As we prepare for the 2008 Olympics, all eyes are on the athletes who will be representing their countries, vying for Gold. However, it takes a support team to get athletes to Beijing, and some of the most important members of that team are often overlooked by the media: the coaches. Xtri recently had the chance to chat with Coach Tim Crowley of TC2 Training and Coaching; he is the coach for US Olympian Jarrod Shoemaker, among other young talents. Here's what he had to say about the upcoming Games, his stable of athletes, and what's ahead...
1. Tell us a bit about yourself. Where’d you grow up, what kind of sports did you do as a kid. How’d you get into triathlon?
I grew up in Franklin, Massachusetts and played soccer baseball, hockey and track right through high school. In college, I played soccer and even kicked field goals for the football team my senior year.
As a soccer player, I began riding my bike, running road races and lifting weights in the summer to get in shape. I got into training, and that led me to major in Athletic Training at Springfield College. After graduating in 1988, I still wanted to be a competitive athlete. Triathlon was in its infancy, so we had to learn how to train by trial and error.
Back then, I racied against Vinu Malik, (Fuelbelt founder) in the 20-24 year old age group. It’s great to see those of us who are still racing over 20 years later.
2. You had a pretty successful career as a triathlete. How’d you decide to make the switch over to coaching?
I’m fortunate to still be able to compete at a fairly high level. Over the past 20 years I have regularly placed in the top ten overall. I’d consider myself either a pro or a good age grouper. I don’t have much natural ability in swimming, cycling and running, but as a student of the sport have learned how to train smart and work hard to maximize my ability.
I think it’s important to still race while coaching. It allows me to train with my athletes, and to continually experiment with training techniques and equipment in order to fully understand how to implement them into their training.
Coaching has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My Dad was a high school hockey and baseball coach, so I was hanging around and helping at practices since I was about 5 years old. I have been fortunate to be around some great coaches during my entire life. This has helped me to realize that coaching is a lot more than training plans. It is an art form, combining science and psychology. This has always fascinated me. This year I have tried to learn as much as possible about great coaches in sport.
My goal as a coach is to help my athletes reach their potential. My philosophy is that I work for the athletes, and am more than happy to stay in the background. I’m not concerned whether people know who I am, but that they know the athletes I work with.
3. You have some high profile clients, including Jarrod Shoemaker. How did you two hook up?
It actually began at the USAT Level III coaching course a few years ago when I volunteered to assist him in getting stronger in the weight room. Last fall he asked if I’d oversee his preparation for the Olympics. We have developed a great team in swim specialist Rich Axtell, and MAT therapist Pam Minnix of San Diego. We all work together, along with Jarrod’s training partners Alicia Kaye and Ethan Brown.
We live fairly close, so I can be at several training sessions per week, and train with them on recovery days (they’re pretty fast).
4. How has Jarrod changed as an athlete from when you first started working together?
Its been a very busy year. I really admire how he has handles himself, and his professionalism. Being the first male qualifier for the Olympics, he has gotten a lot of attention. He has taken it in stride.
Over the past few years I have seen Jarrod become physically stronger, which has allowed him to race well throughout the long season. His swimming and cycling have gotten much better and are quickly approaching his running ability. The best thing is that I still think he is several years away from reaching his potential.
4. How is Jarrod preparing for the Beijing Olympics? Are there any differences in his training for the Olympics than other major races? Are you recommending he take any extra precautions against the air pollution there?
The big difference this year is to plan for a major performance peak, as opposed to racing consistently over a 6-8 month period to accrue World Cup points. We have studied the course, and know how to prepare for it. The key is to try to treat it like any other race, but that may be difficult with all that surrounds the Olympics.
When he heads east, most of the time will be in Korea, where the USA team will do their final preparations. The US athletes will most likely be wearing masks when in China. Other than that, we’ll keep things pretty much the same as usual.
6. You also coach young talent, Ethan Brown. Can you tell us a bit about his career, and what you foresee in his future?
Ethan has only been doing triathlons for a few years, and is the current U23 National Champ. He recently had a breakthrough race placing 15th at the Hamburg World Cup, which is I believe the best World Cup Debut by an American.
Ethan comes to the sport with great swimming and running credentials. His cycling has been coming along wonderfully, and is quickly learning how to race at a World Cup level.
Ethan does a lot of his training with Jarrod. This has been mutually beneficial to both athletes. Ethan has great potential, so we expect to see him improve for several years to come. It was a great moment to see Jarrod take 2nd, and Ethan 3rd at the recent Geneva Pan AM Cup race.
7. Yet another young talent you coach is Alicia Kaye. How did you hook up with Alicia? What are her strengths as an athlete, and where do you see her career taking her?
Alicia is Jarrod’s better half. She is a former Canadian Jr National Champion, and has been racing internationally since she was 16. This year she has remained healthy and injury free, and it is paying off with her win at Memphis in May, and podium appearances at Geneva and Mazatlan Pam AM Cups.
I can see her continually improving over the next few years, and being competitive for a spot on the 2012 Olympic Team for Canada.
8. It seems your athletes are young short course racers. Is that your area of expertise in coaching, or do you coach athletes at all distances, of all abilities?
I coach athletes at all distances and abilities. I have been coaching Heather Gollnick for the past 3 years, and have helped her to two Ironman titles and four Seconds at Ironman events.
Another up and coming athlete is first year pro, Kim Webster who was 4th at 70.3 Rhode Island, in only her 3rd year in the sport. I expect her to on the podium for several years to come.
Many of the athletes I work with are serious age groupers. My only requirement of the athletes is that they have the desire to reach their potential. We work as a team to maximize their training, and to not sacrifice other aspects of their lives. You don’t train in a vacuum, so balancing all the elements in an athlete's life is the real coaching challenge.
I also assist with Team Vortex, a Junior Development team in New England run by Steve Kelley. This Team has produced many top athletes in recent years, including Jarrod, Ethan, Jenna Shoemaker and Caitlin Shea- Kenney [2008 Ironman Lake Placid Champion] among others.
9. So you’re accompanying Jarrod to Beijing! Have you been there before? How adventurous of an eater are you – will you try out any of the local cuisine?
I’m approaching it as a business trip. We have a goal, and there will be work to be done. Hopefully we’ll be able to keep things as normal as possible, as to not disrupt the momentum we have going. I look at it as a great learning experience as a coach, that will allow me to become better at what I do.
10. With your background and career focused on triathlon, your lifestyle must be thoroughly immersed in multisport. What are your favorite non-tri-related hobbies/past times? How do you kick back, and how will you celebrate after the Olympics?
I’m not sure I have any. Outside of work and training, I spend free time with my wife Lesley and two kids Timmy and Ali, who are into running and swim team and soccer, so I don’t ever really get away from it. Even our dog Neil, a greyhound is a former racing dog. Sounds obsessive, but I really enjoy what I do.
I am lucky to be able to surround myself with great people. I work with incredible athletes and have a wonderful support system that allows me to keep striving to get better, and as I improve, so will my athletes.
For more information about Tim, visit his website at www.TimCrowley.biz.
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