My experience at the USAT Level 1 Coaching Clinic

I finally had the chance to write up my experience in Portland last month at the USAT Coaching clinic. I wrote this for my website but thought I would share here with BT considering we have a handful of coaches that went a few years ago, some looking, and some curious.

Well I just returned from my 2-day experience that is the USAT Level I Coaching Clinic. I have put this off for 4 years and finally bit the bullet. Before I go into my experience let me explain my reasoning for why I trekked across the country spent a handful of Benjamin’s to sit through something I haven’t really bought into based on what I have heard from everyone that has gone in previous years. I almost didn't go after an email discussion with a very successful coach prompted this blog

Get into the system: I really dislike the saying “being in the system” but it’s required to be in the eyes of USAT if you want to work with juniors/elites, a demographic I am interested to be apart of, especially given this is where the future of the sport is. Ideally being able to possible coach developing and/or ITU athletes and the Olympics would be a dream.
Networking/Engagement: 40 people attended the clinic and we had 3 presenters. This gave me the chance to meet other coaches, show my face, and network, collaborate ideas, etc.
Insurance: Need I say more?
Vacation: Visit some old Wisconsin friends that moved to Portland

I went in skeptical but wanted to keep an open mind. I was not going and planning on sitting in the back and just listening. I aimed at my best to ask questions, try to get some discussion going, think critically, and try not to "drink the kool-aid" as so many are known to do at these clinics.
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The presenters:
Jesse Kropelnicki (QT2 Systems):
Ian Murray
Shelly O’Brien

Here is your cup of Kool-Aid, drink if you dare. Now let’s dive in.

Day 1
"Adding and developing my approach and philosophy"

Jesse Kropelnicki
Topics
- Exercise Physiology
- Triathlon Nutrition Strategies
- Sport Psychology and Mental Skills
- Running Skills and Economy Training
- Coaching as a Business

Overall I enjoyed Jesse’s lectures and discussions. I have followed him for a while and read a lot of his material that he posts to his blog, and have interacted with many of the QT2 systems athletes, so I know what to expect. While I don’t agree with everything he says, he has provided great value into my education within the sport.

Given the 90 minutes Jesse had to speak on exercise physiology I was surprised at how well he was able to get content in, but more specifically, relate it directly to triathlon. After spending 3 years of my undergraduate work focused on this topic, working in a human performance lab, and mentoring with a great exercise physiologist (Carl Foster) for 2 years I didn’t expect too much, but Jesse delivered very well.

Jesses presentations on "Running Skills and Economy Training" was very good. Ironically I was reading and had Jay Dicharry's "Anatomy of a Runner" book out while Jesse spoke and felt that I was getting confirmation of both views on running. Biomechanics were covered well with some physiology. Jesse brought some videos along to show where triathletes typically have problems (biomechanically) with runner and how to improve a runner as well. Above all else, just exposing potential and actual coaches to this and learning to "train the eyes" is valueable for many. He also showed some great tools to use to help show the biomechanics of runners and how these tools can be used with coaches and their athletes. Sometimes, more then anything, these visual tools provide great feedback to the athlete.

The presentation on " Sport Psychology and Mental Skills" was good and I was happy to see this part of triahtlon coaching covered, as even Jesse himself stated, a topic often not covered by with coaches and their athletes. Unfortunately I felt that he lectured us more then anything, and most remained quiet during the presentation which had me wonder how many were paying attention to this topic.

Jesse’s personal story of how he has built up his coaching business is impressive. While I understand that if you want to be a full-time coach it does become a business (of sorts) I have always been irked by the combination of business and coaching together. In MY views if you are coaching and investing in athletes your priority and goal should be athletic success and growth, and sometimes I feel that "business" steps in the way, but that is another topic for another time. One thing that really stuck out was his shift in priorities from athlete to coach. “When you put your athletes ahead of yourself in training, then you are coaching” and this was a big take home for me. If your athletes are not your top priority you are coaching “on the side”. This stuck was something that stuck with me and I had to really give some good thought as I progress forward. Jesse said when he first started coaching he wanted to coach professional athletes. He took time, and a great investment but he is doing that now, and very successfully too. His progress over the years is a prime example of success being a long-term investment.

What I was surprised most by was not the content that I learned (that isn’t to say I didn’t absorb a great deal of content as I have just explained), but the communication between Jesse and all of us. Communications is vital in an athlete-coach relationship. Not just talking to each other, but how everything is communicated. For the athlete it is important to give as much feedback and honest information to the coach. For the coach is imperative to communicate clearly and in the best way to the athlete, for them to understand you. Jesse had a very clear and articulate way of communcating to us if we were his athletes, and I was able to take alot away from this.

After listening to Jesse speak for 8 hours, yes you read the right he spoke for 8 hours! I was able to develop my coaching philosophy and gained a deeper understanding on a couple key topics. I also learned how to make remote coaching far more interactive and beneficial for both the athlete and coach. Yes there is a hige difference of being physically there for an athlete and coaching from remote, but those differences are being minimized as technology grows. I would have gone to this clinic solely to listen and collaborate with Jesse.

Day 2:
"Banging My Head Against a Wall, With Moments of Clarity"

Ian Murray
Topics
- Triathlon Specific Strength Training
- Cycling Skills
- Swimming Skills

The first words Ian spoke were for us to not have bias as attendees. He challenged us to think with our own minds and not to just take in everything he and everyone else was saying (i.e Don’t drink the Kool-aid). This was refreshing to hear since so many presenters inform their audience and they just take it as expert advice without ever thinking critically themselves and use it to apply forward without really constructing their own "school of thought".

Ian’s presentation on cycling skills seemed more of a “learning how to ride a bike” then anything else. No advanced ideas and or training theories were covered. In fact, no specific mention of training with power/HR, outside of zones was even touched beyond the basics. But again this is a level 1 clinic so I didn’t expect too much in that department. But as I have said before application is the key to succesful coaching and this was an area I thought content could be presented more in-depth or better. The presentation was more or less building very basic cycling skills, basic equipment choices of the such.

If you are going to present on strength training you damn well better know the topic, this is not specific to strength training, but every topic in general for whatever you may be speaking on. At least, in this case, well enough to know and understand basic movement patterns, such as an RDL, which to my surprise was not known by the presenter (I had to go up in front of the clinic and demonstrate a basic RDL pattern). Furthermore, why are you telling people to turn a Bosu ball upside down to work on their stability? Wasn’t the basis of strength training for it to be as specific as possible??? Just put the athlete on one foot to work on their stability, there is no need to add in extra tools and use them in incorrect fashions, most triathletes cannot stand on one leg well anyway, so lets not try to complicate things too much. Maybe with my formal education on this topic and passion for it I am a bit more skeptical then most, but I thought USAT could do a lot better on this topic with someone more specific and specifically in the field, or maybe I am just ranting here.

Shelly O’Brien
Topics
- Periodization and Planning
- Practical Application

While the clinic had stayed on schedule for the most part, Shelly’s topics were cut short a bit because of questions asked and the slight tangents taken. She did manage to keep us on track and get as much as she could covered to her best ability.

This was where I thought I would cringe alot, but I was surprised. I was expecting to hear about the traditional and basic linear model of periodization and be "taught" about the 3:1 work rest ratios that I have heard USAT educating for years. Instead O'Brien explained the different models of periodization, and even went into the conjugate models, and even touched on the polarization model too (another form of periodization) which I was told is covered extensively in Level 2.

Time was starting to wind down and we did not get a chance to really get into the "practical application" portion of the clinic. From my understanding we were supposed to be given a couple of athletes and construct a seasons plan for them. I am not sure how much "practical application" can be given inside a classroom in 90 minutes, but I know what the aim was for this. I had to remind myself this is served as a starting point and not a "end all, be all" lesson forward.

Overall the USAT Clinic is far better then the ITCA certification (an online certification) that I debated taking simply to save costs for many reasons. Specifically for myself, now have 3 other coaches to bounce ideas off and interact with, Jesse/Shelly have been great for this! I also now have several different avenues to go with coaching as I am “in the system” of USAT.

Thoughts and comments:

1. Why on earth was the most discussion on coaching as a business, and the insurance policy but silent when the few topics of actual coaching pedagogy came up? This frustrates me to no end and makes me wonder about some people’s intentions, but I digress.

2. Surprises: Going in I thought that I would hear and be told to use the 3:1 work : rest ratio and then blocks should be done in 4 week intervals. However, I wasn’t told this and i
Well I just returned from my 2-day experience that is the USAT Level I Coaching Clinic. I have put this off for 4 years and finally bit the bullet. Before I go into my experience let me explain my reasoning for why I trekked across the country spent a handful of Benjamin’s to sit through something I haven’t really bought into based on what I have heard from everyone that has gone in previous years.

3. Different Level 1 Clinics: I know this was a "beginner" coacing clinic but I think USAT could provide more value for their future coaches buy dividing this clinic into 2 or 3 different future directions based on where the applicant/coach wants to go: 1. Coaches that want to build through the USAT model (More advanced coaching clinic) or have been coaching before. 2. Those that want to be a part-time or coach for their local club and do not have interest in advancing certs. USAT can stll get their money, and be able to provide more valueable and effective clinics to their participants.

So if you are going to take the USAT Level I clinic I would suggest a few things first and/or after.

If you are not in a hurry, wait. Why? Develop a philosophy, talk to coaches of varying levels, and develop a sense of and an ability to think critically. Then go into the clinic. You will not be blinded by the lectures and can engage in the material more then just “soak it in”. How’s that glass of Kool-Aid?
Ask “why?”: I love asking this question. It forces an actual answer and usually will evolve into a discussion other then a basic “yes” or “no” answer that gives the recepiant no valueable informaiton. It challenges the speaker and gives the audience more depth to the content and have them understand “why” and “how”.
It’s a certification: This does not entitle you to coach in fact you didn’t need the certification to go to be a coach. I once heard a quote “The moment you think you know everything is the moment you begin to fail”. Think of this clinic as a starting point NOT and ending point. Continue your education further your development, each and every day.
Get a mentor: All the knowledge you can obtain is NOTHING if you don’t know how to apply that knowledge. A mentor can be very beneficial for this. Fortunately going in I have already been under the guidance of a couple of mentors for the past couple years. These mentors and my interactions with them were huge as I felt I brought a lot more to the table and I could think critically and ask “why” and sift through the BS that was presented.

This covers most of my thoughts and experiences at the clinic. Overall I thought it was a good investment of time and money (that pays off very quickly), but like everything else could still develop to be more about coaching then learning how to coach. I will let the next couple years dictate the speciic path of where my coaching progression goes as I currently am working with AG athletes and am starting to work with youths as well. I will continue my mentorships and continue to reach out to other coaches as well.

How full is that glass of Kool-Aid?

Edited by bcagle25 2014-10-15 3:52 PM