Gisborne grassroots triathlon coach John Scott on developing young athletes for elite competition.

There's something about the volunteer coach who spends many hours each week developing kids into athletes and then, when they start succeeding, hands them over to the next level of coach, only to start again with new kids.

It's the unselfish attitude of someone who loves to nurture the grassroots. Before emigrating in 2009, Englishman John Scott taught UK military pilots how to fly helicopters, and coached a number of UK athletes to European and world age group championship events.

On "retiring" to Gisborne in 2009, he set to work training young triathletes with the aim of sending some on to eventual world-class success. John, backed by Sport Gisborne, was instrumental in reviving the long-defunct Eastland Triathlon and Multi Sport Club in 2009.

He's now club chair, and still competes at nearly 70. Every day except Saturday, John works with local school kids aged ten and up, and at local schools he trains those as young as seven. He's happy to describe himself as a grassroots coach.

John has no problems handing his developing charges on to a coach who will take them, perhaps, to elite level. Tayler Reid is a good example. John coached Tayler to third place in the Contact National Schools U19 boys, and the Jack Ralston Memorial trophy. Tayler's now with a professional coach.

"I get a big kick out of grassroots and development where other coaches prefer to do high performance coaching. I'm happy feeding a professional coach my product at any time."

Coaching the kids

John says children are ideally suited to triathlon, with its reputation as a great leveler. "You might have someone who's outstanding at swimming but maybe not so good at cycling, so even someone who isn't the strongest sporting child can have fun doing it. I suppose that's the basis of my coaching philosophy - making it fun."

He spends two afternoons a week with Ilminster Intermediate Students, coaching various disciplines within Triathlon, Multisport and Duathlon. To keep it fun, John sometimes abandons formal training routines and sends the kids out for a sack race or a game of tag.

He's keen to expose them to competition too and with that aim, will cart as many as he can manage to Taupo in August for the schools national duathlon championships, so that they can measure just how good they are. He's been impressed by Gisborne children's fitness compared that of UK kids.

Moving them up

As the competitive level rises, John accepts coachable, ambitious young athletes into his Triathlon Regional Youth Academy. Here he teaches the broader aspects of the sport, such as nutrition, mental toughness, flexibility and training patterns.

"In the main they're going to be at their peak when they're 23, so we're talking about a ten-year programme. What we're looking for is that ten-year progression, not short-term stardom." Some fall away from the sport while others may compete just recreationally. The determined ones set out for the long haul.

Going mobile

John's mission to grow the grassroots is now a mobile one, with a newly sponsored trailer showing up at local schools, stacked with road bikes, shoes and helmets.

He describes Sport Gisborne's support as amazing and is also thankful for the support of Triathlon New Zealand.