Sonya is the Director of Coaching and Founder of South West Athletics Academy. Athletics is her passion and she has a core fundamental belief in inclusiveness as a core value of the academy.
Sonya has been involved in athletics for over 45 years first as a junior athlete and then reaching regional level. When competing she also became an assistant coach and team manager. Since then she has thrown herself into coaching, team managing and becoming a mentor for many developing athletes and coaches. She is also a qualified athletics official as a starter and starters assistant.

Sonya is a very highly qualified coach and was part of England Athletics National Coach Mentor Programme. She is qualified in the following events:

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Level 4 combined events Coach (sprints, hurdles, high jump, long jump, middle distance, shot, discus, javelin and pole vault)

Level 3 in middle distance and

level 2 for all events (sprints and hurdles, jumps, throws, middle distance and working with children).

Additional training awards in :

Wheelchair racing

Guide running

She also has an NVQ 3 in Caring for Children and Young People.

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Level 2 official - Starter and Starters Assistant

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She takes huge personal satisfaction from seeing athletes develop and grow in confidence and this has led to her developing the pathway core values of the academy which are:

Participation, Potential and Performance.