Debi has achieved NISA level 5 coach in free skating and has spent over 30 years gaining experience and working towards excellence with her skaters. She is renowned for her expertise in developing children from SkateUK beginner level to international level skaters.
Debi began skating in Durham aged 5 with Mildred Atherley, pupil of Arnold Gerschwiler. She began coaching at Whitley Bay and then Sunderland Ice Rink, where she trained many British Champion skaters to European and World championships, and Olympic Winter Games. Debi was a coach at the 1992 Winter Olympic Games in Albertville, France, and coach to Jenna McCorkell and Matthew Parr who competed at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter Games.
In 2000 Debi moved to Dundee and now coaches alongside her husband Simon. Together they have had more success in coaching Britain’s best skaters. They also play a large part in coach education, producing many seminars, coaching conferences, skating camps and ice shows throughout the UK.
In 2011-2012 British coaches voted Debi, BITA coach of the year.