Since 2022 we have worked with multiple athletes to help them improve their performance, nutrition, efficiency, and confidence.
DEEKA was born from James and Sophie’s passion for growth and personal development. In 2016 they both decided to take a leap of faith and quit “normal life” to pursue a journey to the top of their sport, Cross Country Mountain Biking. Through their personal experiences plus formal qualifications in coaching and nutrition, they feel excited to share their education and experience with other athletes who are also looking to chase their dreams.
We thrive on details, yet remain reflective. We believe that honest and frequent communication forms the backbone of any athlete's success, and we take pride in being fully immersed in every athlete's journey. We utilise data to guide and inform, and believe that used in the correct context can be imperative to helping an athlete reach their potential.
Sophie Parker
DEEKA Co-Founder, Performance Nutritionist, Pro Racer.
Sophie is a lifelong endurance athlete, having started competing in cross-country mountain biking at the age of 9! Her successes include; multiple National Champion, being a member of the Great Britain squad, and Loughborough University Sports Scholar. In 2021 Sophie returned to competitive mountain biking, and in 2023 represented Great Britain in the Elite MTB Marathon World Championships.
Not long after graduating from University Sophie took a 15-year hiatus from professional sports and moved to London to follow a demanding career in Executive Search. Despite her success she decided to step away from the corporate world to pursue a different lifestyle; one which centered around her true love, sport.
Sophie re-trained as a coach, and most recently has completed a fully accredited Postgraduate Level 7 (Masters) Diploma in Sports Nutrition from the Institute of Performance Nutrition.
Recognised by the; AfN (Association of Nutrition), ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), and SENr (Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register), this course has given her the advanced theoretical and practical skills needed to work with a wide range of athletes. Sophie has particularly enjoyed being tutored by 2 of the world’s most accomplished Sports Nutritionists; James Morton (INEOS) and Asker Jukendrup (Neversecond CSO). With a thorough understanding of exercise metabolism, a wealth of personal experience, and a desire to continually learn, Sophie is well-equipped to help athletes break boundaries, set new records, and achieve their goals.
Sophie also champions clean sports, so is certified in UK Anti-Doping practices and is diligent about following WADA guidelines. Sophie is excited to help unlock your potential, through bespoke sports nutrition.
James Parker
DEEKA Co-Founder, Coaching and Training, XCM Racer.
James has always had a fascination to explore the mental and physical limits of the human body. From a young age he entered the world of endurance running, he ran for his county, completing several marathons and ultra-marathons.
At the age of 18, he then joined the Royal Marine Commandos which took him all over the world and saw him serving in Northern Ireland and the Persian Gulf where he worked alongside the US Navy Seals upholding UN Sanctions.
James has competed in many different endurance and extreme sports including representing Great Britain at the World Championships for Speed Skydiving.
Since 2018 he has been dedicated to the bike, and drives all of his focus in this singular direction, racing at the Elite level for 2021 & 2022, competing in several World Cups and the European Championship, where he lined up as the oldest Elite athlete!!
As James has matured as an athlete he has noticed time and time again that although the mental and physical alignment is crucial, so is consistent training. Day-in and day-out conditioning gradually propel performance to levels one can only dream of.
As a result, he strongly believes in education and has recently completed his ABCC (Association of British Cycling Coaches) coaching qualification. He is always exploring new ways to develop as an athlete and a coach.
James’s ultimate aim as a coach is to enable all his athletes to experience flow and to access a flow state. Being completely in the moment, absorbed by the task in hand, the training, the interval, the race, the descent, the ride, that pure joy of being 100% present. The bike is purely used as a vehicle to access this flow state.
What Actually is DEEKA?! Where Did The Name Come From?
DEEKA dictionary definition; Pronounced: “Dee-ka”
Noun
1. Originally a nickname that Sophie Parker (formerly Johnson) and James Parker used, which has now taken on a far wider meaning.
2. Can mean: friend, mate, hello. “DEEKA how was your ride?”
A DEEKA can be anything, but not everything.