The Club Coaches

Our club coaches bring a wealth of knowledge, experience and of course qualifications to ensure that you are training optimally for improvement, enjoyment and most of all safety.  Injury and illness kills consistency and as we always say, consistency trumps everything else.

All of our coaches are volunteers but we confess that it’s not entirely altruistic.   We coach because of the immense pleasure we get from seeing happy, smiling (and sometimes tortured) athletes pushing their own personal boundaries and building confidence in their abilities.


Travis Bentley

In the 1903 play Man and Superman, George Bernard Shaw wrote “He who can, does; he who cannot, teaches.”  Now it’s never been proven that time travel exists but this solitary line of text may indeed be evidence that Mr Shaw had access to it and spent some years observing the activities of coach Trav.

Travis is what mothers the world over euphemistically call a “real trier.”  With a keen interest in sport from an early age his severe lack of co-ordination resulted a broken arm (twice) and a stint as part of a “horse-riding for the disabled” program in spite of the lack of a physical disability.  Eventually his nervous system caught up with his body and he discovered basketball at the age of thirteen where his height, rather than ability, saw him play at a representative level until twenty years later when he scalped himself in a tragic dunking accident and was forced to retire due to an irreparable hairline injury.

After two years of getting fat and unfit Travis finally found the sport he was destined for, where over-thinkers abound and co-ordination is scarcely missed.  While it would be a stretch to suggest that he competes there is no doubt that he participates with a method and enthusiasm that at times both inspires and horrifies others.  Always willing to test his limits he believes that nothing is impossible, it’s simply a matter of working out the how.

A somewhat casual demeanour belies the eternal curiosity under the surface which generally results in Travis being deep in thought or deep in trouble.  A believer in informal education he is a voracious reader and has developed a knowledge base that has been variously described as “exceptional”, “interesting” and “bizarre.”  To supplement this he’s also got a couple of qualifications and is looking ahead to more.

Qualifications

  • Accredited Triathlon Australia Development Coach
  • Accredited Athletics Australia Level 2 Intermediate Coach – Recreational Running
  • Accredited Athletics Australia Level 2 Advanced Coach – Recreational Running
  • Level 1 Triathlon Australia Technical Official

Education

  • Coaching the Female Athlete – LaTrobe University
  • Science of Exercise course by University of Colorado Boulder on Coursera

Achievements

  • 12 time Ironman finisher + 1 time Challenge Roth Finisher
  • Numerous half-distance finishes
  • Former Triathlon WA Board Member
  • Founding president, Perth Hills Triathlon Club
  • Former representative TWA Club Advisory Group
  • 3rd overall T2 – Ironman WA 2016
  • 2nd overall (1st male) T2 – Ironman Cairns 2016 & 2017
  • Ironman Western Australia Beer Mile organiser and MC – 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 & 2022


Brian Stearn

President & Coach – With a deep passion for triathlon and a long-standing commitment to the Perth Hills Tri Club, Brian Stearn now leads the club as President while continuing to inspire athletes as a dedicated coach. Brian brings a wealth of experience, energy, and leadership to the role, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for athletes of all levels. His vision is to grow the club’s community spirit, enhance training opportunities, and help every member achieve their personal best—whether they’re training for their first sprint tri or chasing a podium finish. Under Brian’s guidance, the club is set to thrive both on and off the course.

Qualifications

  • Accredited Triathlon Australia foundation coach

Education

  • Year 11 
  • Trade certificate: Automotive spray-painting
  • Life experience counts as education!

Achievements

  • 2019, 2024 Ironman WA finisher
  • Multiple 70.3, Busso 100 finishes
  • Abundant sprint and Olympic finishes
  • Started out in triathlon with enticer distance events


Sean Hutcheon

Sean has competed in over 50 triathlons both across Western Australia and internationally. What he lacks in outright speed, he makes up with a positive attitude, which results in being one of the most positive competitors every time he races…

Always willing to encourage our club members during races, Sean joined the coaching team to help the PHTC crew improve during training as well!!!

Qualifications

  • Accredited Triathlon Australia Foundation Coach

Education

  • Yes

Achievements

  • Numerous triathlons from Enticer to 100km distance
  • Impressive collection of swim caps
  • 1 x 3rd place medal
  • Once won some prize money
  • Fastest West Australian at the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon 2025


Emma Brennan

Emma’s love of triathlon began in 2015. She wanted to do a triathlon but couldn’t swim the length of a 50m pool without stopping, and wasn’t a great runner, but she could ride. So she roped her workmates into a team for a corporate tri event, racing on her old flat-bar hybrid commuter. She was instantly hooked and joined a novice course soon after. 

She never imagined she’d do long races, but one year she went to Busselton to cheer on club athletes and stayed to watch the last finisher cross the line. Seeing the grit and determination of people from so many walks of life and from all over the world, inspired her to give it a go. With the support of the club and the mentoring of its coaches, she became an Ironman finisher in 2023.

Now she wants to help others achieve their goals, no matter how large or seemingly small. She remembers the feeling of finally finishing a parkrun without walking, then that first sub-30 5k, they felt just as good as crossing any other finish line. Emma believes that no goal is too small, and no achievement is insignificant. Her favourite part of coaching is seeing the moment an athlete realises they did the thing they didn’t think they could do.

Qualifications

  • Accredited Triathlon Australia Foundation Coach

Education

  • Bachelor of Psychology (current, second year)
  • Cert IV Health Care (Ambulance)
  • Cert IV Training & Assessing (TAA)

Achievements

  • Ironman finisher (2023)
  • Multiple 70.3 and Busselton 100 finishes
  • Olympic, sprint and off-road multisport events
  • Half-marathon
  • WA Gravity Enduro mountain biking events