Posted In: Blog Discussion
Coaches education is one of my passions. I love it both for my own ongoing professional development and giving back to the sport I love. I just finished up my first coaches education talks of 2009. I went down to Orlando to do a Level 1 school on the campus of UCF. The school was awesome. Personally, I think I was a little too sleep-deprived to be on my “A game” but the combination of
ELITETRACK Founder
Mike is the level 2 in Colorado Springs or Boulder?
If anyone is thinking about going definitely do! I did this after my sophomore year and it helped me a lot just as an athlete to better understand or at times confuse me more about the logic behind some things my coaches would do. I struggle sitting in college classes for 50 mins but had no problems sitting all day through these classes. Great way to learn and network. I got my Level 1 at the same location they do Level 2 and felt like it might have brought in the best group of instructors, so I recommend if your near Colorado that be the one you go to.
The level 2 schools I have gone to have been eye openers to say the least for me. If you don’t know anyone else going you will be fine as well. Both times I didn’t know a soul but you are in the same boat as most. It is my favorite time of year and I can’t wait for next year. I think my girlfriend booked our wedding on that same week this year on purpose, I swear.
Mike is the level 2 in Colorado Springs or Boulder?
Yep. They’ll have both Level 1 & 2 there.
If anyone is thinking about going definitely do! I did this after my sophomore year and it helped me a lot just as an athlete to better understand or at times confuse me more about the logic behind some things my coaches would do. I struggle sitting in college classes for 50 mins but had no problems sitting all day through these classes. Great way to learn and network. I got my Level 1 at the same location they do Level 2 and felt like it might have brought in the best group of instructors, so I recommend if your near Colorado that be the one you go to.
This is definitely true. If you want to take level 1 with the ‘all-star’ instructors then you’ve got to take it at the one where level 2 is hosted.
ELITETRACK Founder
Tell me how you got your level II done when you where in college yet I have been coaching now for 3 years and have been rejected 2 years straight for not having enough experience???
What exactly is the selection criteria because this process has disgusted me to the point that I didn’t even apply this year.
The level 2 schools I have gone to have been eye openers to say the least for me. If you don’t know anyone else going you will be fine as well. Both times I didn’t know a soul but you are in the same boat as most. It is my favorite time of year and I can’t wait for next year. I think my girlfriend booked our wedding on that same week this year on purpose, I swear.
That’s funny. My wife did the same. In fact, the very first year I was supposed to teach at a Level 2 is the date my wife scheduled our wedding so I not only had to miss the school but wait an additional year to get back to that week where you’re surrounded by hundreds of fellow track lovers.
ELITETRACK Founder
Tell me how you got your level II done when you where in college yet I have been coaching now for 3 years and have been rejected 2 years straight for not having enough experience???
There’s definitely a ‘first come first served’ aspect to it and the schools fill up fairly quickly. I believe they’re capped at 200-250 depending on facilities, event group distributions, etc. Technically, you shouldn’t be able to go through Level 2 unless you’re a coach (i.e. not in school) but it does occasionally happen based off special recommendations.
What exactly is the selection criteria because this process has disgusted me to the point that I didn’t even apply this year.
Did they tell you it was lack of experience? I’m not sure there’s an exact algorithm for it but experience, references, background, and even the essay you have to right all come in to play.
ELITETRACK Founder
It’s not exactly an algorithm like colleges use. Sorry to hear you’ve run in to such probs. It normally isn’t that way.
ELITETRACK Founder
I had the pleasure of being a student at this orlando class Mike was teaching at.
I now wish I would have taken more time to talk to you Mike individually but you were usually mobbed by others lol.
The class was a big help for me in helping to understand why certain things are done and I definitely recommend it to anyone wishing to coach or just be an athlete in this sport.
Tell me how you got your level II done when you where in college yet I have been coaching now for 3 years and have been rejected 2 years straight for not having enough experience???
What exactly is the selection criteria because this process has disgusted me to the point that I didn’t even apply this year.
Hey were you referring to me? I got my level 1 during the same week as the level 2; I think I am just now old enough to even apply for level 2. Hah but i should get accepted anyway for the amount of coaching I did with my teammates over the last few years.
I am touching up my app. for the level 2 and sending it off soon, hope I get in.
I had some trouble getting in at first, but I was happy to have more knowledge and a more extensive background going in. You will see what I mean, there are some that will get it, others in your group that just want to get out of there, and some that leave there struggling.
I left there with about an 80-85% retention rate and visited one of the instructors about 6 months later to really sure up some things. I think our presentation was ok at the time, I remember having our pole vaulter taking like 10-15 jumps in a session, which we found out was “too many.”
On a whole, this was one of my best seasons thus far, and I used what I learned in the jumps across the board. I am headed back for the sprints, so if anyone wants to split a cab or venture the public transportation system, I could use a buddy, haha.
Group is full, I’ll have to catch next years.
I can remember when I first realized and decided I wanted this to be my life’s work (coaching track and field), speaking to my mentor and asking him what kind’s of classes to take (I was still in undergrad at the time), books to read, etc., and without skipping a beat (or even letting me finish my sentence!) he said, “USATF Coaches Education. If I could point you in any one direction along those lines that’s it. I went to it in it’s early stages and it was one of the most terrifying (he was younger than I was at the time and his mentor helped gain him admittance) and rewarding experiences of my life.”
I went through Level I education just a couple months later and haven’t looked back. It’s now become as with many that attend one of my favorite times of the year (Level II), along with the first week of official practice in the fall, conference championship week, and the NBA Finals 🙂
Go in with an open mind and more importantly KEEP IT. I’ve seen numerous attendees, even admittedly myself for a split second, revert back to what they did, and/or do which completely contradicts information provided only hours earlier.
Really looking forward to heading back in July and soaking up more and sharing as well.
PS – Chadd, I haven’t booked my ticket yet, when are you getting in? haha.
” date=”1243413683″][quote author="J-GO" date="1243385132"]Group is full, I’ll have to catch next years.
Why don’t you see if you can get into combined events? No sense in missing a year especially since you may end up taking combined events at some point in life anyway.[/quote]
Good call, thanks. I will no doubt need that course eventually, I’ll learn what I can in the order I can get into it.
The level IIs that I have done (endurance and jumps) have helped my coaching a ton. Anybody who can make it will definitely get their money’s worth. I would have loved to do sprints this year but it is the same week as our NC Coaching Clinic. Should get some good sprint stuff there though. Gary Winckler is one of the presenters at our NC clinic.
