Private Coaching
Become more capable around water.
Private Coaching is founder-led by Scott “Skip” Innes, with a deliberately small amount of his own time kept aside for personal coaching. Based in Surrey and the Surrey Hills, it is the individual-facing expression of the same SHACADEMY method: understand the objective first, then identify the right expertise.
Start here
Tell us what you’re trying to achieve.
Not sure where to start? Tell us what you’re trying to achieve. We’ll ask a few useful questions, explain how the coaching works and point you towards the right next step.
One short question, then a Discovery built for what you’ve chosen. Skip personally reviews every coaching enquiry. Nothing is booked or paid for here.
Where we start
What are you trying to achieve?
That question comes before any talk of drills, distances or kit. Coaching is built around you rather than a rigid lesson plan, so the first conversation is about four things:
- Where you are now, and what currently gets in the way.
- What you want to achieve, and roughly when.
- The environment you want to be able to operate in.
- What is currently getting in the way.
From there we work practically: a bit of experience and judgement applied to your situation, small changes that hold up when conditions are less than perfect, and technology where it is useful. You don't need to be elite. You just need to want to get better.
More on that experience: Skip’s story, The Surrey Hills Adventure Company and Buckland Park Lake.
The right fit
The right coaching for the goal in front of you.
Coaching is founder-led by Skip. He keeps a deliberately small amount of his own time available and continues to coach personally where he is the right fit.
Where another area of expertise would help, SHACADEMY can draw on trusted coaches and specialists from its wider network, or make an introduction. The route in stays the same: understand the objective first, then find the right coaching or specialist support for it.
Coaching areas
Coaching and team training for individuals, venues and operators.
Whether you are looking for private swimming lessons and private open water swimming coaching, a private paddleboard lesson as a complete beginner, or SUP coaching to become a better paddler, it starts the same way: a conversation about what you want from it.
Coaching is based in Surrey and the Surrey Hills. If you are travelling out from the city, there is a separate page on London-based swim and SUP coaching.
For venues & operators
Lifeguard Team Training
Site-specific ongoing training for qualified lifeguard teams, built around your venue, procedures, equipment and operating environment.
Explore lifeguard team training →Start a venue enquiry →Swimming & Open Water
Private adult swimming lessons and coaching, open-water progression and tuition, cold-water introductions and winter-swimming development.
Swimming & open-water lessons →Cold water & winter swimming coaching →
Paddleboarding
Private paddleboard lessons for complete beginners through to developing the whole paddler on inland water and rivers — technique, board control, safety, self-rescue and longer journeys.
Paddleboard lessons & SUP coaching →
For people who work around water
Open-Water Practitioner Development
Individual and small-group development for lifeguards, instructors, coaches and activity staff working — or preparing to work — around inland and open water. Environmental understanding, reading conditions, prevention and judgement, alongside recognised qualifications rather than instead of them.
Explore practitioner development →Skip’s Tips
Cold Water Swimming — Skip’s Tips
Skip shares practical advice on developing into colder water: following the season down, learning how you respond rather than copying somebody else, equipment and preparation, knowing when to get out, and warming back up sensibly afterwards.
Read Skip’s cold water tips →Expedition & Challenge Preparation
Preparing for something bigger?
For individuals and teams taking on demanding endurance events, long-distance challenges or expeditions. SHACADEMY can help think through the practical preparation, skills, equipment, judgement, logistics and capability behind the challenge — drawing on first-hand experience, and on trusted specialists where they can add something.
Scott “Skip” Innes has completed major endurance challenges including the Yukon 1000, and brings practical perspective across long-distance paddling, swimming, running, trekking and adventure. What that offers is experienced preparation, good questions and sound judgement. How the challenge itself goes is always down to you and the conditions on the day.
You bring the challenge. We help work out what being ready for it actually requires.
Tell us what you’re planning →Where sessions happen
Coaching in Surrey and the Surrey Hills.
Sessions are usually arranged on suitable water in Surrey and the Surrey Hills, within reach of Dorking, Guildford and Reigate. Skip will travel further where the brief calls for it, agreed case by case.
Water we may use:
- Suitable lakes
- Rivers
- Private pools
- Established venues
- Client environments
- Hosted SHACADEMY clinics
Every session depends on the right permissions, suitable conditions and workable access arrangements. That is why it starts with a conversation, not a calendar.
Who it’s for
Private doesn’t mean alone.
- Individuals
- Couples
- Friends
- Families
- Small private groups
Adults are the primary audience. Sessions work well for two people with a shared goal, or a small group who want to progress together.
How to start
Send us a short outline of what you have in mind. Skip personally reviews every coaching enquiry, and scope is agreed before anything is arranged.
Start your discovery →The approach
You may only need one session.
Good coaching shouldn't be measured by how long you keep coming back. In swimming, open water and paddleboarding, relatively small changes to technique, understanding and approach can sometimes make a significant difference quickly.
That's why the first session is deliberately thorough. Before we meet, we'll understand what you're trying to achieve and where you are now. Then we concentrate on identifying the things likely to make the biggest difference, explaining why they matter, and giving you something useful to work with afterwards.
You may decide that's enough. That's absolutely fine. If there's genuinely more you'd like to work on, further coaching is available at a lower session price, because the discovery work has already been done.
The aim isn't to keep you coming back. It's to help you become more capable.
What the first session includes
- Understanding what you're trying to achieve
- Your experience, and what you currently do
- Where you normally swim or paddle
- What you think is getting in the way
- Any event, journey or challenge you're preparing for
- Practical coaching: observe, understand, identify, explain, practise, improve
Further sessions cost less simply because that groundwork has already been done and the coaching can go straight to progression. There are no packages, courses or blocks of sessions to buy — the first session stands alone.
Private Coaching
Coaching & pricing.
First-session pricing reflects the initial coaching engagement: the Discovery, Skip's review and the session planning that happen before any practical coaching takes place. These are session prices, not hourly rates.
- 1:1 private coaching
£150
First session
£100 Further coaching
Pre-session discovery plus around 60 minutes of focused practical coaching, built entirely around you.
- Two people
£200
First session
£150 Further coaching
A private coaching session built around both participants — roughly 60–90 minutes depending on the activity and objectives.
- Private group or family (3–5)
£300
First session
£225 Further coaching
Normally around 90 minutes, exclusively for your family or private group and built around your objectives.
- Private clinic or group (6–10)
£500
First session
£375 Further coaching
A private clinic or skills session, normally around 90–120 minutes depending on activity, environment, participant needs and safety requirements.
- More than 10 people
By discussion
First session
Scope, venue, staffing and safety requirements need to be understood first, so this is arranged by discussion.
- Expedition, professional, lifeguard & venue work
Bespoke
First session
Lifeguard, instructor and professional development, venue and team training, expedition preparation and specialist organisational work are scoped individually.
“Private” means the session is built exclusively around you or your group rather than a place on a scheduled public class. Adults are the primary audience; children and teenagers take part within suitable family or private group arrangements.
Lifeguard, instructor and professional development, venue and team training, expedition preparation and significant travel are always scoped separately rather than priced from the table above. Venue and access costs may be additional, and we’ll always agree the scope and price before anything is arranged.
Start your discovery →How to start
Start with a conversation.
Tell us what you're trying to achieve and we'll explore whether SHACADEMY is the right fit. Skip personally reviews every coaching enquiry.
Start your discovery →Sessions are arranged individually and remain subject to suitable venue, permissions and operating conditions.
Looking for support for an organisation, venue or event instead? Organisation Discovery is the right doorway.