We are thrilled to unveil the coaching lineup for the upcoming 2024 Touch World Cup in Nottingham, England! With a mix of seasoned veterans and fresh talent, this coaching team is poised to lead our athletes to the international stage.
Congratulations to the following appointed TC coaches:
Mixed Open Coach: Sion Atkins
Sion Atkins (pron.‘Shawn’) is originally from Wales but spent a portion of his life living in England. He played Touch in some form from an early age, alongside rugby, but found and started playing F.I.T. Touch in his late 20s. In 2016, Sion played for Wales Men’s 30’s in the European Championships. He has been coaching since 2019 when he took on the development coach role for his London based club. Sion was the England Women’s 27’s assistant coach for the 2022 European Championships campaign, and recently co-coached the Canada West Mixed Open side at the 2023 U.S National Championships.
Women's Open Coach: Jocelyn Muller
Jocelyn Muller has been a coach since 2019 and has worked with rugby players from grassroots up to senior level. Jocelyn has a deep passion for coaching and loves to see her players succeed both on and off the field. As a lifelong athlete, she’s learned through experience by playing a number of different sports such as rugby, netball, long distance running, skiing and mountain biking. As a coach she firmly believes in leading by example to be much more relatable to the athletes she coaches and by understanding the demands she places on them.
Jocelyn is deeply passionate about helping athletes develop their unique gifts, inspiring them to continue pursuing their goals in the face of adversity, and in creating the habits needed to succeed. She has a degree in Exercise Physiology and is a certified PT, with multiple training certifications.
Men's 30s Coach: Aaron Frisby
Aaron Frisby played Touch from a young age in the deep south of NZ before moving to Canada at age 21. After some failed attempts at establishing the sport on Vancouver Island, Aaron dedicated himself to coaching rugby union at a provincial and national level. With the new found opportunities within Canada in Touch, Aaron has now turned his coaching experience back to his favourite sport.
Head Coach: Pete Shefford
Pete Shefford has been involved in Touch (and coaching) since the mid 80's, across all levels, from park-level juniors to Open World Cup teams. He holds Australian Touch accreditations in coaching, refereeing and selecting, and has won several awards for his sports administration prowess. Pete joins Touch Canada for his 5th FIT World Cup event, having previously held roles with England, Samoa & Australia; and currently sits at 74 international caps.
Strength and Conditioning Coach: Phil Tungate
Phil brings a lifetime of passion for sports coaching to his role. With a rich background in Varsity S&C, national-level coaching across multiple sports, and experience in clinical post-rehabilitation programs for athletes, Phil offers a comprehensive skill set to support athletes in achieving their peak performance. Holding a Master's degree in Exercise Science, Phil is recognized as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA and as a Chartered Professional Coach by the Coaches Association of Canada. As he embarks on his inaugural season with Touch Canada, Phil is eager to share his expertise and encourages athletes to reach out with any inquiries they might have.
For any further information, please contact Alicia Shen, Communications Director, or Daryl Conneely, President.