Liz Gray
Liz Gray
Coach based in Launceston with experience across major city and rural environments, building squads from scratch and developing athletes into the high performance space. Specialties include sprints and middle distance, with strong experience in mentoring, coach education, and supporting athletes through track and cross country pathways.
Why I want to mentor
Over the past few years, I have been involved with the Australian Athletics mentoring programs as both a mentee and
a mentor. I have been fortunate to work with three different high performance coaches as my mentors and have gained
so much knowledge and insight from each of them. I have found it to be very rewarding and beneficial in progressing
my coaching. It is great to be able to discuss all things athletics with other coaches. This is why I thoroughly
enjoyed my first experience of mentoring another coach.
It is a great way to expand my network of coaches, particularly as someone who lives rurally and can be more isolated
from coaching networks available in larger cities. It is also a way to give back to others for the assistance and
development I have gained from the programme.
Coaching qualifications
Coaching experience and background
My coaching experiences include coaching in both major cities and rurally, starting a new squad from scratch and
building numbers, dealing with difficult parents, transitioning from athlete to coach, working as state team manager
and coach, coaching education, developing athletes into the high performance space and working with junior and school
athletes. My specialties are sprints and middle distance.
My coaching journey began through coaching at a couple of private schools in Melbourne and then forming my own private
squad after having my four children. The squad was successful at state level in Victoria and within a couple of years
I coached an athlete to a national medal and state records in the 800m.
After moving to Launceston in 2015, I have gradually built up my training squad, coaching all levels and abilities.
I am currently coaching approximately 25 athletes from 10 to 19 years of age for both track and cross country events,
and many others seasonally for school events.
- The squad has achieved extensive success, including state titles, state team selections, state and centre records, and several top 5 placings at national level
- In 2021, coached an athlete onto an Australian team for the U20 World Championships in the 4 x 400m relay, although the team did not travel overseas
- Also coaches an orienteering athlete who has made two Australian teams
