In Pursuit of Excellence and Balance
“I guess your competitors are one massage ahead of you now,” said a coach to an athlete after electing to miss a physical therapy session.
“That could be the difference between first and second place right there, mate.”
Coaching could be described an art form and even a vocation. Whilst this skill can be taught, great coaches are borne out of starting at the bottom and working their way to the top of their field through years of trial and error, evolving their methodology and skill sets, and striving to constantly keep with up times while retaining their authenticity.
A delicate act of balance indeed and one that requires total focus and dedication to others. What then happens when a top athlete decides to enter the realm of sporting instruction after years of sole sporting focus?
Just over a year has passed since Kate Roberts made a transition. One could be excused for misinterpreting this statement given Roberts’ sporting background, where the changeover between the three disciplines is often considered a fourth component in itself. But this change was far more profound and life-defining, the twice Olympic representative and Commonwealth Games medallist elected to draw close her professional triathlon career in order to pursue a new vocation in coaching.
“Sport is no longer just about me anymore,” says Roberts of her new profession. “Being an athlete was all about me – how I felt; how I performed; how I would qualify for major competitions. Being a coach now is the complete opposite and is all about others, as my athletes.
“I threw myself in the deep end in 2015 and feel really fortunate to have weathered the challenge.”
Kate Roberts knows all about challenges. Self-funding two consecutive Olympic campaigns and returning from injury to gain Commonwealth Games selection and a team medal in 2014, it is perhaps a natural extension for Bloemfontein-native to think big and pour her soul into her new role. That said finding her feet and turning her back on her own sporting aspirations have not been exactly easy.
“I do miss racing and training,” she admits. “Having that sort of routine and structure was something I didn’t really think about too much as an athlete and was quite difficult to adapt. I couldn’t seem to find any routine or time to myself for the first six months but I feel that sacrifice was necessary in trying to become a better coach.”
Yearning for the past and keeping the competitive flame alive can be challenging for newly-retired elite athletes moving into the coaching ranks. Stories of coaches training with and even competing with their athletes do surface every now and then as well instances of the teacher or therapist being too tired from their own training to effectively guide their clients. This is something that Roberts is all too aware of and has been careful to not get caught up in, although the coming year could see a slight tweak in her daily structure.
“A coach cannot become complacent,” she says acknowledging that similar principles applied to her athletic career have come in handy on the “other side of the fence.”
“While I gave up so much when I was competing, I didn’t actually realise how much my coach sacrificed to get the best out of me. But I do intend on having a little more time to myself in 2016 and would really like to run a marathon towards the end of next year.”
Roberts’ successive Olympic campaigns were guided by Darren Smith, a wily Australian who knows a thing or two in getting the best out of his charges in the form of single minded dedication. Known for his attention to detail, the well-travelled Smith pioneered the now popular concept of an independent and international training squad where participating athletes are ensconced in a training camp environment for months on end. Such attachment to process doesn’t leave much time for anything else and Smith is no exception; solo bike rides in the early evening to achieve some sort of solitude after hours on deck or at the track are an occasional and much appreciated recess.
“I realise now how amazing Darren is,” explains Roberts of her former trainer. “Being a high performance coach is much harder than many would expect. While I continue to have great ambition, the reality is that a small squad does not necessarily make economic sense, especially here in South Africa.
“Ten to fifteen athletes are the absolute maximum number in order to achieve optimal personal attention and one has to weigh up the number of athletes versus the coaching quality. There were some sessions this year where I would arrive exhausted and mentally flat and feel I wasn’t involved enough. Thinking back to my days with Darren, he would ride along next to us during our running sessions observing, correcting and critiquing - amazing!”
So what sort of principles does Coach Roberts hold true to her own athletes, given her experiences as an athlete.
“Pure excellence,” she asserts although admitting that this notion, while essential, is difficult to apply.
“Developing a world class mentality can’t be achieved overnight; my youngsters don’t have the mental edge at the moment but that will come. More importantly, I want to instil a sense of “vasbyt” (read: tenacity) and sense of responsibility without becoming overbearing or unapproachable.
“Increasing their skills and doing all the small things right add up to what I’m striving for, be it making sure their bikes are clean and in great working order to simply washing their hands to stave off illness. Becoming a world-class athlete is much more than simply training.”
Roberts still sees a revival in the national sprint distance series as critical to this relentless pursuit of excellence, giving young athletes something to strive for on the road to the Olympics and beyond. She sees the Spur Schools Mountain Bike Series as a prime example of what happens when corporate sporting sponsorship is channelled correctly.
“Imagine that sort of concept in triathlon,” Roberts exclaims. “The next Richard Murray or Henri Schoeman could be right there under our noses and not have a platform to express their talent. I’m constantly revising my business plan in order attract funding.”
So with nurturing future talent primary focus and with Rio 2016 around the corner, does Roberts continue to follow the professional side of the sport as closely as before? Has she noticed a shift in her mindset? What are intentions for the coming year?
“You know it’s funny; I tend to follow more high performances coaches and sports scientists on Twitter these days than pro athletes! Sure, I still keep in check with the race results and general happenings in professional triathlon but not as fanatically as before.
“The mental and psychological aspect of elite sport continues to fascinate me and gaining more experience by shadowing some top coaches is on my “to do list.”
And finding that elusive thing called balance.
With 2015 having been a year of figuring things out, Roberts is sure to achieve this by effectively combining her new vocation with some quiet time. A healthy body means a healthy mind and having allowed the latter to recover from her previous life, the future looks bright in pursuit of the triangle of health.
After all, if it was easy then everybody would be doing it.
