About
Our Gym

At The Athlete Academy in Edinburgh, Lothian, we coach kids aged 10-18 to build confidence, move better, get stronger and build lasting healthy habits. Whether your child’s goal is to increase speed, improve strength, or prevent injuries, they’ll make amazing progress in a focussed, supportive space.

Rob Anderson owner of The Athlete Academy

FOUNDER CIRCA 2020

MSc Applied Sport & Exercise Physiology

BSc Strength & Conditioning Science

UKSCA Accredited Strength & Conditioning Coach

EXOS Performance Enhancement Specialist

Precision Nutrition Level 1

ISAK Level 1 Anthropometrist

Level 2 NASM Fitness Trainer

Level3 NASM Certified Personal Trainer

Level 3 Advanced NASM Performance Enhancement Specialist

Rob Anderson

Founder

Rob is the founder of The Athlete Academy and one of the UK’s leading specialists in youth athletic development. With over 15 years of experience working with young athletes across schools, clubs, and national governing bodies, Rob has dedicated his career to answering one question: how do we give every young athlete the best possible chance to reach their potential?

Rob’s coaching career has included working within the Scottish Rugby Academy across national youth pathways and helped develop athletes who have gone on to play for Glasgow Warriors, Edinburgh Rugby, the Senior Scotland International Squad and even the British Lions. He has been an Accredited Strength & Conditioning Coach through the United Kingdom Strength & Conditioning Association since 2010. In 2024 he was awarded the UKSCA Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year for Youth Sport, the highest honour in youth S&C coaching in the UK.

He founded The Athlete Academy in 2020, which has helped over 300 athletes achieve measurable improvements in key performance indicators like speed, strength, power and physical resilience, within their first six months of training.

Rob has built a reputation as a genuine thought leader in the field not just as a practitioner, but as an educator and presenter trusted by some of the world’s leading sporting organisations. His professional network includes a long-standing position with Collaborate Sports as a Coach Mentor leading on their “Effective Long Term Athlete Development” pathway, through which he has mentored over 30 coaches working in schools, clubs, national governing bodies and businesses from the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, India and beyond!

Rob has been invited to present at international conferences, including the 2025 ASCA International Conference on Applied Strength & Conditioning, the 2026 Coaches Congress Conference in London, and has presented multiple times for the UK Strength & Conditioning Association Conference.

Rob has previously delivered workshops and presentations for:
• La Liga
• Scottish Rugby Union
• UK Strength & Conditioning Association (UKSCA)
• Australian Strength & Conditioning Association (ASCA)
• Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS)
• Highlands & Islands Sports & Health Science
• LTAD Network
• Stewarts Melville College
• George Heriot’s School
• Accelerate Rugby
• Edinburgh Community Sports Hub
• East Lothian Council
• Jersey Sport Foundation

Rob’s expertise has also been sought by leading sports performance and coaching podcasts, including: UKSCA Coach Considerations, ASCA Podcast, The Athletic Edge, The Performance Gap, Little Boots Big Dreams, Women’s Football Hub Podcast, Athletic Skills, PA Chalk Up, Progress Theory, The Racquet Athlete, Lift the Bar, Platform to Perform, 245 Raising the Bar, The Curve Mindset, and Growing Up Strong.

Learn About
Our Coaching Team

The coaches at The Athlete Academy are all about helping your child move better, stay consistent, and reach their goals. With expert support and real accountability, your child will have everything they need to succeed.

Ben Parkes

Lead Coach

Ben Parkes holds a BSc (Hons) in Sport & Exercise Science and has built his coaching career across two continents, working with athletes from youth development level through to professional rugby union.

Ben began his career within the Scottish Rugby Union academy system, developing practical coaching expertise across the Borders and Edinburgh Regions. In 2017 he relocated to New Zealand, spending four and a half years working with professional rugby union players in the National Provincial Championship, first with Northland Rugby, then with the Southland Stags. This professional environment gave Ben a deep understanding of what high-performance training demands, and how to bridge the gap between youth development and senior performance.

Returning to Scotland, Ben joined The Athlete Academy to bring that professional experience directly to young athletes aged 10–18. His coaching philosophy is straightforward: even a foundational understanding of strength and conditioning is a benefit to every athlete, whether they are just starting out or performing at a competitive level. He is furthering his interest in nutrition and performance psychology to further deepen the support he provides to athletes and their families.

Qualifications:
BSc (Hons) Sport & Exercise Science
Precision Nutrition Level 1

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Calum Maxwell

Lead Coach

Calum holds a BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science from Heriot-Watt University and brings a strong personal athletic background to his coaching at The Athlete Academy.

A competitive sprinter for Lasswade Athletic Club and an experienced mountain biker, Calum developed his passion for athletic performance from a young age, and that personal experience of training and competing informs how he coaches young athletes today. He understands what it takes to build genuine physical capacity, and how to make the training process engaging and rewarding for developing athletes.

At The Athlete Academy, Calum specialises in strength and conditioning for youth athletes aged 10–18, with a focus on movement quality, speed development, and long-term physical progression. He is currently working towards his UKSCA S&C Trainer qualification, the gold standard in strength and conditioning in the UK.

Qualifications:
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science
⁠ISAK Level 1 Anthropometrist
⁠Level 2 Gym Instructor
UKSCA S&C Trainer Qualification (In Progress)

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Reece Hope

Lead Coach

Reece brings a decade of experience as an Pro Academy Football Player, with 8 years at Heart of Midlothian FC and a further 2 years at St. Johnstone FC. He is also a graduate of the Scottish Football Association Performance School system. A personal highlight from his football career was captaining his team against Manchester United.

Reece has been coaching at The Athlete Academy for 3 years, using his understanding of what high-level sport demands from young athletes, and how to prepare them physically and mentally for those demands. More recently Reece has taken to endurance running, completing 3 Ultra marathons, including a gruelling 100 mile challenge.

Qualifications:
BSc Sport and Exercise Science
UKSCA S&C Trainer
ISAK Level 1
Level 3 Certified Personal Trainer
Level 2 Fitness Coach

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Ross Veitch

Assistant Coach

Ross is a 4 x National Medal Sprinter, competing for Giffnock North Athletics Club – one of Scotland’s most successful athletics clubs. His background in sprinting is directly relevant to his coaching at The Athlete Academy, where speed development is a core component of every athlete’s programme.

Ross has 4 years experience in coaching developing athletes. At The Athlete Academy, he is dedicated to supporting athletes’ long-term development, combining his sprint expertise with a broader strength and conditioning approach to help young athletes move faster, get stronger, and stay healthy.

Qualifications:
BSc (Hons) Sport & Exercise Science
Level 4 Sports Massage
Level 1 UK Athletics

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Morven Thomson

Assistant Coach

Morven holds a BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science from Heriot-Watt University and brings over a decade of competitive rugby experience to her coaching. She has represented Scotland at Under 18 level and was selected for the Scotland Under 20 training squad, giving her a first-hand understanding of the demands placed on young athletes in high-performance pathways.

Her development as a coach has been shaped by an international perspective: she spent a season playing and coaching in New Zealand, gaining insights into elite coaching methods and sporting culture that she brings back to every session at The Athlete Academy.

At The Athlete Academy, Morven is committed to helping young athletes, particularly female athletes, build their confidence, improve their movement quality, and develop the physical foundations to perform at their best, whatever their sport.

Qualifications:
Bsc Sport and Exercise Science at Heriot Watt university
⁠⁠ISAK level 1
Level 2 gym instructor
UKSCA S&C Trainer (In Progress)

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Advanced Equipment

Our facility is equipped with professional-grade training equipment selected specifically for youth athletic development. This includes lighter technique barbells from 7kg, dumbbells from 2kg, micro fractional plates from 0.5kg, kettlebells, resistance bands, medicine balls, soft plyometric boxes, hurdles, and skipping ropes. Heavy-duty safety racks and bodyweight tools ensure all training is safe, scalable, and age appropriate. Our facility is the ideal space for training young athletes.

Young athlete performing overhead barbell lift during training at The Athlete Academy

Young athlete using gymnastic rings with coach supervision at The Athlete Academy

Young athlete practicing overhead barbell movement with coach guidance at The Athlete Academy

Athlete performing vertical jump test on platform at The Athlete Academy

Young athlete holding weight plate during strength training session at The Athlete Academy

Young athlete practicing barbell technique with focus on hand positioning at The Athlete Academy

Coach observing and guiding young athletes during training at The Athlete Academy

Teen athlete performing dumbbell bench press exercise at The Athlete Academy

Young athlete throwing medicine ball during training drill at The Athlete Academy

Premium Amenities

The Athlete Academy operates from a dedicated performance facility designed specifically for developing athletes, not adult fitness classes. Our space includes clearly defined training zones for strength, speed, agility, and movement skill development, allowing structured, well-organised sessions. Located close to key transport links, the facility is easily accessible for families. We use technology-supported monitoring to track performance progress and physical growth, creating a safe, professional, and supportive environment for long-term athletic development.

About
Our Gym