Triathlon Coaching, Why Not?

When I was a kid, I swam competitively. When I was a teen, I coached four swim teams and taught swimming lessons. When I was a mom with a toddler, I joined a Master's swim team (not just any swim team -- it was hardcore) and piano lessons (these weren't just any piano lessons -- they were hardcore.).

When my daughter was a preschooler, I registered for an open water swim, placed first in my age category -- and then stopped swimming for seven years. (It was way too hard to manage practices, money, and the copious amounts of BS in my life). When my kiddo was a tween, I decided, 'heck, my life still sucks but I'm having some fun. I'm going to do the open water swim again'. So seven years later, I found myself back in the water getting ready for an open water swim.

But...

Something in my workouts was off and I couldn't quite place it. Then, months in, I experienced something similar to an asthma attack while racing Horse Girl to the bus stop. Years of basement suites, mold in that one place, bronchitis, double pneumonia... It all came together. Regardless, I took care of it, and the following summer, when I was a mom with a teen, Istarted preparing for the race again... Then the pools all shut down. And races were cancelled.

Today, it's 2021. Pools are still somewhat shut down and the races are still cancelled. Life doesn't suck anymore as 2020 - 2021 turned out to be incredible. I have reached my goals and dreams and returned to ski instructing (after seventeen years). Ski instructing went so well my first year back that, I thought, "why don't I go back to swim coaching too?" I don't know where this idea came from but it won't leave. So, I am a mom with a teenager now and am pursuing coaching triathlon swim coach certification. I will take on one Master swim team and a handful of private triathlon swimmers. I contacted the National Coaching Certification Program and Triathlon Canada and got the ball rolling.