Training a Mindset to Get the Job Done

At every level of ability our programs have certain physical competencies that we expect athletes to achieve during their time with us - we call them skills goals. They could be something as simple as not breathing on a breakout stroke in the pool, or keeping eyes forward on the run, or something more complex, like taking a turn in a pack at speed on the bike. At the end of each session, we look at each athlete and we find that some have achieved the goals and some have not. For some it may be because they have less of an athletic foundation, or because they had to miss practices due to conflicting obligations - but invariably, I would estimate that 90% of those who did not achieve the goals failed to achieve them because of their mindset.

It's a reminder for us all that physical skills and fitness improvements come at a price. We had a good talk at our Gold 2/Elite swim practice this past Saturday about how cutting corners is a slippery slope. Be lazy in one area, and you open the door to give yourself more leeway in others (I had noticed that most of the athletes were being consistently sloppy on their flip turns and streamlining during our sets that day). That leads to not finishing the interval at the wall, which I think eventually leads to a mind that is wired to be more likely to give up during a finishing kick in a race than one that pushes through to the finish line.

I give much thanks to T3 Multisports Coach Boris Robinson for sharing the following article with me this morning:

The Difference Between Winning and Losing (Changing the Game Project)

What does that "three inches" look like to you, or to your athlete? How does it matter to their goals for the sport? I think of this less as a competitive mindset (as it explains in the article), but more of a "get the job done and get it done RIGHT" mindset. One of the biggest red flags I look for in competitive athletes with big goals is the propensity to cut corners. Cutting corners in practice, in maintaining equipment, in tracking training to me indicates that the athlete probably doesn't have the "chops" to make it at an elite level.

The top athletes I've coached have gotten that way because they obsess over getting each workout right, over discussing their metrics with me, over teeny tiny little ways that they can shave 0.5 seconds off their transition times - at this level, the coach/athlete relationship becomes a partnership where the athlete provides feedback and ideas and the coach provides an objective viewpoint and organization of load and goal-specific training. This is where the magic happens, and this is also where I think the athlete feels the most satisfaction.

Let's make the magic happen this week.

Happy Monday,

Coach Morgan

Why Kids Leave Sport... and Why they Stay

A fellow high performance team coach shared the following article, which outlines the 6 top reasons why kids leave a sport (specifically swimming, in this case):

6 Tips for Swim Parents on Why Swimmers Quit (SwimSwam)

Since we want our kids to continue being involved in triathlon and sport in general as long as possible, here is my response to this article - 6 reasons why kids STAY in triathlon (or any sport):

1. Being with their friends - and they have bonded with the other athletes on their team. Triathlon is an individual sport, but we spend a lot of time during practices teaching athletes to work as a team, to respect each other, and to have fun together.
2. Getting the RIGHT amount of parent involvement - in other words, the kid owns their sport experience and decides on their own goals and commitments, but the parent requires them to live up to the commitment that they have made to achieve their goals.
3. The drive home - when you build them up, find the things they did right even if their overall performance wasn't what they hoped for, and encourage them to keep pursuing their dreams for the sport through passion and hard work.
4. Being able to see personal improvement - because they understand that improvement doesn't always come in the form of increased speed, but just as often in technique, commitment and strength that lays the foundation for future and long-term performance.
5. A reasonable school schedule - not having 6 hours of homework every night, meaning they have the opportunity to embrace/enjoy hobbies outside of that environment. Having teachers who are focused on learning more than paperwork.
6. Their coach does his or her job - meaning he gives each athlete the same amount of consideration regardless of ability. She makes each athlete feel valued. He makes the sport fun - not just work. She recognizes improvement. He sets realistic expectations, and tells the athletes how to achieve them.

The long and short of it is - we ALL play a part in the athlete's success in and enjoyment of triathlon. Let's create an environment together that sets kids up for a lifetime of healthy activity in this great sport.

Have a great Wednesday,

Coach Morgan

Developing a Well-Rounded Technique for Draft-Legal Triathlon Swimming

Parents and Athletes,

This post is geared towards our athletes working towards short course elite status, and those who think they may want to participate in the USAT Junior Elite Series when they get older.

One of the things I love about Playtri is that we are constantly experimenting with new things, which means we stay on the cutting edge of coaching strategies as the sport develops. One area that we are particularly interested is how open water swimming differs from pool swimming, and I personally am focused in on how we can be most effective in the swim for short course draft-legal races.

Right after I finished the following article (which I would also consider a taste of what we'll be teaching at our Holiday Training Camp in December, for those who are interested) I saw a very similar piece written by former short course pro and elite coach Sara McLarty that was published earlier this week (though in contrast to her opinion, I think the kick becomes more important in this particular race style). This just tells me we aren't the only ones to be taking a step back and re-evaluating the value of a traditional pool swim technique in our sport, and athletes who are trained only in the pool swim technique will eventually be left behind by those who embrace a more sport-specific approach.

Draft-Legal Triathlon Swimming Technique

I hope this makes you think, and gives you some insight on why we do things the way we do on Team Playtri!

Have a happy Friday, and a Safe and Happy Halloween Tomorrow,

Coach Morgan

Gearing and Shifting on the Bike

Parents,

It's a windy day in North Texas today, which means cyclists are having to cycle through lots of gears during their rides. While we always take practice time with our youth teams to review and teach gearing and shifting skills, sometimes it's nice to have some general guidelines in case you notice your young athlete being challenged in this area on a family ride or at a non-team race. 

I did this article for USAT a year or two ago, but the priniciples still apply! Check it out if you want to be able to give your child some good tips on utilizing their gears in training and racing.

Effective Gearing and Shifting

Have a great Wednesday!

Coach Morgan

Ready to Race and Roll

Hopefully everybody has Aaron's Race and Roll 5K and 1K on their calendar by now - this is a phenomenal event and fundraiser for three different charitable organizations.

Check out this article about the 2014 event, and make sure to join Team Playtri on November 14th to support this wonderful race!

What Boundaries? (from The Dallas Morning News)

Click the following link to get your athlete (and yourself!) registered:

Aaron's Race and Roll

Have a fantastic Monday,

Coach Morgan

What Can We Learn from Conner Stroud?

Since the national youth & junior triathlon season has wound down, I have had many conversations with other high performance coaches throughout the country about the current state of youth triathlon and youth sport in general. I've also gotten to have conversations with individual parents and athletes about their athletes' experiences over the past season, and where we saw positive growth and where we need improvement. Now is the time to ask questions and consider solutions. How, as a youth and junior elite coach, do I teach athletes (and parents) that short-term performance and success can be fleeting, that it's more important to be a decent person and a good leader, that long-term success in our sport is not guaranteed just because you're a "fast" junior? Does the culture we have developed, not just in triathlon, but in youth sport in general, allow for that conversation?

It's easy to find articles, blogs, social media posts and others asking "What is wrong with youth sports?" It's a bit disheartening that this is such a common question, and everyone has an opinion. I have a few myself. But it doesn't fix the issue, though I do appreciate that it opens up the door for the conversation to start.

That being said, I was reading the following (incredibly inspirational) story about a young man's experience as an athlete, and I thought to myself "what exactly is inspirational about this story?" 

Conner's Story (courtesy of the Charlotte Observer)

Is it his Number 1 ranking? His world title?

It's really not. As a coach, and as parents, I think the things that inspire us are his perseverance, his positive attitude in the face of adversity, his ability to find joy in challenging situations. You could take the other stuff out of this article, and we would all still be blown away, and want those things for our own athletes. So why are podiums and rankings so important? Even when we say they aren't really... they still are. Brushing off a "bad" performance or a "bad" year seems to be increasingly difficult (putting aside the fact, for now, that those are actually the best performances and the best years because the athlete and the coach actually learn something from them). But it shouldn't be. What if our focus switched to reflect the things that are really inspiring from Conner's story? What would that look like for our athletes, for our teams, for youth sport throughout our country?

Let's change the conversation from "what's wrong with youth sport" to "how do we get more of what's right?" Let's have a conversation about this after practice, or the next time you drop by the Playtri store. Let's take a break from talking about performances and discuss our athlete's well-being, their mental and emotional development, their other hobbies, and how we can use triathlon to make them into a leader in their community. Let's talk about how triathlon can make them a better and happier person, and how we as their coaches can be a part of that journey.

Have a fantastic Friday.

Coach Morgan

Sports Nutrition for Youth Athletes

Parents,

It's time to turn to one of my favorite nutrition gurus, Coach Bob Seebohar of eNRG Performance and Teens that Tri. 

I wish we had more time to talk about nutrition at our team practices. There are so many components to developing healthy athletes, and nutrition is one that naturally happens primarily at home. I hope that the following article will give each of you some practical guidelines to help your young athlete in this part of their journey.

"Sports Nutrition for Youth Athletes" by Bob Seebohar

I also highly recommend Bob's book Sports Nutrition for Young Triathletes, which you can purchase at your local Playtri Store. This is a practical guide for young readers (probably age ~11 and up if they are reading it on their own) on how to create good nutrition habits that will benefit their current and long-term athletic performance and general health. 

Do you have healthy recipes that you love for fall and winter? Make sure to share them with your coach so we can post them to the team Facebook for the whole team to enjoy!

Happy eating,

Coach Morgan

Quadriceps, Hip Flexors, Adductors - Oh My

It's Fall, which means I've had an influx of private run lessons recently. Run coaches will tell you - every once in a while we see something unusual from athletes (kids and adults), but 99 times out of 100 it's the same things over and over again. What is really frustrating is that oftentimes the problems we see can be easily prevented with a minimal amount of prehab strength and flexibility work.

Today I want to focus on three key areas that I see causing trouble for a lot of young runners - quads, hip flexors and adductors. Read the following article to understand their importance, and how your young athlete can take care of them, especially during run-heavy seasons!

"Stretching your Quadriceps, Hip Flexors and Adductors"

Have a fantastic Friday!

Coach Morgan

Hydration - It's Not Just for Summer!

Parents, I know we're all excited that the cooler temps have finally arrived - kids have more energy at practices, and are excited to get outdoors again. However, along with cooler temps comes the potential to neglect hydration, which gets lots of attention in the summer when kids are aware of their thirst, but less in the fall and winter when kids don't "feel" thirsty as often.

Make sure your young athlete stays hydrated for health and performance this off-season, and check out the following article on the importance of year-round hydration:

Dehydration in Sports: A Year-Round Concern

For more resources on hydration for youth athletes, check out the Moms Team Sports Hydration page, and ask your coach for suggestions on what kind of fluids they want your child bringing to practice.

Want something other than traditional sports drinks to replace fluids and electrolytes? Try options like Skratch and Nuun with zero dyes and less sugar, available at the Playtri Stores.

Have a great Saturday, and remember to stay hydrated!

Coach Morgan

Achilles Tendonitis - Causes and Treatment

It's fall, which means XC and running are in the air and many of our young athletes are excited for longer, cooler runs. With extra mileage, however, comes additional potential for overuse injuries if athletes don't listen to their bodies.

Calf and Achilles tightness is something we often see in young athletes - oftentimes it's a brief phase that we can leave behind with some targeted stretching and rest, but if ignored it can develop into worse problems. Below is a basic introduction (originally shared by our awesome sponsor Reagan ChiroSport) to some of the causes and treatments for the condition - it will also give some insight into why we instruct our athletes in the run form that we do!

"How to Beat Achilles Tendonitis"

 Remember - if your child ever talks to you about calf tightness/soreness, pain in the back of the ankle, or heel pain, always make sure to discuss it with their coach. The longer an athlete waits to address the situation, the longer recovery will likely take.

Have a great first day of October!

Coach Morgan

"Better Athletes, Better People" and Why We Love the Positive Coaching Alliance

Parents, we try a lot of different techniques to teach our young athletes how to be process-oriented, team-focused, happy, long-term athletes. Much of what we do comes from or is inspired by resources from the Positive Coaching Alliance. This is a non-profit dedicated to developing "Better Athletes, Better People." Awesome, right?

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about the importance of understanding your own motivation for having your child in youth sport, and I think PCA has the right idea about sport's greatest value for young athletes.

I encourage you to check out their resources for parents and athletes, and gain a better understanding of our goals for our young triathletes!

Positive Coaching Alliance

Have a great Monday!

Coach Morgan

What is Fascia and Why is it Important?

Time for a science lesson! Chances are you've probably heard of an athlete having some form of faciitis (plantar faciitis is one of the most common forms), or maybe heard coaches or doctors talk about foam rolling as a way to release fascial adhesions. In general when we talk about potential problem areas for young athletes, we tend to look towards tendons, muscles, ligaments and bones. The truth, however, is usually more complicated, and one often over-looked area that can potentially cause problems in all of the above is fascia.

So what is fascia, and why is it important to young athletes? Read the following article to learn more about this important tissue and how your athlete can keep it functioning properly!

"Fascia - What the Heck is it?"

Interested in some good ways to perform fascial release? Reagan ChiroSport, our team partner, has doctors certified in Active Release Therapy, and they work with young athletes on a regular basis. I recommend you check out their website for more information, or to make an appointment if your athlete ever experiences pain that could potentially be related to their sports activity. We also sell TriggerPoint products at all our Playtri Stores, which can be great additions to fascial treatment and maintenance routines.

Happy Wednesday, and remember to keep your fascia feeling good!

Coach Morgan

Why I Want Your Kid in Altras

A lot of parents have heard recently that we are bringing a big run of Altra shoes into the Playtri McKinney Store (they are here, by the way!) including a run of youth sizes.

It is extremely rare that I get behind a specific brand for any product in the endurance industry. In general, I find that all the brands have pros and cons, and some are better than others for individual athletes. When parents in the past have asked me what kind of running shoes they should get for their child, without fail I had said to get something "neutral with moderate cushioning." Recently, though, I've started saying "Altras."

Here's why.

The Altra brings together two HUGE advantages for young and developing athletes - a "no drop" heel and a wide toe box. You can see their description of these two features here.

Why do these features matter? In short, the no drop heel allows the calf and achilles tendon to develop and lengthen the way they are intended, instead of being shortened by heel lift, which constantly prevents them from stretching to their full length during exercise. The wide toe box, instead of cramping toes together and affecting proper foot development allow the toes to spread naturally. The result of both these features is that the athlete's foot is allowed to develop and strengthen naturally.  The other thing that makes the Altras unique is that, while oftentimes both of these features can be found in "minimalist" shoes with little to no cushioning (which isn't always ideal for athletes running on paved surfaces), the Altras incorporate a range of cushioning options so that young feet don't get quite so beat down during road runs.

Essentially, these shoes bring together every feature that I look for in a quality run shoe, along with fun colors and designs that will get the kid in all of us excited.

Want to learn more? Visit the Altra Website for a wealth of further information on the design behind the shoe, or come in and try a pair on the next time you're at the Playtri Store!

Happy running,

Coach Morgan

ITU Junior World Championships - September 17th!

Parents,

Don't miss the opportunity to follow the top junior triathletes in the world TOMORROW, Thursday, September 17th at the 2015 ITU Junior World Championships. The USA has multiple athletes in contention for podium spots, particularly Tamara Gorman and Taylor Knibb in the women's race.

Meet the Athletes - learn about the top contenders, view start lists, and get event details.

Follow USAT Juniors on Twitter - receive real-time race updates from USAT's High Performance Team manager, Steve Kelley.

View the World Championships Promo Video

I encourage parents to share these resources with their young triathletes, and engage them in what the top juniors in their sport are doing! This promises to be an exciting race for the podium, and I hope it will inspire our young men and women to continue challenging themselves in the sport.

Happy Wednesday!

Coach Morgan

"Training with Data" - High School and Beyond

As athletes age past the Initiation Stage (ages 10 and under) and into the Athletic Formation and Specialization Stages (up through age 19), the goal generally becomes to create a more periodized training program for the individual or group. Periodization is the art of dividing training load into manageable segments in order to be more effective with the time the athlete is investing. This sounds like a nice, clean concept, and it is - however, like most things, it can get very messy in real life. Athletes get sick, have parties and dances, have to study for big tests, miss practices, don't recover as quickly as expected, and generally have interruptions throughout the course of their training.

Data would be less important if we could guarantee that athletes would be able to do every workout exactly as assigned every time. Unfortunately, this is not the case. So the real art of coaching isn't providing the perfect workout, but constantly evaluating athlete performance and adjusting the plan.

The following article is a nice introduction to the use of data and metrics beginning at the high school level, and how and why coaches are using these tools with younger athletes:

Training with Data at the High School, College, and Professional Level

Do you see this being enjoyable for your athlete as he or she ages? We can see again why it is so important to "love the process," since providing this information every day could get tedious otherwise! However, it is essential to success for athletes wishing to be competitive beyond a local level. When athletes provide data, it allows me as a coach to understand how they are progressing, and whether or not we need to adjust our training approach.

Without data, every race is a surprise, and at a certain level athletes want to KNOW what they are capable of. How can you help your athlete track and provide data to help ensure his or her progress in the sport?

Hoping everyone has a wonderful Tuesday.

Coach Morgan

What is the Purpose of Youth Sports? ...And Other Questions to Ponder

As we near the triathlon off-season and get out of the whirlwind of racing and travel, it's a good time to look back on the past year, and ask questions about sport participation and why we do what we do in youth sport. In the thick of the season, it's easy to get wrapped up in the competition, but we still have to take time to think about the "why."

I think one of the most important questions parents and athletes have to ask is whether the program they are with is helping them meet their goals for their child in the sport, and if that program has the capacity to continue to meet those goals long-term. However, to answer that question, families really have to take a step back and reflect a bit on deeper motivational questions about WHY they are involved in youth sports to begin with, and what kind of program best suits their young athlete.

I stumbled upon this piece written by Kirk Hanson and Matt Savage of Santa Clara University recently, and it asks some thought-provoking questions that I think youth sport families should be regularly re-evaluating for themselves. I hope this can act as a conversation starter for youth triathlon families as they consider their seasons, and the coming year.

Ethics in Youth Sports - Hanson, Savage

Have a great Monday.

Coach Morgan

Do You Know the Rules?

At the end of a pre-race "intro-to-tri" clinic for a large local kids triathlon yesterday, I had a mom ask me "So what do people do if they haven't come to this clinic? How do they know the rules? I had NO IDEA about any of these!"

This is indicative of a larger problem we have in this sport that comes from youth races being open to any and all athletes regardless of experience, coaching, or team affiliation. Please, do NOT think I am saying we should make the sport less inclusive - actually, I wish we would make the sport MORE inclusive. When I say more inclusive, I mean that if we are going to open USAT sanctioned events up to all athletes, I think we need to take responsibility for properly educating them and their families on the rules of the sport to ensure a safe and fair experience for ALL athletes racing.

For those reading, take a moment to review the USAT rules, particularly those for youth athletes - even experienced tri families might learn something new!

USA Triathlon Rulebook

Remember, it is our job to ensure our athletes know the rules, and understand why it is important to follow them, because we honor our sport. Have a wonderful Sunday.

Coach Morgan

What's it Like Inside an ITU World Triathlon Series Race?

For those who don't know, I'm a big Eric Lagerstrom fan - if for no other reason that that his efforts in video and data sharing give regular mortals and aspiring elites the opportunity to get "inside" elite races, and develop a better understanding of the efforts and strategies being enacted.

Share this with your aspiring young triathlete so they can have an inside glimpse of the "big show!"

Eric Lagerstrom - Stockholm WTS 2015

Happy Labor Day!

Coach Morgan

"The Power of Presence" - Keeping Our Kids Present

Parents,

I think we all know that feeling when we're watching a kid play sports and it is clear that they don't have a thought or worry in the world other than pursuing the competition out of sheer enjoyment. A lot of us probably wish we still experienced sport that way - and hopefully some of us still do. It's something I try to actively pursue in my own training.

What is happening during that journey from childhood to adulthood that is causing us to lose that joy, that "power of presence" in our competition? As a coach, I see more and more pressure being placed on youth athletes as they age - to place better, get a scholarship, etc. (I maintain that most of this pressure is unintentional, and can come from a wide range of sources, not just parents).

The problem is that the success they find has to be from a focus on the process, not on the outcome. This is a key tenet of sports psychology. A focus only on the outcome will eventually lead to one thing - burnout. For this reason, I spend a lot of time, especially with teenage athletes, brainstorming ways to keep that presence in their training and racing.

I encourage all of our parents to read the following article, and think about how we can help our athletes maintain their joy of sport, and therefore their presence, especially in competition.

The Power of Presence - Jasper Blake, Training Peaks

Wishing you a wonderful Sunday,

Coach Morgan

Welcome to the Team Playtri Coach's Blog!

Parents and athletes,

I've added this new page to our website as a means of sharing tips, articles and other resources for parent/athlete education with you as we find and develop them. The posts will not be long (though the articles may be!), and the goal is to keep everyone engaged in the positive culture of our programs!

Check out our first suggested read:

Six Tips for Swim Parents About Letting Our Kids Take Ownership

Have a great Friday!