PHOTO: TOMMY ZAFERES
BY STEVE JACKSON
I
t takes a special personality to put one set of dreams aside when
they have hung so tantalisingly close and focus on new goals, it
takes one out of the box.
Drew Box was an elite level triathlete; an Australian champion
and World Cup podium finisher, yet such was the nature of his
personality and his passion for triathlon, he began to dabble
in coaching along the way; sharing his learned knowledge and
experiences with his charges. Box had his own dreams of course,
and came close to realising them, but when an opportunity to
turn his passion for coaching from a sideline act into a full-blown
passion, Box seized the opportunity.
Box took an offer from Joel Filliol to become an assistant coach
to his squad. This was no ordinary group; Filliol has the top three
male finishers in the 2018 World Triathlon Series; Vincent Luis,
Aussie Jake Birtwhistle and three-time World Champion Mario
Mola as well as WTS Women’s World Champion Katie Zaferes in
his stable. Box’s duties are largely driven by what the athlete and/
or squad needs. For instance, the day before our chat, Box had
been poolside for five different athletes for five individual sessions
throughout the day and he professed to loving every minute!|
Not a ‘ra-ra’ coach, Box believes his strength lie in his ‘feel’ for the
sport; his own experiences make him relatable and provide him
with an ability to translate the ‘why’ of the sessions purpose into a
language that the athletes can not only understand but also
buy into.
And whilst Box is present for planning of programs and
sessions, he believes much of his learning comes in the informal
chats; often cycling home with Filliol following a squad workout,
picking his brain and soaking up the shared knowledge as they
debrief the session.
When pressed on his own philosophy, Box was quick to
point out that it was early days in his coaching career, but that
understanding the individual athlete underpinned his beliefs.
Whilst data and its analysis were important, it wasn’t the be all and
end all; the ability to observe, monitor and adapt were still the
skills that defined coaching. Taking that new knowledge alongside
the understanding of the individual and communicating with them
to initiate change were skills Box was striving to develop.
A further sign of his determination to be the best; is not
restricting his learning opportunities to Filliol. Box is also
mentored by Shaun Stephens, a former Triathlon Australia Head
Coach, Team Sky coach and current High Performance Director
for Canoeing Australia and David Lush, the current Australian
Swim Coach of the Year. Both have provided great insight into
not only technical aspects, but also athlete management; sharing
their wealth of expertise and experience with the eager to learn
apprentice in Box.
In terms of changes in the sport, Box was supportive of Super
League and Major League Triathlon, having some involvement
with both either coaching Filliol’s athletes or leading the Gold
Coast Tritons. He saw both organisations as making positive
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impacts on the profile of the sport as well as providing
positive opportunities for the athletes. He also considered the
opportunities becoming frequently available through US College
programs as a great way for athletes to secure good educational,
life and triathlon experiences and an alternative development
pathway, especially for fringe athletes.
As to whether Box still dabbled himself, he laughed it off.
Between his duties on deck for the JFT squad, Box conducts online
coaching for a small group of athletes (self-capped so that he
can maintain a high level of service), but he was also conscious of
developing a separation between Drew Box the athlete and Drew
Box the coach. He is now a coach and whilst still keeping physically
and mentally fit with the odd ride or run, he was fully committed to
his ‘new’ profession.
Enjoying the camaraderie, the high work ethic (something
he displayed as an athlete) and an openness to learning; Box is
thriving in his new environment. Committed to the JFT squad until
Tokyo 2020, upon which there’ll be a more definitive assessment of
what’s next, but right now, Box is happy to be working with great
athletes, under encouraging mentors and developing his craft.
Things are going well away from coaching too; Drew married
Emma Jackson in a beautiful wedding in Maleny on Queensland’s
Sunshine Coast hinterland in mid-November, honeymooning in
Bali before heading back to work in Spain in preparation for the
2019 WTS season.
After speaking with Drew for over an hour, I came away humbled
by his passion, his maturity and quietly confident that his own
Olympic dream, albeit slightly altered from dreams of racing to
trackside, were still very much a possibility.
PHOTO: JENNIFER OLIPHANT