Anne Shawhan

and the creation of Fitbird Fitness The early August morning mist blanketed the pool as the suns rays crept over the huddle of
women sitting on the outdoor pool deck discussing their next move. They were a rather average bunch of middle-aged women with one similar goal ~ to complete an upcoming local mini-sprint triathlon catered specifically to women. The only problem was that they no longer had a place to train. They had been a part of an 8-week program at a local fitness center that no longer supported their off-site training sessions. With only weeks to go, and nowhere to train, they brainstormed with their coach options that would allow them to train outdoors. Soon it became evident that becoming independent from the facility and creating her own triathlon coaching business was the best answer. Never being one to delay in making a move, later that same afternoon papers were drafted and Fitbird Fitness was born. From that moment on, triathlon training in Baton Rouge, Louisiana took on a whole new meaning. For many athletes who desire triathlon coaching they find they must settle for online programs, books, or long-distance coaching (where a coach in another location is paid to write a training program based on the individuals goals and self-expressed abilities). Rarely does that coach interact in person and provide true coaching as is common in most sports. Communication is often limited to weekly or monthly emails or phone calls, and any additional interaction requires extra charges. Even if the individual is lucky enough to find a local coach, they often lack experience, knowledge, or the desire to do more than just write programs. This is where Fitbird Fitness, and Coach Anne Shawhan, differ from the norm. athletes, she is coaching as coaching was intended. Her style is a hands-on, no-nonsense combination of old school and new school coaching. She demands respect, punctuality, undivided attention and focus, and accountability to both daily training programs and goals. She has a thirst for knowledge and is willing to adapt her training style when a better approach or technique is discovered. She can be brutally honest with her athletes, and does not allow excuses to interfere with training or goal achievement. In this sense she leads by example, pushing through her own athletic injuries and rehab in stellar fashion and setting the bar high for her athletes to do the same. She has a keen insight into people in general and is able

Whether she is walking the pool deck, paddling her YOLO board, or cycling alongside her

to determine strengths and weaknesses after only a short time of observation. She uses these observational skills to determine not only her athletes abilities, but their source of motivation and their preferred style of communication.

solely on performance and not experience. To counter that claim, just ask any one of her Falcon Youth Triathletes that participated in her summer training camp. Theyd tell you it is just not true. The youth camp that Coach Shawhan developed was a perfect blend of work and fun. Obstacle courses, water balloons, adapted bicycles, and games were all a part of teaching these kids, including a division of physically challenged athletes, that swimming, biking, and running was not just a possibility, but was a guarantee. With the help of volunteers and staff she was able to coach children who had never even been able to float unassisted, to eventually swim unsupported. And she did it in a matter of weeks. The smiles on their faces as they crossed the finish line of the local Rocketkidz triathlon said it all. They had accomplished something that surprised not only their family members, friends, and medical staff, but surprised themselves as well. Her mantra? No limits, no boundaries.

One might be under the impression that her job is all work and no play. That her focus is

So just when you think youve managed to figure Coach Shawhan out, she shows another side of herself to you. Its the flip side from the intense, focused athlete personality that helped create her coach persona. This side is kind, gentle, compassionate, and encouraging. One of the most memorable moments I had with Coach Shawhan, states Janie Pearson, one of her original members, was during one of my first open water swim training sessions. I was a nervous wreck. I had severe open water anxiety, and panicked throughout the clinic. Anne was treading water next to me while she was instructing the other athletes on a drill. She could see that I was struggling and silently reached for my hand under water and held it to calm me down. She never said anything, but held eye contact with me, as if to reassure me. She didnt call me out and embarrass me, just quietly calmed me with her presence. It was such a simple gesture but yet it alleviated my anxiety immediately. She paused. I was probably the worst swimmer she had in her program, and initially I struggled to get across a 25-yard pool. It took months, years even, of repetition, but she patiently stuck with me and helped me conquer my severe phobia. Now not only can I manage my phobia, but I am about to take on my first Ironman distance triathlon. It would have never happened without Coach.

her creative programming, marketing ability, and her knowledge of the sport. Since Fitbird Fitness evolved, her ranks have gone from a handful of middle aged female first-timers to an overflowing rank of men and women of all ages and abilities. One of the attractions is the variety of training that she offers. She keeps it interesting and fun...and competitive. Whether it is a cycling session in the local velodrome, a nighttime run session on the top of the levee, or Thursday Night at The Races (a knock off of the Tour de France competition that includes points for Best Sprinter, King of the Mountain, and Stage Winner) there is always something to keep motivation for training up. She enhances her training sessions with educational clinics about Nutrition, Mental Training, and Run Technique to name a few. She is the most qualified swim coach in the city and uses this to keep her masters swim program full and her open water swim clinics popular. As Coach Shawhan walks up and down the pool deck directing her swimmers, her eyes bore into each individual to make sure her instructions are heard. She sees every roll of the eye when she announces the set and no mumbled comment goes unheard. She is able to stand firm with her leadership and commands the respect of her athletes. As tough as she can be, they also see the softer side that makes them want to please

One thing is obvious. Coach Shawhan is a magnet for local athletes, and a lot of that is due to

her and get the praise that only comes with their best performances, and work hard to not be the source of any of her disappointment. She is their Coach, but she is invested in them as individuals. She wants them to not only grow in their athletic ability but as people. Often you will hear her respond to an athletes question with a question. Coach, do you think Im cut out for this? Is my goal realistic? Her answer, What do you think? It doesnt matter what I think. She makes her athletes work with every simple question they pose to her, whether its Why am I so sore today? (Why are you so sore?) or Why do I feel so dehydrated? (Well, what did you eat and drink this week?). Its a pre-planned process of self-enlightenment that she puts forth for those who choose to grasp it. She sees the potential in each athlete, no matter their age, background, or ability, and cherishes the moments when they break through their perceived limitations and experience the journey that leads them to the success of their goals. She takes it personally when they struggle and her heart aches as much, if not more, than her athletes if they dont accomplish what they set out to do. of an excellent coach, but for some it is just in their nature to become one. Anne Blachford put in the time and had the raw talent to do both. Her abilities in recreational swimming as a young child in Brampton, Ontario, Canada quickly became noticed and she moved onto a competitive club team as an elementary aged child. Choosing to drop other recreational interests and focus solely on swimming paid off, and it wasnt long before she was competing in the Olympic trials at the age of 15. Having just missed a slot by 2/10s of a second, she refocused her efforts and was recruited to swim at Florida State University. During her four years at FSU she was a five-time AllAmerican Swimmer and then graduated with a degree in Sports Management. It was during this time that she developed an interest in triathlon and began competing in various distance races. After graduation, Anne moved to Beaverton, Oregon to intern at the Nike headquarters and learn the art of sports marketing. She was soon offered a job and absorbed the experience that only a mega company in sport merchandising can offer. Two years later her alma mater called her back to Florida as a Division I Assistant Swim Coach. It was here that she honed her natural coaching and recruiting ability and helped coach her swimmers to dozens of All-American titles and produced several Olympic qualifiers. Three years later she accepted a job at Louisiana State University as an Assistant Swim Coach and continued gaining the experience on deck and with her athletes that would later take her to start a successful coaching business.

It takes years to develop an elite athlete. It takes even longer to develop the skills

After marrying and starting a family, Anne Shawhan chose to expand her reach in the fitness world by entering into the local health club arena thus bringing her creative programing ideas to others. She quickly became one of the highest revenue generating trainers in the facility and her sport specific programs and spin classes were full to capacity. She began to offer spin classes that were designed to mimic true road bike training and incorporated off the bike runs to emphasize triathlon race conditions. She utilized her knowledge in strength and conditioning to create a unique class, Unleash Your Inner Athlete, that attracted those who were looking for performance improvement as well as strength and conditioning. This class incorporated the skills and drills used by world class athletes to improve their speed, agility, strength, and balance. During her time at the fitness center she continued her education and became certified as a Level One USAT Triathlon Coach, and later trained to work with youth and junior level athletes. Her personal enjoyment of the sport continued to grow as she completed several long distance triathlon events. When Coach Shawhan, as even her clients were now referring to her, made the decision to leave the fitness center, the majority of them followed her.

demonstrated is her ability to plan, organize, and implement weeklong triathlon training camps in a variety of locations for a variety of athletic abilities. Her skill in choreographing training camps was developed during her seven years as a Division I coach during which time she ran all aspects of the training camps. She is a master at juggling the logitstics of working with a variety of athletic abilities and has fine-tuned her camps so that all athletes are able to receive the direct coaching and support that they need, no matter their level of skill. Her camps are structured so that home cooked meals are available between training sessions and accomodations are coordinated in order to allow for convenient rest when needed. Workouts are adapted for individual athletes according to ability and need, and adequate support is available to make training comfortable. Whether its a beach resort location in Tampa, Florida, a long distance triathlon focused camp in Panama City Beach, or a local day camp for beginners in Baton Rouge, she offers something for everyone. The camps are non-stop, grueling and focused training sessions that include open water ocean swims, brick workouts, Yoga and Pilates classes, technique clinics, and cycling and run sessions...all interspersed with activities to build team dynamics, create a fun atmosphere, and build confidence. Her camps are well attended and new clients are highly encouraged by her regulars to attend because of their beneficial nature.

One of the many strengths Coach Shawhan has

Shawhan recognizes that not all of her clients are interested solely in triathlon. She also offers programs that focus on one particular discipline such as swimming or running, and has divisions for adventure racing and ultra-marathon relay teams for the more adventuresome athletes as well. She offers a multitude of services that include individual coaching sessions, video analysis, as well as group training. area that Coach Shawhan stresses highly with her athletes is that of volunteerism, whether it is in giving back to the community in general, or in giving back to the sport. It is not unusual to see a large flock of Fitbirds under their team tent handing out water to racers at local triathlons or marathons, being runbuddies for Girls On The Run events, guiding youth with transition setup at a RocketKidz race, or just supporting a cause with their time or money. Her athletes often assist her with many of her own clinics that are geared toward the training of beginner triathletes, in an attempt to embrace them into the triathlon community.

Coach

An

Coach Shawhan is not just a coach, but has built a diverse group of age-grouper and elite athletes into a true family, where she is the matriarch to some, a sister to others, and a friend to all. The Fitbird family is a group that trains together, plays together, and supports each other both in athletic and in personal life. What she has created is truly a remarkable business venture.

The one thing that stands out when an outsider observes the Fitbirds, is the sense of family.