Five Questions with NCAA Triathlon Head Coach David Winton
Drury University women's triathlon head coach David Walton discusses his approach to coaching NCAA triathlon and how ...
NCAA Triathlon for Coaches
The NCAA allows for two coaches and one volunteer coach per discipline for women’s triathlon, although actual staffing will be determined by each institution. There are not currently any NCAA-specific coaching certifications to be a collegiate coach. USA Triathlon has created educational materials with pertinent information and may be accessed by contacting Tim Yount at tim.yount@usatriathlon.org.
Note: NCAA Women’s Triathlon follows all NCAA legislation regarding in-season and out-of-season and protocols from NCAA Bylaw 17. Work with an institution’s compliance department to navigate these restrictions before offering assistance to student-athletes.
Recruiting Tips From NCAA Coaches #
Rules about coaching in NCAA and other clubs#
Per NCAA bylaws, NCAA triathlon coaches may be limited in the types of additional coaching opportunities they may pursue.
Per a September 4, 2013, educational column, an institutional coaching staff member coaching a club team of current student-athletes (SA) is contrary to 17.02.12 and therefore is not permissible.
Specifically, NCAA playing and practice session legislation (Bylaw 17) does not preclude a coach from attending or observing organized competition involving enrolled students and/or student-athletes, provided the coach does not direct or supervise the organized activity. However, a coach is not permitted to observe enrolled students or student-athletes in nonorganized sport-specific competition (e.g., "pick-up" basketball games) outside the playing season.
An institutional coaching staff member may be involved with an outside team that includes students and/or student-athletes from other four-year institutions. However, if the coach's institution has received permission to contact a particular student-athlete, then it is not permissible for the coach to be involved with an outside team that includes that student-athlete because NCAA recruiting rules begin to apply once the institution receives permission to contact per Bylaw 13.1.1.3
An institution’s coaching staff member could only coach a club team that includes prospective student-athletes (see Bylaw 13.02.12) if the local sports club legislation (Bylaw 13.11.2.4) is satisfied.
While there isn’t a “recruiting age”, Bylaw 13.02.12 defines a prospective student-athlete (PSA) for the purposes of NCAA legislation. An institution’s coaching staff member is not precluded from coaching a club team made of adults and/or non-PSAs.
NCAA Season Results#
Interested in Bringing Triathlon to a Particular Institution? #
USA Triathlon can provide information and resources to any coach or institution considering an NCAA women's triathlon program. Contact Tim Yount at tim.yount@usatriathlon.org for more details.