Performance PRogramme Personnel

Updated on 1 April 2023:

STS continually strives to improve the coaching support delivered by the programme to athletes. As such, despite the success of the STS Performance Programme over the past four years, STS has been through a process of advertising and recruiting coaches for the Pistol, Rifle & Shotgun disciplines within the Performance Programme, with a view to continue developing world class athletes and performances.

The recruitment process was carried out by Oliver Barsby as STS Chief Operating Officer; Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun representatives from the STS Performance & Pathways Group; Jennifer Ross as Performance & Pathways Manager (where appropriate); Gareth McKenna as Performance & Pathways Director; and sportscotland’s Performance Partnership Manager to shooting, Vikki Bunce, to ensure a breadth of views were involved and there is full transparency underpinning the process.

STS is delighted to confirm the process is now complete and announce the reappointment of Marco Micheli as Performance Shotgun Coach, covering Olympic Trap, Para Trap and Olympic Skeet. STS is delighted to have Marco back on board for a third term after the success of our Shotgun athletes at the Commonwealth Games back in 2018, as well as the continuing development of Scottish athletes at all levels over the last four years – from Keith White’s podium finish at the World Championships, to the gold medals for junior athletes Thomas McCarle and Izzy MacKintosh at the British Shooting Shotgun Series Grand Final.

Taking an innovative approach, STS is also excited to announce the appointment of Andrew Ross as joint Rifle & Pistol Performance Coach, supporting both the Olympic and Paralympic events included in these disciplines. Andrew has overseen the Rifle programme since 2018, and stepped in to support the Pistol programme during COVID – support that continued when Performance Pistol Coach, Sonal Gyorik-Ramendra, stepped back from the position during 2022 and finally finished at the end of last year. During this time, Andrew has built up both an excellent rapport with the Pistol athletes and, under Sonal’s guidance and supervision, gained a wealth of experience in the specific technical demands of the discipline.

The option to appoint a coach to oversee both the Pistol and Rifle programme gives STS a unique opportunity to develop a positive culture and team ethos across the disciplines like never before – particularly with more emphasis on the 10m events as focus shifts towards Victoria 2026. However, we are committed to supporting all Olympic & Paralympic events and Andrew’s appointment is made on the understanding that additional input will be sought from coaches with international 25m pistol experience, to ensure the Performance Programme is providing the best support possible to athletes competing in these events.

STS are excited about these appointments, the terms of which will commence on 1st April and run through until the end of the 2026 Commonwealth Games to provide stability to athletes, coaches and programmes alike.