The Ridgewood YMCA Breakers are excited to welcome Coach Jonghee Lee to the coaching team! Coach Lee will be working with the Midnight Team, bringing an incredible depth of experience in swimming, artistic swimming, coaching, judging, and instruction.

Coach Lee has spent much of her life in and around the pool. As a competitive athlete, she was a member of the Korea National Synchronized Swimming Team from 1990–1994, representing South Korea at the 1994 FINA World Championships in Rome and competing in international competitions around the world.

She went on to coach the Korea National Synchronized Swimming Team, including at the 1995 FINA Synchronized Swimming World Cup in Atlanta, before continuing her coaching career with the Seoul Synchronized Swimming Club and as a swimming instructor at Sungshin Women’s University.

Many in the Ridgewood community may already know Coach Lee. From 2015–2023, she served as Head Coach of Synchro Stars in Ridgewood, where she helped athletes reach new levels in their training and competition. Under her leadership, the team earned a 4th-place finish at the 2022 USA Artistic Swimming Junior Olympic Championships, along with numerous top finishes at regional and association competitions.

Coach Lee also brings her experience as a USA Artistic Swimming Level 3 Judge, a role she has held since 2015. She has judged regional and national competitions while staying up to date with the sport’s technical standards and competition rules.

With her background as an athlete, coach, instructor, and judge, Coach Lee brings a unique perspective to the Breakers—and we’re excited to have her back in the Ridgewood aquatics community.

Coach Lee holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Physical Education from Sungshin Women’s University in Seoul, South Korea, and is certified as a USA Artistic Swimming Level 3 Coach and Judge. She also holds SafeSport and CPR/AED certifications.

Welcome to the Breakers, Coach Lee!