Somerset Swimming has an elite group of committed coaches who specialise in a number of disciplines. Their aim is to encourage all students to become the best swimmers they can be.
With 28 years of dedication to swimming at Somerset College, Forrest has played an integral role in shaping the College’s aquatic culture through his contributions as a coach and administrator.
A Silver Level Qualified Coach, Forrest holds a combined Bachelor of Exercise Science and Bachelor of Business (Sport Management), a Diploma of Education, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA). His professional expertise is underpinned by firsthand elite experience, having proudly represented Australia in swimming at both age and open levels.
As a coach, Forrest has guided athletes to National Age and Open Championship standards, demonstrating a strong track record in developing swimmers across all stages of the performance pathway. For the past 15 years, he has overseen and led the Somerset Swimming Academy, strategically expanding and strengthening the program from its learn-to-swim foundation through to elite performance squads.
Under his leadership, the Academy has grown in depth, structure, and success, fostering a culture of excellence, opportunity, and long-term athlete development. Forrest’s unique combination of high-performance experience, academic qualifications, and sustained leadership continues to drive the Academy’s success and reputation within the wider swimming community.
Ashley Callus OAM is one of Australia’s most accomplished swimmers and an experienced high-performance coach. A Triple Olympian and recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), Ash brings world-class experience and leadership to the Academy’s Squads, where he serves as Head Coach.
Ash represented Australia at three Olympic Games (2000, 2004, 2008), four Commonwealth Games, and seven World Championships during an outstanding international career.
His most iconic achievement came at the 2000 Summer Olympics, where he won Olympic gold in world record time as part of Australia’s Men’s 4 x 100 metre Freestyle Relay team alongside Michael Klim, Ian Thorpe, and Chris Fydler.
Further career highlights include:
As a Gold Level Coach, Ash has successfully transitioned his elite competitive experience into coaching excellence. He has guided athletes to selection at the Olympic Games, World Championships, and Commonwealth Games, working with both able-bodied and multi-class swimmers.
Ash’s passion for performance, combined with his firsthand knowledge of what it takes to succeed on the world stage, provides invaluable leadership and inspiration to the Academy’s athletes.
Chris Urquhart is a highly experienced and fully qualified swimming coach with a proven record of developing athletes from age group level through to international competition. His athlete-centred coaching philosophy focuses on technical excellence, progressive development, and building confident, resilient swimmers.
In 2025, Chris was recognised as National Age Group Coach of the Year and appointed to lead the National Age Program, reflecting his outstanding contribution to emerging athlete pathways and high-performance success. He has coached several Age National Champions and record holders, further demonstrating his ability to consistently develop swimmers to elite standards.
Chris has coached Ashley Callus, a Triple Olympian and Olympic Gold Medallist, and Alicia Coutts to Australian National Open Team selection. He has also represented Australia as a coach at the World Short Course Championships and the Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.
At Somerset, Chris leads the National Age Squad program while working collaboratively across squads to foster a positive, professional, and high-performance
Type on the line above then press the Enter/Return key to submit a new search query