Bryan Lee’s journey to being head coach of Fenwick High School’s girls and boys swimming and diving began when he was 4 years old. It was when his family decided to relocate across the Pacific Ocean from South Korea to the U.S. in pursuit of the American dream.
“My parents made the difficult decision to leave behind the country and culture they knew because they wanted me to grow up with as many opportunities as possible,” Lee told Wednesday Journal. “Their hope was that I would have the freedom and resources to discover my own dreams and pursue them. The sacrifices they made have had a significant influence on who I am today, and I try not to take those opportunities for granted.”
Lee watched his older sister swim competitively in South Korea and gradually became more fascinated with the sport as a result. When she injured her shoulder and could no longer compete at a high level, it inspired Lee to succeed not only for himself, but for her.
“As I became more involved with swimming, I was drawn to the combination of individual improvement and team camaraderie,” Lee said. “The sport constantly gave me something new to work toward.”
At the age of 8, Lee began swimming competitively for the Glenview Titan Aquatic Club, which he was part of for 10 years. He later swam for Glenbrook South High School, where he was a varsity member his final three years and qualified for the state meet in his junior and senior seasons.
After graduating from Glenbrook South in 2017, he did not compete in college and didn’t see himself becoming a coach. But it was the COVID-19 pandemic that crystallized his future career choice.
“I found myself at a crossroads. I was deciding whether to return to school or enter the workforce and I hoped that returning to my roots at the pool would help me find a path forward,” said Lee. “I began coaching, initially believing it would be temporary, but I quickly rediscovered my love for swimming from a completely different perspective.”
Lee provided swim lessons while at Glenbrook South through the school’s Learn-To-Swim program, and he returned to the Glenview Titan Club to resume his teaching lessons. He also served as head coach for Glenview’s age 13-14 and developmental high school groups.
Last year, he came to Fenwick to serve as assistant coach for the boys team under Justin Jornd, who stepped down after the season, and new Fenwick aquatics director Brigitte Kusevskis announced Lee as the Friars’ new head coach last month.
Lee believes his familiarity with Fenwick and his knowledge of the school’s tradition of water sports excellence will help him re-establish the Friars as a state power.
“My long-term vision is to bring stability to the Fenwick swimming program and build a strong foundation that can sustain success from year to year,” he said. “That begins with establishing clear expectations, creating a consistent team culture, developing our athletes, and making sure everyone understands what it means to represent Fenwick. Once that foundation is firmly in place, we can continue building upon Fenwick’s tradition of excellence in swimming and water polo.”
Not only does Lee want to have success in the pool, but he also wants his student-athletes to be successful in all aspects of life.
“Success will always be important,” he said, “but I also want this to be a program in which athletes grow as people, develop meaningful relationships, and take pride in being part of something bigger than themselves. I saw firsthand how much history and pride are connected to the program. That experience will help me preserve the traditions that make Fenwick special while gradually establishing the structure and identity needed to move the program forward.”
As girls swimming practice begins this week, Lee feels that the fact he graduated from high school not long ago will help him relate to his athletes and the challenges they face.
“At the same time, I recognize that becoming an effective head coach requires experience, patience, and continued growth,” he added. “I certainly don’t have everything figured out, but I am committed to learning, adapting, and becoming better every season.”