Lancashire self-defence instructor nominated for national award
A self-defence instructor from Lancashire has been nominated for a prestigious UK Coaching award in recognition of her work championing inclusivity and creating welcoming spaces for women in martial arts.
Zaynab “Zee” Jogi, who has run Z’s Defence Academy in the local area since 2018, has been announced as a finalist for the UK Coaching Community Coach of the Year – Adults Award sponsored by BADU. The awardrecognises those who support people of all abilities to stay active and engaged.
Zaynab was the first female civilian self-defence instructor in the North West, supporting women to feel safer in their daily lives, encouraging young people to develop self-belief and elderly participants to protect themselves.
Zaynab encourages development not only in her students, but also in volunteers and fellow instructors, providing mentoring opportunities and building leadership skills, and offering volunteers training in safeguarding, first aid, and community engagement.
By prioritising safety, trust and dignity, Z’s Defence Academy ensures every participant feels cared for as an individual. This unwavering commitment to duty of care has earned the academy the trust of the community and the respect of local leaders, making it a cornerstone of community safety and empowerment.
Meanwhile, her determination has also taken her beyond sport and into global challenges. In 2021, she earned two Guinness World Records on Kilimanjaro, completing both the world’s highest fitness class and obstacle course. A year later, she pushed through an ankle injury to reach Mount Everest Base Camp, making history as the first British Muslim woman to finish an obstacle course there.
The UK Coaching Awards is regarded as the most prestigious event within the coaching community, established to recognise the invaluable role coaches play in building a happier and healthier society.
Previous award winners include Judy Murray and Aston Moore (Lifetime Achievement award), Lionesses manager Sarina Wiegman (Great Coaching Moment of the Year), and the coaches behind Lucy Bronze and Katarina Johnson-Thompson's path to success (Coaching Chain award).
UK Coaching’s CEO, Mark Gannon, reflecting on the breadth of coaching talent announced as this year’s finalists, added: “We are excited to announce the finalists of the 2025 UK Coaching Awards. Each year, we recognise some truly remarkable coaches from across the UK at every level, and it is always a challenge to select our finalists from an incredible group of nominations.
“Coaches across the nation can all be proud of the valuable contribution they make to the health and wellbeing of the nation.
“Following a phenomenal summer of women’s sport this year, there has never been a better time to celebrate coaches who make it all happen.”
The awards will be held on December 4th at The Queens Hotel in Leeds.
Find out more about this year’s finalists and the awards by heading to www.ukcoaching.org/events/our-awards.