FEATURES

These Kids Are Golden....

Thursday, 16 January 2014 00:10

By Coach Kris

The 2014 Optum Minnesota Junior Elite Team (MJET) would like to announce and congratulate the athletes of this year’s Gold Team.  After a selective tryout process, the following four boys and four girls were selected;

·      Trisha Bachmeier (photo below L wearing Penn kit)

·      Jane Koch (photo R)

·      Kayla Kjellman (photo L)

·      Kristina Swenson (photo below R - wearing glasses)

·      Phil English (photo below R - bike shorts)

·      Daniel Felt

·      Andy Hardt (photo below R with a girl)

·      Jake Hiniker ...

Team History           

The Minnesota Junior Elite Triathlon Team (MJET) was formed by Kris Swarthout and John Shelp in 2007.  Since the team’s inception, it has carried a main title sponsor.  From 2007 to 2009, this was Batteries Plus.  Now the team is sponsored Optum.  In 2010 the team’s format merged the previously separate youth and junior elements into one large team with three sub teams based on age and ability.  The team annually has an estimated 30 athletes, ages 9-25.  MJET athletes race both locally in the Midwest and nationally.  Athletes compete in both non-draft legal and ITU draft legal races.  Our athletes are competitive in every race, recording numerous wins and top 5 placements.  The MJET program is a USA Triathlon High Performance Team and is recognized as a leader in the development of young triathletes.  This team is a first of its kind in the nation and it is our hope that its success will help promote the creation of similar programs in the future. 

Team Structure

The team consists of three levels: gold, silver and bronze. Open tryouts are held twice during the late fall/early winter. The top four male and four female athletes, ages 16-25, after tryouts are invited to be on the gold team. All other athletes, ages 16-25, are invited to participate on the silver team. The bronze team is open to all kids ages 9-15.

Team Mission

The mission of the Minnesota Junior Elite Team is based on these main principles;           

Provide:

·      Support, guidance and leadership to the athlete so they can achieve their goals in triathlon. 

·      A network of coaches, athletes and contacts to further the athlete and teams goals. 

Promote:

·      The sport of triathlon and the ideals it is rooted in. 

·      Sportsmanship, leadership and fair play.

Create:           

·      A program which will identify and foster young elite level talent.

·      A team atmosphere that is supportive and challenging.

Team Philosophy

Our emphasis is on age/ability appropriate training methods to develop young athletes with a focus on correct techniques and intensities in swimming, cycling and running.

MJET Level Description

Gold:

The Gold Team is chosen through a tryout process in the late fall to early winter months of each year.  The age requirements for the Gold Team are 16-25 years old according to USA Triathlon race age (your age as of  December 31^st of that year).  The tryout process consists of two tests; a 200/800 yard swim and a bike to run test.  Descriptions of these two tests can be found in the Performance Testing section of this handbook. 

All testing results are combined to determine the overall result of the athlete’s tryout.  The top four male and top four female athletes are chosen from this list and given invites to join the Gold Team for that year.  Gold Team athletes will be expected to compete at the highest levels and race in draft-legal format triathlon.  The coaching staff reserves the right to place less than four athletes of either gender onto the Gold Team based on tryout performance results.

Silver:

The Silver Team is an open team, available to all athletes USA Triathlon race age 16-25.  It is the design of the team that athletes learn and progress at the Silver Team level so they can become the next Gold Team members.  Silver Team athletes are encouraged to compete at the elite level, but not required. 

Bronze:

The Bronze Team is an open developmental team designed for kids with a USA Triathlon race age of 9-15.  The focus of the Bronze Team is technique instruction, development of skill, general fitness through activity and friendship building.  It is not the staff’s intent to train the Bronze Team like little adults.  The kids safety and physiological development are always taken into consideration.  It is the design of the Bronze Team to prepare kids to become members of the Silver and Gold Teams. 

Older Bronze Team athletes will be encouraged to explore the draft legal format of triathlon.  Appropriate distance triathlons will be recommended for the Bronze Team each season by the coaching staff.

Bronze Team athletes may have dynamically different skill levels.  During Bronze Team practices, sub-groups will be formed to accommodate these different levels.  Consideration will be given on a case by case basis for Bronze Team athletes who wish to train with the Silver or Gold team.  The final decision on where athletes are placed for practice will come from the teams head coach.

Kris Swarthout
Director of Events
Optum
6300 Olson Memorial Hwy.

Golden Valley, MN  55427
O:  (763) 797-4859

C:  (612) 396-3801
USA Triathlon Level 2 Coach
USA Triathlon Midwest Regional Chairperson

Team USA Head Coach

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