Our Coaches
Jana Wilkitzki
Open Performance & Co- Head Coach
Swimming was always in my life. I swam 19 years for Slovakia and broke more than 30 Junior and Open National records. In 2000 I made Olympic team. i studied Physical Education and Sport and in 1996 achieved my Master Degree and became professional coach.
I worked 9 years as a swim coach in Slovakia when I decided to challenge myself. I got an offer from New Zealand (North Shore Swimming Club) to come and show what I can do. After 18 months with North Shore I got an offer from Howick Pakuranga Swimming Club where I started in April 2008 as a Junior Head Coach. In time and after winning 3 times NZ Junior Nationals I became Age Group Coach and National Development Coach.
I am a holder of NZ Silver Coaching License and most recently had been honoured as a carded coach by High Performance Sport NZ.
Rachel Palmer
Youth Performance & Co – Head Coach
I have grown up through the HPK program myself, which is where I developed my love for not only the sport but also coaching. Under the tutelage of Horst Miehe I was able to achieve national and regional titles as well as representing NZ at the Youth Olympics.
I then spent 4 years on a scholarship for swimming at Northern Arizona University before graduating with a degree in Public Health and a minor in Psychology. I then went on to coach at Rancho San Dieguito in San Diego before returning home and starting my journey coaching with HPK. Through HPK I have been able to coach many different levels starting at a juniors through to now youth performance. I have a strong passion for helping swimmers get as much as they can from the sport, as I was so lucky to experience so much.
Thomas Hughson
Dolphins
Hi my name is Thomas Hughson, I'm 21 years old and swimming has been my passion for around 13 years.
I came to the club when I was 8 as a breaststroke specialist and that's the way it stayed throughout my whole career. I have had multiple trips to Australia to represent the club and the national squad.
My highlight of my swimming career was representing the University of Tampa for a year from 2019-20 and travelling around Florida swimming.
My dream as a coach is to get young kids to the national level to represent the club I'm so proud to call my home away from home.
I look forward to my time at HPK and meeting and training young kids that were once in my position.
Peter Yates
Age Performance and Open Development
I am a former HPK swimmer, who has represented the club at NAGs, Div II, Short Course and participated in SNZ Training camps.
I also played water polo at a high level, on school, club, and New Zealand teams.
Tony Shacklock
Age Development
I come from a mechanical engineering background. I graduated Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering in1982 and later, Master of Engineering Science (Biomechanics) in 1987. The masters degree came out of an interest in how the body works.
My passion for swimming developed while my two boys were learning to swim in the late 1990s. I thought I would get a few lessons to tidy up my breathing – little did I realise where it would lead.
Swimming with South City Masters Swimmers taught me that I don’t have to be the fastest one in the pool to enjoy it and get better. My coaching with HPK began when HPK’s Head Coach at the time offered coaching sessions to Masters swimmers..
A change of circumstances and a benevolent wife allowed me to leave full time employment in 2011. Since then I have been developing as a swim coach.
Jess Gibson
Junior Performance and Fundamental Skills
I am a university student studying chemistry and pharmacology. I grew up swimming competitively myself with HPK and have a passion for teaching kids and helping them develop the love for the sport just as I did.
Sam Zheng
Age Development
Horst Miehe
Director of Coaching
Horst Miehe was born in Tokoroa, and finished school at Tokoroa High School in 1989 with a University Bursary and skills in academia, music and sports.
Swimming was Horst’s biggest passion and his university studies were structured around swim practice. While being an average athlete, Horst finished a Masters in Social Science (Hons) which gave him the skills to think critically, research, develop and execute a plan, and critically evaluate.
In his early coaching days Horst coached in Matamata and guided 4 New Zealand record holders, multiple New Zealand Age Group Champions, a National representative and a club that ranked 10th at National Age Champs despite a town population of only 7,000. Horst would maintain that it was coaching skill, but the reality is probably more based around the great swimming stocks that farmers children made. Through the national swimming programme at the time Horst was encouraged to develop teaching, coaching and first aid qualifications.
On the local swimming scene Horst has been the President of the NZ Coaches and Teachers association as well as a board member, an ex officio member of the SNZ board. In 2012 Horst was recognized as a Gold SNZ Coach. Horst has been involved in delivering silver and bronze courses for Swimming NZ and was on the Board of Water Safety New Zealand until late in 2019.