Meet the Active Attitude team
We pride ourselves in having coaches who care about your child more than the sport they are teaching. Our coaches teach sport because they want to make a difference in the lives of young people. For us, sport is a way we can help your child grow and bring out their best. All of our coaches have their First Aid certificates and are dedicated to continuous education to ensure the tuition we are providing your child is fun, safe and developmentally appropriate.
Want to join us? Learn about our Coach in Training Programme and Employment Opportunities.
Ashleigh McCaw - Director & Coach
Ashleigh has always enjoyed sport and being physically active. As a youngster, Ashleigh played netball and did competitive gymnastics.
Ashleigh has previously worked for sports organisations at a local, regional and national level. She has been coaching youth sport for 22 years and developed Active Attitude to be a Youth Sports Club in Northland 12 years ago.
Delivering fun and educational physical activity programmes in ECE centres and schools is also something Ashleigh is extremely passionate about. She enjoys teaching gymnastics based sports, swimming and athletics, as these sports develop fundamental movement skills which provide the foundations for all sports.
Ashleigh aspires for youth sports coaching to be seen and valued 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 NZ 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
- Coaching New Zealand (Level 2)
Favourite Sport: Gymnastics
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
Ashley McGregor - Coach & Administrator
Ashley
Qualifications/Training:
- Spectrabilities
Favourite Sport:
Favourite Quote:
Lillian Leathem - Coach
Lillian
Qualifications/Training:
Favourite Sport:
Favourite Quote:
Karen Eastwood - Coach
Karen
Qualifications/Training:
- Spectrabilities
Favourite Sport:
Favourite Quote:
Annabel McIlhinney - Coach
Qualifications/Training:
- Active Attitude Coach in Training Programme Graduate
Favourite Sport:
Favourite Quote: “The difference between your dreams and reality is called action.”
Allan McGregor - Ninja Coach
Allan has been training in Martial Arts for over 30 years, and has experience teaching both adults and children. He first started training in Ninjutsu in 1989 in Whangarei, and sat and passed his black belt there in 1991 at the age of 15.
Allan also holds a teaching license for Bujinkan Ninjutsu issued in Japan, where he passed his Godan (5th Dan Black Belt) in 2009. He has hosted numerous seminars within NZ, both as the instructor as well as for guest instructors from within NZ and overseas. He has hosted biannual camps for practitioners from around the country and was one of the organizers of the NZ Taikai, an international event with one of the senior Japanese instructors. It was at this event where he was awarded his Judan (10th Dan Black Belt).
Qualifications/Training:
- 10th Dan Black Belt
Favourite Sport: Bujinkan Ninjutsu
Favourite Quote:
Meleena Jurgen - Coach
Meleena
Qualifications/Training:
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Tyran Mirko - Coach
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. 8+ years of Parkour/Tricking. When he is not training, he is filling his time with cartoons and Dungeons and Dragons!
Qualifications/Training:
- Certificate in Swim Teaching
- Spectrabilities
Favourite Sport: Sword fighting (HEMA)
Favourite Quote: “And why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.” - Thomas Wayne (Batman Begins)
Thomas Davidson - Relief Coach and Holiday Programme Assistant
Thomas became an Honorary member of Active Attitude in 2022. He was one of our original club members when Active Attitude started as a club back in 2012 when he was age 7. Thomas continued being a member of Active Attitude for 10 years - right through until he completed his final year at High School. Thomas is now based in Christchurch where he studies Engineering at Canterbury University. Thomas continues to assist us with coaching and holiday programmes when he is back in Northland on University breaks.
Qualifications/Training:
- XTND Youth Leadership and Coaching Programme.
Favourite Sport:
Favourite Quote: “Study your opponents and train against them and you will have gold.” - Sun Tzu.
Leah McRae - Relief Coach and Holiday Programme Assistant
Qualifications/Training:
- Active Attitude Coach in Training Programme Graduate
Favourite Sport:
Favourite Quote: “Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.”
Samuel Davidson - Coach in Training
Samuel
Qualifications/Training:
Favourite Sport:
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Jesse Hammer - Coach in Training
Jesse
Qualifications/Training:
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