Ali swam for Mid Beds Swim Squad from 2003 until 2012, achieving qualifying times for Scottish and British Nationals. As his time as a swimmer drew to an end Ali started to assist poolside at Mid Beds learning from the coaching team. This lead to Ali becoming a Level 2 Teacher and working at Flitwick Leisure Centre delivering swimming lessons through all levels of the learn to swim program. This experience provided the ideal platform to achieve his Level 2 Coaching qualification and in 2013 he joined the Squad as a Group Coach. His hard work and desire to see all swimmers improve and enjoy their swimming lead to promotion to his current role of Assistant Head Coach.

He is currently leading the coaching programme for Performance B. His focus on stroke technique mixed with hard work and fun has lead to his swimmers winning medals at County and Regional level.

Ali has a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Hertfordshire, and is working with the Youth and First Team players at Luton Town FC as a Fitness Coach.

Ali's coaching philosophy is "a happy swimmer is a fast swimmer". He creates a training environment that enables swimmers to be comfortable and to enjoy their swimming. He also reinforces the club's ethos of independence and empowerment by encouraging the swimmers to take responsibility for their swimming and to control the controllables which sets them up to be successful in and out of the pool.