Resources

Coaches & Clubs

While we have included tons of free and low-cost options for training, we advise joining a youth triathlon club. While we have included many do-it-yourself training options throughout this site, there is ultimately no substitution for the socialization and camaraderie that come with joining a team.

Please note that any coach you see on this page has agreed in advance to an open-door policy for newcomers, and will gladly provide any first-timer with a complimentary intro/orientation session if you mention this offer.

Alachua County Youth Triathlon Club – The ACYTC was founded in March 2023 by veteran triathletes who share a passion for getting the next generation involved in the sport. Volunteer coaches have been in the sport for several years with many having competed at the Ironman or Ironman 70.3 World Championships. The ACYTC welcomes kids of all abilities and backgrounds. No experience is required to join – just a love of swimming, biking, and running (and not even all three) and a positive attitude.

The ACTYC has quarterly skills clinics. and host two events featured in our race calendar.

Allways Triathlon Club (ATC) – Redington Beach, Florida. Coach Martin Wagner runs a variety of training programs aimed at both youth and adults. If you have ever been to the Swim Bike Run For Freedom Youth Triathlon in Palm Harbor, there’s a good chance you saw him leading a team of volunteers. In addition to the Palm Harbor YMCA, Martin’s runs both adult and youth programs at the Shanna and Bryan Glazer JCC in Tampa. You can find Allways Triathlon Club on Facebook.

Diamond Fitness – Tarpon Springs, FL. USAT certified Coach Celia Dubey has been coaching triathletes of all ages for 22 years. Coach Celia is also a 20 time All American triathlete with a world championship title, and 17 national championship titles. She coaches all levels from beginners to elite, division one collegiate athletes, & world champion age groupers. Coach Celia’s mission is help all her students reach their goals in a safe, effective, and enjoyable way.

Swim Like a Pro (SLAP) – Clermont, FL. Coach Sara McLarty is both a former professional triathlete and Gator swimmer. With the help of over ten assistant coaches , SLAP is able to offer a variety of youth and adult coaching services throughout Central Florida. SLAP also boasts the largest High Performance Squad in the state. A large number of SLAP practices occur at Waterfront Park and Lake Louisa State Park, while Coach Morgan Henson runs a satellite youth program in Oviedo. SLAP also has a fairly active Facebook Page.

Tri4Kidz – Youth Triathlon team centered in Key Biscayne. You can also find them on Facebook.

Parent Ambassadors

One of the best things parents can do to grow the sport of triathlon is to support other parents. Race days are stressful and it always helps to see a friendly face. We are lucky to have some parents who have offered to talk to you should you need assistance, have questions about a particular club, or maybe just want to meet up and ride bikes. If you see any of them at a race, please say hello. If you’d like us to put you in touch, please contact us.

Daniel Coimbra – SLAP

Daniel’s first passion was soccer, which he played in college and also later worked as a youth referee. These days, however, you’re more likely to find him riding a bike or running a 5k. Daniel and his wife Suzan both fell in love with triathlon when their children John and Daniela began the sport. Daniel is so passionate about triathlon that he was recently named an ambassador for the USA Triathlon Foundation.

Kids Road Bike Buying Guide 

First and foremost, you do not need to buy your child a road bike in order for them to participate, enjoy themselves, and benefit greatly form the sport of triathlon. If you’re reading this, and you’re on the fence as to whether your child’s bike is good enough for a youth triathlon, assuming that it has working brakes and air in the tires, it is. Its much easier to do your first triathlon on a bike you’re already comfortable with, and that means the best bike for your kid to start with is the bike they already have.

That said, much of this site is geared towards kids who want to pursue triathlon as a sport, and we have some advice for parents looking to purchase a road bike for their child. (If you’re looking for generalized advice on kids bikes, here are two helpful sites.)

When it comes to buying any bike for your child, fit should be the number one consideration. It is important to resist the urge to buy a bike that your child will ‘grow into.’ This is doubly so on a road bike. Road bikes are not known for their ease of maneuverability, even when appropriately fitted. Placing your child on an oversized road bike only compounds this, and can create a difficult and often unsafe learning curve. For that same reason, if/when you are looking to upgrade parts on an existing kids bike, the focus should be on parts that will improve bike fit (handlebars and cranks for example).

Beyond safety, placing your child on an appropriately sized bike will force them to learn aerodynamic riding positions and train the muscle groups that will make them a strong adult rider someday. Trying to stretch a child onto a larger frame bike will typically result in an upright (i.e. slower) riding position more akin to a mountain bike or cruiser. There will be some fit and/or bike control compromises if you’re trying to squeeze a 700c wheel on a frame smaller than 47cm. Thus, we recommend you opt for a smaller wheel for anyone below 5 feet tall.

Unfortunately, it is getting harder to find bikes which are a good fit for kids because of market forces. Bike companies are partially in the business of reselling components. Finances usually push companies to include only one wheel size (700c) in their product lines, and design xs or xxs frames around that size. This need to streamline components, combined with the ongoing exodus from road cycling to mountain biking, means that there are no longer any major companies that sell a “true” kid-sized road bike. However, there are a few companies that still sell cyclocross/gravel bikes sized specifically for kids, as follows:

BikesDirect (budget-level entry)

Frog

KHS

Salsa Journeyman 24

Even though new bikes are few, if you are patient, there are still plenty of good options floating around Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and the like. Please use the guides below, which lists the models you are most likely to see, broken down by stated wheel size, and has included pictures of each. Please note that many of these models ran for several years, and were not always specced exactly the same (some years were 9 speed instead of 8, etc.).

Because tires and tubes in these sizes are becoming less common, the guides include the actual wheel diameter of each. (It is generally a good idea to ensure you have a source for replacement tires/tubes before purchasing any bike.)

The majority of remaining kids road bikes will either be 24 inch, or 650c/26inch. Though every kids is different, the age range on 24 inch bikes is generally 8-10 years old and 10-12 years old (and possibly beyond) for 650c. Please note that 650c and 26 inch are not the same size, and that there are 3 different diameters that are regularly sold as 24 inch wheels. There are a few 20 inch road bikes available here and there for the under 8 crowd, but they are incredibly rare, relatively speaking.

For more information on wheel sizes, please see the following link).

Race Day Checklist

What types of stuff should you be prepared to bring for race day? Feel free to use the following checklist as a guide.

Other Links

Florida State Parks Pass – You will notice that many of the best places to swim and bike we have highlighted are  located in Florida State Parks. The State sells an annual pass for $120, which is good for admission for you and your family to all state parks for a year. If, you purchase one at the beginning of a month, it works out so that you get closer to 13 months of admission for that price.

USA Triathlon – The governing body for the sport of triathlon in the United States. You will need to purchase a youth membership in order to race most of the races that appear on our race calendar.