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A Guide to Coaching in a Triathlon Training Camp Prior to the Training Session • Introduce yourself to the athletes in your group. • Check with each athlete to see if anyone is carrying an injury or if they are on any specific medications or need medical treatment. • Inquire about the quantity and quality of the last training session. When did they last train? • Explain the objectives of the Camp program and the goals for the upcoming session. • Find out if your athletes have remembered all required equipment • If you’re at an outdoor venue have the athletes remembered to apply sunscreen. • Has every athlete remembered to bring a water bottle? (Note: Is it filled with water or a sports drink?) • Has every athlete remembered to bring a snack in their gear bag (i.e., for consumption immediately after the session - a high carbohydrate source)? • Ask each athlete for their best time or appropriate goal time/pacings is/are for the session. • Ask each athletes about what skills they have been working on in the appropriate sessions. • Check to see if any athletes have written information to pass onto you as the Camp Coach (i.e., this may be from their home coach, doctor, physio or parents etc.). • Check to see which athletes took their early morning (i.e., resting) heart rate or relevant training recovery indicators and discuss relevance to session • Check to see that conditions are safe and appropriate – swim, bike, run and auxiliary sessions. • Check to see that you have a working stopwatch with you • If there will be more than one coach at a session, establish some basic protocols about what each coach will do (i.e., times, heart rates, stroke counts, etc.). • Check to see that athletes from the same Club/Home Training Environment are not all doing the same session (ie in the same lane at the pool). (Note: This defeats the purpose of a training camp). During The Workout • Monitor training indicators and communicate with athletes about indictors they normal use to monitor the success of each session • Check to see that athletes are replacing lost fluid by using their drink bottles during the session. • Check to see that swimmers have warmed-up appropriately for the session. • Monitor technique as has been discussed in advance with Home Coach • Do not allow sloppy training behaviours; especially those that would not be normal in the athletes home training environment • Provide quality positive feedback and encouragement to all athletes during the session • Rotate leadership within the group and session to encourage younger athletes to be responsible and older athletes to take a “leadership” role. • Encourage athletes to note and discuss and information or technical feedback that you have provided with their home coaches. • Encourage athletes to support the program sponsor by wearing the appropriate team or squad gear. • Adjust the workout if you’re running out of time, don’t just end the session when your time is up. • Monitor warm-down to make sure it is appropriate for the session that has been completed. • Keep an eye on athletes training too hard or who fail to recover between sessions: you may need to discuss this with other staff members, the home coach and/or athlete. You may also have to switch them to another more appropriate training group. • Try to give each athlete individual feedback before, during and after the session. • Remember that Training Camp situations should be a little more demanding or challenging than regular home training sessions (even if you just make them think more about what they are doing). After The Training Session • Encourage stretching, contrasts and self massage of sore muscles after a session. • Seek feedback from the athletes and offer the group your evaluation of the performance of the workout. • Offer support to the Coaches who worked with the sessions and to the Camp staff. • Stress the importance to athletes of replenishing fluids and appropriate nutritional recovery strategies. • Transfer any information you have recorded during the session (i.e., if its on a whiteboard, etc.) into your coach’s logbook. • Evaluate the training session, did it achieve the desired objectives? Make a note in your coach’s logbook. • Note the attendance (i.e., who was in your group) in your coaches logbook. • Take 5-10 minutes before or after each training session to talk with a different athlete from the group (by the end of the camp you should have covered all athletes). General Tips • Leave your mobile phone turned off and out of sight (so you’re not tempted to use it) and during squad/team meetings unless requires for staff communication or safety. • Avoid coaching in a fatigued state; to communicate properly you need to be mentally sharp. • Expect the unexpected, try to prepare for nearly every situation you may encounter. • Get on a “first name basis” with Camp and Venue staff. • Relax for a few minutes prior to each workout; mentally rehearse the workout. • Try to wear appropriate clothing (with sponsors logo) which is neat and clean during each session. • Present yourself in a professional manner by maintaining appropriate personal appearance and decorum while at sessions. • Vary your workout presentation (i.e., what end of the pool you work from, etc.); try to find ways of saying the “same old things” in a different way. • Make eye contact with everyone in the program; athletes, coaches, parents, other staff. • Remain positive and enthusiastic at all times! Negative people never achieve maximum results. • Do not accept mediocrity from athletes, staff or yourself. Establish a consistent standard of excellence (even when the training session is low-key). • Challenge yourself as a coach to be innovative. |