HOW TO HIRE A COACH

by: Andrew Armstrong, Past President, Ontario Association of Triathletes and National Triathlon Official

The number of options for hiring a coach, for either online or in-person assistance, is exploding. Everyone from retired professional athletes, sports scientists, current pro athletes, personal trainers and knowledgeable age-groupers seems to be launching a web site or placing an ad. Choosing a coach can be quite a challenge. How do you choose between a retired Ironman champion, who obviously has lots of experience racing and training, and an exercise scientist, who has a lot of theoretical background? The answer is not so simple. You have to look past the fancy graphics, techno speak, and most importantly, the hype.

When looking for a coach, there are several factors to consider including, but not limited to:

Credentials/Certification, Athletic experience, Coaching history/experience, Past track record, Type of program offered, Price, and Philosophy of training.

Credentials

A coache's credentials can be in the form of a degree, or diploma in a related sports field, such as exercise physiology, kinesiology, sports psychology, etc, or of a certification of level 1, 2, 3, etc, from their country's coaching certification program. These credentials imply a certain standard of general education and knowledge. While important, certification shouldn't be the primary factor when considering a coach. The problem is a lack of standardisation across sports and different countries. Since triathlon is a relatively new sport, the coaching certification programs around the world are in different stages of development. In Canada, the system is changing to a CBET (competence based education and training) system. This includes the Community Coach (roughly the old level 1) and the youth/junior focused Competition Introduction and Competition Development.  The later is by invitation only at present.  In the U.S.A., there are levels 1-3. In addition, the standards of what requirements exist to be certified at each level vary greatly. Some countries require extensive coaching education programs, in addition to many hours of supervised coaching, before certification is granted. Other countries have a less rigorous process that only require attending a weekend course.

Athletic & Coaching Experience

A current or retired elite athlete would make a great coach, right? Maybe! The extensive knowledge of the type of training that worked for them, doesn't necessarily mean that they know what will work for others to achieve their goals. Many elite athletes do have the background and understanding of the fundamentals of exercise training that can be applied generally, however, others think they have the formula figured out, but all they really know is what worked for them. One of the fundamental principles of training for sport: is the concept of individuality. Athletes vary tremendously in their response to training stimulus. The training that works for your neighbour or friend may not have the same effect for you. Even what has worked in the past for an athlete is not guaranteed to be successful in the future. Athletes and coaches must constantly refine their training regimen. Therefore, when considering any coach, a broad experience (and success) with different types of athletes is a good indicator that the coach has a grasp of, at least, the basic concepts of training and performance.

Another factor to consider is the coach's background and experience i.e. what past experiences do they draw upon. Ideally, a coach would have experience both as an athlete and as coach. Experience as an athlete helps in understanding, first-hand, the challenges that affect athletes. Experience as a coach, on the other hand, is important for understanding how to effectively communicate with athletes. Their coaching experience will also have given opportunities to enhance and refine their philosophy and style of coaching.

Coaching Record

So how do you judge the past success of a prospective coach? This issue is interesting because more often that not, coaches are judged by the results of their athletes. However, not all coaches choose or have the opportunity to work with high-level athletes, and thus they may never coach a top age grouper or pro. Also, some coaches choose to work mostly with top elite athletes. In both cases the objective results of their athletes can be misleading. The best way to judge the success of a coach is if their athletes have met their personal goals, whether they are losing weight, setting a new personal best, finishing their first race or qualifying for the World Championships or Hawaii.

The primary clientele of a coach is also a factor to consider. A coach who works with elite and high-performance athletes may not be the best person to guide you through your 10kg winter weight loss goal. Similarly, if you have your heart set on qualifying for and wining a medal at the World Championships, a personal trainer from the local gym may not meet your needs. You should not forget, however, that all coaches, just like all athletes, were beginners at one time. Many coaches have attained world recognition by taking a beginner or unknown and working with them until they reach the highest pinnacles of success.

Coaching Programs

Generally there are two types of programs available: personalised, custom designed programs which are specifically designed for you; and various types of computer generated or template programs, which use an athlete profile to output the program. Many online coaching services offer both types of programs. Make sure you know what you are getting when you sign up, if the price seems too good to be true you may be getting a generic program that will not necessarily fit your needs.

Coaching programs are often available through triathlon, running, swimming or cycling clubs. It is not mandatory that you have only one coach. Many elite athletes have a swim coach and another coach to manage and integrate the rest of their training. It is important, however, that you tell your other coaches what you are doing in your other sports, otherwise you can easily have training conflicts.

Coaching Contact

Also check into the amount of coach-athlete interaction the program offers. This is a fundamental aspect of the coaching relationship. Since an online coach may not be located nearby, you won't have the personal interaction in which you can ask questions, so you need to make sure that the program offers the amount of interaction you desire. Coach-athlete communication can be via email, telephone, faxes, or online chat. Check into what method of communication a coach offers, and if there are any extra fees involved, such as long distance telephone charges. Make sure that you are aware of these charges before you sign up.

Program Content & Frequency

Another aspect of choosing a prospective coach is the way the program is presented. Some programs are delivered monthly, semi-monthly, or even weekly. The program may include custom written workouts, strength and flexibility programs, and even visualisation and relaxation exercises. Some coaches offer testing protocols to determine intensities for heart rate or even power based training. Go with a coach that offers the options you are interested in, but try not to get taken in by a lot of scientific technical speak. Although it can be quite exciting to have a highly scientific looking program, with specific intensities, testing protocols and the like, make sure you are getting a program that suits your needs. Above all make sure you understand the methodology behind the training you are doing. For the best results, athletes should take an active role in their training, ask questions, and make sure they know why they are doing every workout.

Program Fit

If you are a shift worker or have a commitment every Friday night that keeps you up till midnight, a schedule that insists that you get up at 6:00 AM Saturday, rain or shine, to do a long ride, might not be best. While you will have to make some accommodation to your personal life to meet your goals, if you continually miss workouts due to scheduling conflicts you are wasting your money and time and the coach's time.

Cost

Finally, there is the price. The cost of hiring a coach varies wildly, from about $50 per month for template programs, to over $20,000 per year if you want the same coach and attention to detail as Lance Armstrong receives. Be prepared to pay somewhere in the range of $100-$200 per month for a custom designed program with a moderate amount of interaction. The price can vary with the number of athletes the coach works with, their level of credentials, experience, type of program and even their ego, i.e. how much they think they are worth. The price does not however, necessarily reflect a coach's competence or ability.

 Coaching Philosophy

A final factor in selecting a coach is their general philosophy regarding training for endurance sports. One of the fascinating aspects of training for multi-sports is that there is no "right" way to train. There are many successful approaches to training volumes, intensities, structuring the season, etc. Some coaches emphasise long slow aerobic training, others incorporate of lot of strength work, and still others might focus on some other aspect of training. Also, there is no one coach that has a monopoly on training knowledge and information, so don't believe people who claim to have all the answers. There are many great coaches out there, most of whom you've more than likely never heard of, so ask around and do some research to find someone who can help you achieve your goals. Like a good doctor, dentist or mechanic, a recommendation from a trusted source is a good place to start. Even then you must ensure that the coach is right for you.

Communication & Partnership

Once you make the commitment and sign up with a coach, provide as much information as you can to your new coach about your past training and racing history, your short and long term goals, any injuries you might have or had and your perceived strengths and weaknesses. Don't expect instant results. Even the most knowledgeable coach will take some time to learn about how you respond to training, and the loads you can handle, etc. A successful coaching relationship is a two way street, it requires trust, confidence and commitment to the coach and program on the part of the athlete, and effective communication going both ways. If you are having a hard time or find it too easy, you must tell the coach so that your program can be adjusted. If you do not, you will either not improve or leave yourself open to injury.

Being coached is more than just getting a training program by e-mail every week. As an athlete you want to have confidence in your coach and that the program is right for you, your strengths and weaknesses. By doing some research before you sign up, you can be sure that you and your new coach will be working together toward your ultimate goals.