Just saw this on Twitter.
Excited about my new role: http://tinyurl.com/b37kz9
What does this mean for Canada’s Olympic Team.
I wonder whether this played into Simon’s move to CTS?
What does this mean for Canada’s Olympic Team.
First let me congratulate Joel on his new appointment. Joel’s done great things for Triathlon in Canada.
As to the question. We are in great shape. Simon Whitfield has said he’s on board for the next four years and we have a core group of some great young talent that is starting to come up. Talent that owes a lot to Simon - he’s been a huge source of inspiration to these younger guys. Showing them, training with them, and supporting them - they know that they can do it at this level.
I guess my question is who will replace Joel?
With Sharon Donnelly due to return to Canada this summer could she be inline to fill Joel’s shoes? She has Olympic experience as both an athlete and a coach in triathlon. I don’t think there are many people in that situation.
Any other ideas?
With Sharon Donnelly due to return to Canada this summer could she be inline to fill Joel’s shoes?
Aarron,
Sharon is a a great candidate - and a Kingstonite!! 
She has been honing her skills and experinence at this level working with the US Olympic Program on Colorado Springs for several years. We are lucky in Canada, because we have had a good amount of success at this level we have a good pool of talented people who have also had experience at this level of coaching - success begets more success, so to speak. However, perhaps like the UK, we may go outside. Who knows?
Good luck to joel, should be a very interesting project!
As for trican…well, i think they made a bad move to not secure the best coach in the country and one of the world leader.
Good for us we have Simon! he is a natural eternal Canadian rescources!!! It s one monster challenge to try to get another medal in 4 years! and he is the guy that can pull it off!
The only problem is that Sharon is returning from Colorado Springs to Ottawa. This is not where the national team hangs out and with 2 small kids and her husband posted here, unless they move the training centre, I seriously doubt that she could pull it off full time remotely from Victoria…heck, she did not even go to Victoria to train full time with Lance Watson when she was an athlete with no kids, doubt she’d do it now, but I could be wrong.
But she would be a great candidate. Pretty sure she is partnered full time with Cliff English Coaching for the moment, but things can change rapidly.
Dev
I nominate Fleck for the vacant Cdn job :-).
I’m available as an assistant coach.
Something along the lines of my role involving yelling “HTFU” a lot at athletes that are slacking.
I’m ready to move on this
Great news for team GB. As if Al Brownlee wasn’t already a big threat for a medal in London!
Congrats, Joel. This is a great opportunity for you.
It’s too bad for us Canuckistanis that TriCan didn’t sew you up with a fat contract but now they’re playing defensive catch-up, pounding the pavement looking for your replacement as we speak. I have 3 messages from them already. I’m just not sure I want to move to Victoria…
Congrats to Joel!
This must be interesting news to Miss Wellington, who I believe wants a spot on the 2012 Olympic team…
I wonder if another coach switch is in the works…
Fleck for head coach, Khai for assistant and head smackmeister on the sidelines if anyone slacks off…
congrats Joel!
stef
Crazy that GB has now stolen Joel (tri coach) and Kevin Tyler (sprinting coach) from Canada. I realize that GB has the financial resources with the Olympics coming but it’s too bad for Canada to lose these world class coaches.
Congrats to Joel though…
I don’t know that I’d use a word like “stolen”…
TriCan had every opportunity to keep Joel by offering him a competitive contract.
It appears that they didn’t, and Joel went somewhere where he can earn a decent living while still working with great athletes.
Seems like a good decision (for him) to me.
As for us…
well…
you know how Canada prioritizes sport. We only care after we don’t medal! 
I don’t know that I’d use a word like “stolen”…
TriCan had every opportunity to keep Joel by offering him a competitive contract.
It appears that they didn’t, and Joel went somewhere where he can earn a decent living while still working with great athletes.
Seems like a good decision (for him) to me.
As for us…
well…
you know how Canada prioritizes sport. We only care after we don’t medal!
And then it is only a problem if it is hockey or an entire Olympic Games
I’d just like to say that I’m sorry to see a couple things in this thread, mostly the idea that it’s all about money - both in the sense that Joel only cared about the most lucrative contract and also that somehow TriCan was not willing to step up to the plate, as it were, and pay him what he deserved.
I realize that in today’s environment, financial considerations are often the most significant driving factor in a variety of job related decisions, but there are other things.
However, I’m surprised that no one has mentioned the very significant fact that Joel will be coaching the HOST COUNTRY of the next Olympics. That is an incredible opportunity.
There is also a considerable talent pool of young athletes in GB, which has to be exciting for any coach. And the position of head coach in GB is quite different than what Joel did for TriCan in terms of what he will actually be doing day to day.
It’s an exciting opportunity, with lots of new challenges, in a different country, that does things (as you would expect) different than TriCan. Not necessarily in a good way or a bad way, but just different. Joel is a wonderful coach with a true passion for the sport. This a unique opportunity - just as another four years in Canada would have been different from the previous four - and Joel is challenging himself as a person and as a coach by doing this.
I’ve known Joel for longer than he’s been the TriCan head coach. The past four years have been an incredible journey for him, culminating with an inspiring medal performance in Beijing. Leaving TriCan was absolutely not an easy decision for him.
This was a personal decision - not a decision made for financial gain. Of course finances were a consideration, as there would be with any job.
But I hate to see this thread turn into a discussion of how GB “stole” Joel or how TriCan didn’t try hard enough to keep him. The Beijing cycle was an incredibly trying and rewarding experience for both parties, as is the case any time you have a high-stress job predicated around success at the highest level. Now their paths are diverging.
TriCan was fortunate to have Joel, and Joel was fortunate to have TriCan. Now GB is fortunate to be able to have Joel working for them, and Joel is excited for this new opportunity.
Maybe TriCan can convince Cliff to come back to Canada.
And what does this mean for you?