**This is a policy that goes into effect for the recertification in June of 2025**
General Introduction
The following policy focuses the USA Triathlon coaching community on personal growth and professional development. The purpose of the Education Department is to drive innovation in sport education through investment in our resources and thru collaboration with our coaching community.
Please Review the Following:
- Categories of CEUs
- Application Process to be a CEU Provider
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Continuing Education Units (CEU) are authentic learning activities under direction of the USA Triathlon education department and personnel. These learning activities are designed to ensure USA Triathlon Certified Coaches keep their knowledge of industry trends, technology, and triathlon regulations relevant. CEUs are crucial for professional coaches to stay up to date with the most relevant triathlon coaching education as well as ensure each coach is well-rounded.
Continuing education does NOT include the daily activities of a coach or while performing the daily duties of another profession such as attending training, leading training rides, meeting with athletes, creating courses, coaching in a daily training environment, running or coaching at a camp or clinic, teaching, etc.
All USA Triathlon Certified Coaches are required to earn a minimum of 12 USAT CEUs to maintain their professional coach certification during each 2-year cycle, 8 of which must be USAT CEUs. The remaining 4 CEUs may also be USAT CEUs, or they can be Adjunct CEUs or Institutional CEUs.
It is the responsibility of each certified coach to maintain a record of all documentation for completed CEUs.
Three Categories of CEUs
- USAT CEUs – These educational opportunities are provided directly under direction of the USA Triathlon education department and personnel. A minimum of 8 CEUs must come from this category. However, a coach can get 12 or more CEUs from this category is they so choose.
- Adjunct CEUs – These educational opportunities are pre-approved courses provided by a USA Triathlon Level II or higher coach in good standing. These courses allow coaches to earn a predetermined number of Adjunct CEUs (see below for more information).
- Institutional CEUs - These educational opportunities are courses held by outside organizations. The number of CEUs awarded will be evaluated by the USAT Education staff (see below for more information).
Adjunct CEU Provider for USA Triathlon
The purpose of the Adjunct CEU Provider for USA Triathlon Program is to make additional educational opportunities available to USAT Certified Coaches. While USAT does offer its own educational opportunities, it is understood that these opportunities may not meet the preferences of all USAT Certified Coaches. Therefore, USAT offers external organizations that provide quality education the opportunity to provide Adjunct CEUs for the completion of their course.
Benefits of becoming an Adjunct CEU for USA Triathlon Provider include:
- Increased visibility to a wide range of professional triathlon coaches.
- Getting your course USAT Adjunct CEU approved signifies that your course meets USA Triathlon’s standards for continuing education.
- After review, your course will be awarded a specific number of CEUs that can be used to promote your educational offering.
- USAT will promote your course by listing it on our website and grant the use of the USAT CEU logo in advertisements, promotions, and other marketing materials.
- Examples or this type of CEU include asynchronous virtual, synchronous virtual, or in-person courses that are authentic educational opportunities relevant to the sport of triathlon.
- Provider requirements are as follows:
- A course curriculum including course title, course type, hours of instruction, learning objectives, units and topics of instruction, methods of instruction, and assessment techniques.
- All coaches who will be providing instruction as part of the course must be a Certified Level II, or higher, USA Triathlon Coach in good standing.
- A coaching resume must be submitted for all coaches who will be providing instruction as part of the course.
USAT reserves the right to approve or deny CEUs for any reason at any time. Providers are prohibited from promoting USAT Adjunct CEU approval for their course(s) until an approval notification from USAT has been received.
Institutional CEUs
Institutional CEU value is based upon relevancy to triathlon coaching and is assigned by USA Triathlon, not by what another organization assigns. Continuing education does NOT include the daily activities of a coach such as attending training, leading training rides, meeting with athletes, etc. Coaches are responsible for tracking their CEUs, getting courses accepted for Institutional CEUs, and recording CEUs in their recertification application. USA Triathlon reserves the right to assign or deny a CEU value to institutional educational activities.
USA Triathlon Education is focused on the collaborative effort to bring relevant and critical education opportunities to USA Triathlon Coaches, Athletes, and Race Directors. We seek out organizations that we know will make our coaches stronger. If you have an organization that you recommend, please reach out to USAT staff directly (coaching@usatriathlon.org) so we can connect with them. This includes:
- Relevant university level education courses.
- Sport science organizations/certifications.
- Relevant providers of nutrition and mental health courses.