Active Attitude’s Coach in Training Programme.
Favourite Sport: Horse Riding
Favourite Food: Asian Salad
Favourite Quote: “Let your smile change the world, but don’t let the world change your smile”
Caitlin Thompson
About Caitlin: Caitlin is one of our Active Attitude “Coaches in Training” and is a student at Whangrei Girl’s High School. She also represents the club at competitions for trampolining.
Qualifications/Training:
Favourite Sport: Trampoline and Team Sailing
Favourite Food: Watermelon
Favourite Quote: “Push yourself because no one else can do it for you”
Annabel McIlhinney
About Annabel: Annabel is one of our Active Attitude “Coaches in Training” and is a student at Huanui College. She has also represented Northland in Aerobic Gymnastics.
Qualifications/Training:
Favourite Sport: Aerobics
Favourite Food: Strawberries
Favourite Quote: “The difference between your dreams and reality is called action”
Caitlin Leathem
About Caitlin: Caitlin is one of our Active Attitude “Coaches in Training” and is a student at Whangrei Girl’s High School. She represented Northland in Aerobic Gymnastics in 2018 and then Tumble in 2019.
Qualifications/Training:
Favourite Sport: Tumble
Favourite Food: Fresh apricots
Favourite Quote: “Life is like a camera, focus on what’s important, capture that good times,
Develop the negatives and if things don’t work out , take another shot”
