Plympton Flyers athletes training
Plympton Flyers Little Athletics

Our Coaches

Meet the accredited team behind our athletes
Home › Our Coaches
When & Where We Train
Weekly Training Sessions
Tuesday
5:00 – 6:00 PM
Hamilton Secondary College · Mitchell Park
Run, Jump & Throw · Registered athletes U9+
Thursday
5:00 – 6:00 PM
Hamilton Secondary College · Mitchell Park
Specialised Sprints & Middle Distance · Registered athletes U9+
Partner club
Mon & Wed
Coastal Districts · Bowker Oval, North Brighton
Monday 4:00–5:00 PM · throws & race walking. Wednesday 6:30–7:30 PM · jumps & running. U6–U17 from 12 Oct — coached by Coastal Districts, free for registered Flyers.
The Team Behind the Team

Meet Our Coaches

Plympton Flyers is fortunate to have passionate, experienced coaches who dedicate their time each week to helping our athletes grow — not just as competitors, but as confident young people.

Samantha Byrnes — Sprints Coach
Thursdays
Sprints
Samantha Byrnes
Sprints Coach

Samantha began her athletics journey with Plympton in the U11s — winning Athlete of the Year, breaking a 100m state record, and setting club records in the 100m, 200m and 400m that she still holds today.

Samantha’s coaching philosophy is centred on helping every athlete be their best in a fun and inclusive environment. She connects training to performance so athletes can build confidence, resilience, sound sprint mechanics and a lasting love of athletics while taking ownership of their development.

Australian Athletics Level 2 Development Coach
ASCA Level 1 Accredited Strength and Conditioning Coach
State Official
Steven Mugge — Throws Coach
Tuesdays
Throws
Steven Mugge
Throws Coach · Life Member

Steve’s association with Plympton stretches back to when he first started in the U8s. A club fixture for decades, he remains one of the most familiar faces at the track — and still holds three club records in shot put and discus.

Steve’s coaching philosophy is to create a fun, safe and inclusive environment where young athletes develop their skills and reach their personal best.

Australian Athletics Level 1 Community Athletics Coach
Life Member
M45 SA Masters Discus record holder
Sean Tait — Middle & Long Distance Coach
Thursdays
Middle & Long Distance
Sean Tait
Middle & Long Distance Coach

Sean has recently relocated to Adelaide, after running his private coaching business in his native South Africa for 14 years. There, he worked with multiple provincial champions and national representatives across the various disciplines of track and field, with a focus on long and middle distance and cross country.

Sean’s coaching methodology focuses on athletes engaging in a healthy training culture, giving them the freedom to explore the bounds of their athletic capabilities within a fun, team-cohesive environment.

Level 3 Australian Athletics Performance Coach – Middle & Long Distance
Lachie Rudd — Multi-Event Coach
Tuesdays
Multi-Event
Lachie Rudd
Multi-Event Coach

For the past three years, Lachie has coached both Little Athletics and senior athletes, working with competitors from beginner level through to state and national representation. He is also an Australian Athletics Development Coach Level 2, bringing valuable knowledge and experience to help our athletes develop their skills, confidence and love of athletics.

Lachie is a former decathlon athlete who won a silver medal at the U18 Australian championships and still competes in senior athletics jumps and throws.

Australian Athletics Development Coach Level 2
U18 Australian Decathlon Silver Medallist
Jack Hodson — Long & Triple Jump Coach
Tuesdays
Long & Triple Jump
Jack Hodson
Long & Triple Jump Coach · Life Member

Jack has been part of the Plympton family since Tiny Tots, competing through to the Under 17s and earning Life Membership along the way. He currently competes for Athletics South Australia, claiming first place in the Under 17s State Championships in 2023 before competing at national level in 2024.

Jack’s coaching focus is to build safe, enjoyable and inclusive sessions where young athletes can develop jumping technique and reach their personal best.

Life Member
U17 State Champion 2023
National Competitor 2024
Chris Thomas — Middle Distance Coach
Tuesdays
Middle Distance
Chris Thomas
Middle Distance Coach

Chris is a former Plympton Flyer who has returned to the club as a parent.

In addition to coaching middle distance, Chris is an experienced netball and Australian Rules coach who is passionate about fostering a fun environment for junior athletes. Chris enjoys helping athletes get the most out of their abilities, build confidence, and grow towards becoming the best version of themselves on and off the track.

Camille — Little Flyers Coach (U6–U8)
Tuesdays
Little Flyers · U6–U8
Camille
Little Flyers Coach · U6–U8

Camille is an Under 16 athlete who has been with the Flyers since the Under 7s, enjoying regular success at State level – including a haul of four medals at last season’s State Championships.

She has recently completed the STRIVE Leadership & Development Program, which included the I.T.L.A.S coaching course, Level 1 Official and Tiny Tots courses. Camille is looking forward to sharing her experience with our youngest athletes in a fun, welcoming environment.

STRIVE Leadership Program
Level 1 Official
I.T.L.A.S Coach
Tiny Tots Coach Certified
Mathew Bruniges — Race Walking Coach
By contact only
Race Walking
Mathew Bruniges
Race Walking Coach

Mathew is an Athletics Australia Level 3 Race Walking Coach and former national-level race walker.

He coaches a junior race-walking squad, helping athletes develop their skills and enjoyment of the sport from Little Athletics through to elite junior competition. Athletes within his squad have won national medals and broken state records.

Mathew also contributes to the sport as a World Athletics Bronze Race Walk Judge, with experience officiating at a range of Australian National Championships.

Australian Athletics Level 3 Race Walking Coach
World Athletics Bronze Race Walk Judge
We're growing

Join Our Coaching Team

Plympton Flyers is looking for passionate, qualified parent coaches to inspire the next generation of young athletes. If you have coaching credentials and a love of athletics, we'd love to hear from you.

Friendly, supportive club vibe Flexible weekly or occasional sessions Tuesday & Thursday · 5–6 PM Make a real difference