My name is Coach Lee and I have been a coach at Athletics Academy since 2024. Since graduating as a PE teacher from Leeds Carnegie University in the UK in 2002, I have had a wonderful athletic educational journey across California, Malaysia and now my 9th year in Abu Dhabi. At 45, I am now as motivated and passionate as ever to share my passion for athletics and maintaining a healthy lifestyle balance.

I am someone who is a passionate and hard-working educator who strives to be the best role-model for health living that I can be. In terms of well-being, and athletic ability I hope to give back to a sport that was always there for me during my youth. The positive memories that I have from Athletics will live me all my life. The connections that I’ve had with my friends and coaches have built bonds that allow to be more a more resilient adult who has a positive attitude towards growth and taking risks.

Athletics is one of the few sports and disciplines that really does offer something for everyone. Students and adults get to learn first hand that we cannot be the best at every event, and some challenges suit some more than others. However, with hard work and discipline we can all improve in every event that we face in athletics and in our lives.

As a child I learned the impact that Asthma could have on my confidence and performance in the school environment. There were days when I would win the cross country events without being out of breath and other times when I wouldn’t be able to finish the events. Priceless experience to know that personal bests and individual targets are vital to maintain motivation and positive growth as a junior athlete. Things can change when athletes are later in their journey but creating a positive, fun, and trusting environment within Athletics is my key aim of every session.

As a child I remember watching Coe and Ovett, but then started to get the buzz when Steve Cram used to float along the track. As an adult and educator, the London 2012 Olympics was a special moment. Trying to understand the way that my GB heroes Jess Ennis and Mo Farah dealt with being favourites and the expectations that came with the impact that Gold would bring to millions of people, was priceless.