Mathew (Mat) Hudson
Co-Founder SwimMastery
Coach Mat is the co-founder of SwimMastery and one of our primary Coach Instructors. He lives with his family in Oregon where he teaches and coaches locally, and oversees SwimMastery's main office.
He began as a competitive swimmer in high school over 30 years ago, and then evolved into an Olympic-distance triathlete in his college years. Debilitating joint injuries at a young age, first as a high school swimmer and then as a triathlete in college prompted a shift in values from pushing to bodily extremes to a focus better technique and mindfulness, to improve the health and resilience of body and mind for an entire life span. The insights and training from that emphasis produced a marvelous transformation in Mat’s swimming experience and capabilities, which urged him to apply the same to his running. He is now enjoying the cultivation of resilience and flow state in long distance open-water swimming and long-distance trail running.
Since 2009 Mat has been focused full-time on coaching (swimming and running) and training new coaches. He has taught and coached swimming in 13 different countries, lived overseas for many years and worked cross-culturally with thousands of people. While the physiology of the athletic body is central in the SwimMastery approach, Mat has also been greatly fascinated with the psychological side of well-being, performance and change. To deepen his knowledge, skills and credentials for helping people transform, he completed a rigorous academic program to receive his Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology through the University Of East London. His dissertation examined the intersection of neurology, physiology and psychology in the coach-client relationship, and how that relationship facilitates positive changes the client seeks.
Coach Mat works primarily with adults and seniors- those who tend to appreciate the need for better movement patterns and have the motivation to work on it – like those who have aches, pains and injury to overcome. He particularly welcomes students who present more challenging physical or mental puzzles to work through, as his approach to the body and mind in coaching is heavily influenced by the methods of neuro-physio and psychotherapists. This includes a gentle, skilled approach for working with those who experience fear in the water. You can expect Mat to be present and relational, to be attuned to your whole person, and offer compassion and intuitive guidance for your particular needs in that moment and with the big picture in mind.
Emerging out of their prior experiences in swimming, coaching and organizational leadership, SwimMastery is the realization of Tracey and Mat's dream to create an organization that fully focuses on supporting the coaching and business-building needs of its members.
BS Sociology
MS Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology
Total Immersion Coach, 2010 to 2019
Total Immersion Master Coach, 2011 to 2019
Certified Red Cross Lifeguard
Oregon Marine Board Licensed Guide
Accredited Practitioner with European Mentoring and Coaching Council
1-year mentorship with somatic therapist, 2018
Owner and manager of small businesses
