Why Hire a USA Triathlon Certified Coach?
by Linda Cleveland
Have you signed up for a race, but aren’t sure exactly how to train for it? Are you new to triathlon and looking for someone to help you organize all of the workouts and training in the three sports around your busy lifestyle? Maybe you are a seasoned triathlete trying to earn that Kona qualifying spot? These are all great reasons for you to hire a USA Triathlon Certified Coach.
Our vision at USA Triathlon is to provide the resources required for all in the triathlon community to reach their full potential. We believe that for many of you, a USAT Certified Coach is the key enabler. A USAT Coach will not only help you get faster but more importantly help you enjoy the sport even more and remain injury-free. In order to be a USAT Certified Coach, a coach first needs to be one of approximately 450 people that are selected from thousands of applicants every year. These coaches are chosen for specific triathlon coaching aptitude and experience, and coaching and triathlon community goals.
Accordingly, a coach can only become certified by gaining admission to the selective program and then attending a two-day class taught by USAT's top thought leaders and then passing a comprehensive exam. USAT Coaches are uniquely and highly qualified to do many things within swim, bike and run, including:
- Analyze your swim stroke and find the missing pieces to help you become a more efficient swimmer and thrive in open water.
- Help you achieve running breakthroughs off the bike through revised training to generate physical adaptations that can be leveraged on race day.
- Help you generate added power on the bike without compromising the run.
Perhaps more important, USAT Certified Coaches are adept at helping you holistically; not only solving the puzzle of training for all three sports, but also injury prevention, optimizing training and race-day nutrition, managing the often overlooked transition skills, mental preparation, and last but not least, recovery.
Moreover, USAT Certified Coaches are held to the highest safety standards. All USA Triathlon Certified Coaches must pass a criminal background screening, complete the USOC’s Safe Sport program, have current CPR, attend an in-person certification course and pass an exam. In addition, every USAT Certified Coach must complete a comprehensive re-certification process every two years to ensure they have the necessary insights on the changing coaching and multisports landscape.
USA Triathlon offers a Find A Coach directory on our website.