Kisik Lee

Lore & Background

Kisik Lee first served as head coach of the Korean Olympic archery team before moving to the Australian Institute of Sport from 1997 to 2004, where he coached 2000 gold medalist Simon Fairweather and 2004 bronze medalist Tim Cuddihy. He then became head coach of Team USA from 2006 to 2024, during which his archers claimed more than 300 Archery World Cup medals—nearly half gold—alongside three Olympic medals from 2012 to 2016 and world titles in recurve, indoor, field 3D and youth categories. Lee worked extensively with archer Brady Ellison, helping him become a member of the 2008 US Olympic Team and win six World Cup medals, as well as reach the final of the World Cup. Under Lee's coaching, by the 2012 London Olympics the US men were ranked first in the world and the US women seventh.

Lee created the National Training System (NTS), the official method of shooting form that coaches are required to learn to be certified by USA Archery. The NTS is based on his analysis of body control, muscular requirements, and mental concentration needed to generate a good shot. It was formerly known as the Biomechanical Efficient Shooting Technique (BEST) method, and both the BEST Method and its newer incarnation as the NTS contain many elements of Lee's Shot Cycle. The KSL Shot Cycle separates an archer's shot into twelve steps and focuses on biomechanics, the study of how best to apply mechanical principles to human physiological actions.

Lee came under scrutiny during 2008 after reports that some athletes felt uncomfortable with his strong advocacy of a religious lifestyle at the Olympic Training Center. According to reports, Lee frequently held Bible study classes, encouraged his archers to sing hymns and attend church, and sponsored the baptisms of at least four archers, including Brady Ellison. A follow-up report later that year confirmed that Lee had ceased to mix spirituality and archery, stating that he no longer held Bible-study classes and that USA Archery executives had explained to him that such behavior was unacceptable.

Reader's Guide

Kisik Lee's significance lies in his creation of the National Training System (NTS), which became the official shooting method for coach certification by USA Archery. The NTS, based on biomechanical analysis of body control, muscular requirements, and mental concentration, separates the shot into twelve steps in the KSL Shot Cycle. Proponents of the NTS point to its repeatable nature and the logic of having a scientifically-based method that can be shared easily and implemented consistently nationwide. They often cite anecdotal evidence that training with the NTS alleviated back or shoulder pain previously associated with other techniques, as well as sports psychology issues such as target panic. Opponents see Lee's efforts to change archery technique as negative, arguing that the NTS stunts innovation and experimentation on the part of the athlete. However, USA Archery has no policy forcing archers to adopt the method, and several top US archers have not made the switch, including Olympian Butch Johnson and Sydney Silver Medalist Vic Wunderle. Coach Teresa Iaconi, once one of NTS' biggest skeptics, later said she refused to teach it for three years because she didn't understand it, but after reading up on it she came to understand it is based on biomechanics and appreciated having an easy and repeatable way to teach archery. Lee is described as a controversial figure who attracts both fans who say his style brings uniformity to the sport and critics reluctant to give up their own methods.

Did You Know?

• Kisik Lee coached 2000 Olympic gold medalist Simon Fairweather and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Tim Cuddihy.
• Under Lee's coaching, by the 2012 London Olympics the US men's team was ranked first in the world.