Deborah Beck

I attribute my success to the incredible community I work with every single day. This is not a job, it's a passion for all of us who coach.. Everyone I work with is different, all are very committed. It's a sport that connects people-triathletes truly care and support each other. It's a very tight-knit community, it's really amazing to be working with both athletes and coaches that are so inspiring. Having this great energy around me brings out the best and keeps me growing and improving as a coach

The best career advice I ever received came in my 20's. I was offered a gym management position in Singapore. but lacked the confidence to accept the job due to a combo of imposter syndrome and fear of failure. Lucky for me, my employer saw the potential and eagerness to learn over lack of experience. They supported me every step of the way, including not letting fear of failure guide my choices. I leaned how to take chances and make mistakes, which can be valuable learning experiences. Seeing the potential in others and investing in it, learning from attempts rather than allowing fear of failure limit opportunities for growth came out of this experience. I learned the best opportunities come when someone believes in you enough to take a chance, even when you doubt yourself. Look through this lens, help others.

If you're going to start in this field, you have to be passionate about it, not about money or social media likes. Because you do need to hustle., intrinsic motivation is high. Endurance coaching is a great space for women, we get paid the same and World Triathlon is the big governing body. They are very supportive of growing the sport for women, there's a lot of opportunity. I would suggest trying to mentor with a busy coach as soon as you can. Volunteer at races, volunteer to help other coaches, because it's a little hard to jump into this type of coaching. Especially virtual coaching - it takes time and AI will only get you so far. Find a mentor. You can also volunteer at your local Tri-Club. Follow your passion, not a paycheck. Be ready to work hard, but know the opportunities are vast, especially for women in this sport.

The biggest challenge is the severe lack of opportunities for women in sports coaching overall. There are very few avenues for women in coaching, even in women's sports. In the United States, male coaches are overwhelmingly hired over women, even for a women's sports team where there are better qualified women. There's no real path for a woman in sports, and this isn't really on anyone's radar, how poor the opportunities are. That's why I'm so passionate about triathlon - it's one of the only sports where women can actually coach. World Triathlon has very high standards for DEI and actively wants to have an equal amount of coaches that are female, male and people of color. Age is not a problem, experience is golden. Where else can you start a career in your late 50's, especially as a woman? In this sport, age is an asset, not a liability.

The values most important to me are equality, opportunity, and giving back. I'm deeply committed to creating pathways for women and others that need more representation. Triathlon is one of the few sports that truly values gender equality, paying women the same as men from the start and actively working toward diversity and inclusion. I believe in the power of community and supporting others, which is why so much of my work involves not-for-profit initiatives, from raising money for Team USA Triathlon and supporting cycling development in Kenya through the Safari Simbaz organization. I also value self-efficacy and personal growth - I love that triathlon grows self-confidence and challenges preconceived barriers . The incredibly supportive, tight-knit community genuinely celebrates the success of others, it's inspiring. The value of age and experience should be assets, not barriers - in this sport, you don't get aged out, and the older you are, the more valuable your expertise becomes.