Coach Rachel Casanta attended USA Triathlon's Youth & Junior Certification Coaching Clinic in San Diego, CA on August 10th and 11th.  Coach Rachel is a professional triathlete and full time coach who holds a Level II USA Triathlon coaching certification, as well as a Level II USA Cycling and Level I USA Track & Field certifications.   

Held in conjunction with the 2011 USA Triathlon Youth & Junior National Championships, the USAT coaching clinic is intended to educate current USAT certified coaches on how to train youth and junior athletes safely and effectively throughout their developmental stages.  The clinic provided coaches with specialized youth and junior coaching skills and drills, age appropriate training regimes and testing protocols, physiological and nutritional considerations, and basic training techniques to develop successful youth and junior athletes.

Among the lecture topics at the clinic:

Physiology of Training for the Youth & Junior Athlete
Youth & Junior Specific Training Regimes    
Benchmark Testing and Performance Standards
Managing & Marketing a Youth & Junior Team
Elite Athlete Development Pathways
Resistance Training & Injury Prevention    
Swimming Skills & Development
Cycling Skills & Development
Running Skills & Development
Nutritional Strategies for Youth & Juniors
Dynamics of Coaching Youth & Juniors
Overtraining & Under Recovery

Presenters at the clinic included Bobby McGee, Bob Seebohar and Ian Murray as well as USA Triathlon's Steve Kelley and Angie Murphy.

Coach Rachel Casanta earned the USA Triathlon Youth & Junior Coaching Certification by attending the two day coaching clinic and successfully passing the comprehensive certification exam.  Currently Coach Rachel is working on plans to launch youth and junior specific triathlon programs in 2012 including a junior triathlon team based in Ventura County. If you or your child is interested, please Rachel to be included in youth/junior specific communications.