Rounding out our Coaches of the Month is Head Coach Kevin. When Kevin became a certified triathlon coach in 2006 he saw a need to help individuals getting into the sport and also for those looking to take their skills to the next level. Triathlon popularity was growing and the sport was quickly evolving. Kevin wanted to help individuals with their goals, but T3 has always been more than just about workouts & goals. T3 is special - not only to Kevin, but the hundreds of individuals who have been/are a part of it. Coach Kevin chose "T3" as a name symbolizing the 19th hole of golf (the social aspect afterwards - forming relationships/friendships). In triathlon, there is a T1 (transition 1) and T2... and the name T3 was about the amazing environment after races and chatting with your fellow participants/spectators. In the years to come T3 would continue to grow, both in numbers and excitement to where it is today. An amazing collection of athletes, coaches, family, and friends. In addition, Kevin is at the forefront of innovative workouts, advances in the sport, and a positive spokesperson for the integrity of the sport. Coach Kevin is often tagging #T3Proud & #ProudCoach to members of the T3 Community - showing his pride in what T3 has become.

A:   Kevin Crossman, Fort Edward, NY

A:   Physical Education Teacher, Owner & Head Coach of T3 Coaching, Varsity Swim Coach

A:   2005 I became very active in triathlon and have continued this awesome journey since.

A:   All-American in Swimming (DIII), Qualifying for & racing in the Best of the US Triathlon, and Qualifying for Kona @ Eagleman

A:   2005 was my first year of coaching triathletes. In 2006, T3 Coaching was officially established.

A:   Yes, swimming mostly - but I truly love coaching any sport! I have a passion for athletics in general.

A:   I have always been attracted to the challenges of coaching, and the process of moving individuals and teams through these journeys. There are so many rewards in this process, and coaching principles and biomechanics are always evolving. This evolution makes it fun!

A:   Building relationships! Learning about your athlete(s) and their surroundings is so important. Make their journey individual. I like to challenge them, but really keep perspective of balance.

A:   I have been fortunate to be a part of a lot of amazing accomplishments. But two things really stand out to me… 1) Athletes I have coached that are now coaches themselves, both in T3 Coaching and in swimming. To see these individuals thrive in the same arena as me is rewarding and moving! 2) I am very proud of what T3 has evolved into. What started as individual coaching has become that and SO MUCH MORE! There is a team component that I envisioned years ago and wrote about… and to now see where it is, is simply amazing. Lifelong friendships, teamwork, bonding events, cheering on sidelines, kids playing together - I could go on and on, but all these moments give me a great sense of pride.

A:   I’ll never forget an individual who once did the bike leg forgetting to take off their swim cap… only later to say “I wondered why I was so hot” ?

A:   Hands down, the relationships that are formed. This is way more important to me than the outcomes of results.

A:  What started with the intent of individualized coaching has grown into much more of a community. The support both inside & outside of triathlon has been remarkable. Seeing lifelong friendships formed, laughter around each other, and so many more experiences truly is remarkable and something I didn’t envision when I first started.

A:   Triathlon is a beautiful sport. I absolutely love it! However, I have also been in it long enough to see the good & bad triathlon training can bring. My best advice would be to sit down and have a conversation with an experienced coach to make the journey rewarding prior to starting.

A:   Change your mindset on what you consider an “accomplishment”. Often triathletes need certain distances or time benchmarks (usually longer or more) to feel accomplished. I really like small tasks/goals to help improve mood and long term outcomes.

A:   I love being creative with workouts, so I don’t necessarily have a favorite, I enjoy writing workouts I know will challenge and improve an athlete’s overall athleticism beyond just swim/bike/run.

A:   Probably not - and I have come up with some really great workouts that impressed myself (haha). I actually tend to say to myself… “this would be fun!”

A:   My family - having always been an integral part of it. Secondly, the people that have ever been associated with T3.

A:   I have found triathlon to be an amazing community. I encourage all to work hard to keep it that way. This includes being friendly, welcoming, following rules of the road, sharing lanes, playing clean, and so much more. We are all stakeholders in this endeavor.