Where it all began, and what drives me to help educate others.
I started coaching at the age of 18, taking on the role of a swimming coach for a local club team in a small town. The experience was transformative for me, as I found immense satisfaction in helping others, witnessing their progress under my guidance, and being deeply involved in the intricacies of the sport.
Although I knew early on that I wanted to pursue a career as an endurance sports coach, I was still uncertain about the specific type of coaching I wanted to specialize in at that young age.
After a few more years of coaching and obtaining certifications in Swimming, Cycling, and Running, I enrolled at Otago University in 1999, majoring in Exercise Sport Science and Marketing.
It was during this time that my career path became clearer. I started working with an athlete who later became one of the top juniors globally and began apprenticing under the guidance of Olympic gold medal-winning swim coach Duncan Laing.
This period taught me the immense value of mentorship, prompting me to seek individual mentors in Cycling, Running, and Triathlon.
In 2005, I received the prestigious Prime Minister scholarship, one of only four awarded nationally, allowing me to travel internationally to study coaching methodologies worldwide. This experience led me to provide recommendations to Triathlon NZ on program development.
Subsequently, I moved to the USA, working at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs as the Triathlon athlete development manager. During this time, I had the privilege of coaching notable athletes such as Sarah True, Greg Billington, Mark Fretta, and many talented junior and U23 athletes.
Fifteen years ago, during this period, I initiated and managed USA Triathlons’ initial mentorship programs. The success of these programs fueled my passion to continue mentoring and expand into teaching various aspects of endurance sport coaching at all levels.
The launch of EnduranceCoachEducation.com marks an exciting extension of the pathway I’ve been on for the past 30 years. This platform offers a tremendous opportunity to educate, mentor, and guide both current and future generations of performance coaches.
Reflecting on my coaching journey, I spent nearly seven years learning and mentoring from Duncan Laing, a period I consider the most crucial in my coaching development. His passing in 2008 serves as a constant reminder of the impact mentors can have on one’s life. To honor his memory and the positive change he brought to my life, I am committed to assisting other coaches on their journeys, just as I was once helped all those years ago.
