There is always a coach behind the athlete. Triathlon in Canada doesn’t have a huge pool of athletes. Development coaches can’t be selective, they just need to work with the athletes they can get. Kyla Rollison [Tri-o-Lac Head coach], has consistentlydeveloped Team Canada junior members over the year. Amelie Kretz, the recent 2ndplace finisher at the ITU Moololaba WC, is just one athlete who trained under her during her junior years. We talk to Kyla to better understand why she is able to produce elite athlete year after year.
The Coaches are not often in the light, but with Emy Legault taking the North America Junior title, the third continental title in 4 years from one of your athletes can we say that you are just lucky?
John Heywood said the harder I work, the luckier I get….I believe in a slight variation of this, the smarter my athletes work, the luckier we all get.
Do you believe that your success is because you are doing something special? I know that you believe in high volumes with low intensity…
I don’t believe that I have success, I believe that my athletes create success by taking the tools I give them and making the most of them. Sometimes this is volume, sometimes intensity; there is no one recipe. Success is bred by adapting the program to the athlete’s needs so that the athletes can adapt to the demands of competition.
With your recent success, you’ve proven that the Canadian winter is not an excuse.
Winter is definitely a huge handicap. I believe that a certain amount of adversity builds resiliency, but in endeavoring to truly build a high performance program, there must be some sort of travel platform in place.
Winter is definitely a huge handicap. I believe that a certain amount of adversity builds resiliency, but in endeavoring to truly build a high performance program, there must be some sort of travel platform in place.
If I’m right, your athletes are typically really strong on the bike and it’spart of their strategy to push the tempo in that discipline…
Cycling is an integral part of my program, yes.
Things weren’t that easy for you before. When your best athlete move to another group, you were close to drop…
The arrival of Libby Burrell at Triathlon Canada has changed a great number of things. Libby has given me opportunities to grow as a coach and my athletes’ success is due in part to the opportunities and the change she drives.
Personally, I always thought that you were really emotionally engaged, and even if the result was important, it was also primordial to develop good people. You have this frankness that can cause you trouble, am I mistaken?
I coach two elements: the athlete and the person. In swimming, there is an old adage: the athlete swims the first 85m of the 100m and the person swims the last 15m, I believe that an athlete is only complete if the person has been coached as well. In order to coach someone, honesty and frankness are a must, this is not something that appeals to everyone; so, no you are not wrong….I coach these two elements in my program, so that good strong people can become the best athletes: this is my coaching philosophy.
Your partner Javier and you were former athletes. Does this partnership help you to be a better coach with the youngsters?
Javier and I work well together because despite the different athlete streams we have occupied we believe in the same training ideologies. He has a different eye and different skill set to mine, a complimentary one, and my athletes all know the pivotal role that he plays in their training and racing environment.
Javier and I work well together because despite the different athlete streams we have occupied we believe in the same training ideologies. He has a different eye and different skill set to mine, a complimentary one, and my athletes all know the pivotal role that he plays in their training and racing environment.
At the moment, what are your challenges as a coach?Allowing for individuality in each athlete’s training program while maintaining collectivity in the training group. On a slightly more practical level, athlete and program funding are always a challenge.
We often speak of Jamie Turner as the coach of the Wollongong Wizards group, but he is primary the Canadian head coach. He is always present for you…
Jamie has been a thought provoking presence in my coaching development in the last two years. He challenges and guides me relentlessly as I strive to make the most of myself and my athletes daily.
Jamie has been a thought provoking presence in my coaching development in the last two years. He challenges and guides me relentlessly as I strive to make the most of myself and my athletes daily.
What are your objectives now?
I will take my athletes as far as they can go.
Do you believe that an culture of excellence is finally developing in Québec?
In Québec, we are slowly building a foundation for a culture of excellence; Francis Sarrasin at Triathlon Québec is a huge impetus for helping to drive this change.
In Québec, we are slowly building a foundation for a culture of excellence; Francis Sarrasin at Triathlon Québec is a huge impetus for helping to drive this change.
Something you want to add?
Yes, I would like to thank Trimes for giving me this opportunity to reflect on my program and helping give the athletes visibility and recognition as they move towards their goals. I would also like to thank Triathlon Québec and Triathlon Canada for supporting my athletes and my program.
Yes, I would like to thank Trimes for giving me this opportunity to reflect on my program and helping give the athletes visibility and recognition as they move towards their goals. I would also like to thank Triathlon Québec and Triathlon Canada for supporting my athletes and my program.
Finally, I want to thank my athletes for making me look like a lucky coach through their hard work and dedication to excellence.
