Age is no barrier for Alexandra and Cromwell's new swim coach.

At 23 years old Ashleigh Rankin is young to be a head coach, but she’s bringing plenty of enthusiasm to the two local swimming squads she is coaching.

She started swimming as a toddler in Wellington. Her mother, who was from the Philippines, wanted her children to be confident in the water so enrolled them in learn to swim classes.

Ashleigh started competing at the age of seven for SwimZone Racing (SZR), formerly known as Watties Swim Club in Wellington’s Hutt Valley. She was top in her age group for a few years and raced in the national age group championships, specialising in butterfly events.

“I hung up my togs in 2016, then started coaching at SZR in 2018.”

She spent a year at the University of Canterbury in 2021, but it wasn't the right fit for her. 

With her family in Central Otago, and after lots of trips to spend time with them, she decided to move south with her partner, who is a bottler at Vin Pro, and their young baby. 

She was appointed coach for the Cromwell Swim Club first, and started in March.

Ashleigh (front, centre) with some of the Cromwell squad. PHOTO: Supplied 

Alexandra Swim Club head coach Shane Allan was looking to step back after many years in the role, and he suggested she put herself forward for the role. 

Shane was named coach of the year by Swimming Otago in 2023 and 2020. 

“Shane is an amazing person as well as a coach. He really nurtures and looks after his swimmers. And not just his own swimmers, but swimmers from around the region . . . he's just legendary. So I've got big shoes to fill.”

Ashleigh looked at the training schedules for both squads and luckily it all worked out.

“In Alexandra it’s opposite times to what we have in Cromwell. It’s so challenging in this area to find steady coaches . . . everyone has been welcoming and I’m enjoying stepping into new territory.” 

Her goal is to get the youngsters to travel to more swim meets, possibly to the North Island once a year. 

“Over the term three school holidays we opened up a mini junior bootcamp to get the swimmers to mix and mingle . . . and it was a success.”

Listen to Ashleigh on The Outlet.

Read more: Alexandra Swimming Club scores regional awards.