Fagan Fostering the Future

Former Australian race walker Nicole Fagan has long been coaching the next generation of rising Australian stars, but her involvement in Athletics Australia’s Athlete to Coach pathway program has both enhanced her knowledge and accelerated her progress as a coach.

Fagan concedes that her coaching inception was largely unintentional, as she assisted her Little Athletics Centre in filling a position on a single day in 2008.

“I took the place of someone who was sick one day and then I never left,” she said.

Remaining at the Little Athletics Centre to this day where she coaches athletes aged from 9-17, Fagan has been proactive in sourcing knowledge through the program to compliment her invaluable experience as an athlete.

“I’m trying to create a supportive environment and a supportive team. Towards the end of my career I found it quite difficult to transition to the senior teams without having a group around me, so one of my goals to have a group to progress through the junior and senior Australian teams together,” she said.

Fagan credits the Athlete to Coach pathway program’s tailored approach as a major factor in improving her coaching prowess, supporting her interest in focus areas such as strength and conditioning, nutrition, and longevity in the sport.

“You have access to the experts and the greatest people with the knowledge; I really want to build a supportive environment for my athletes, but the program has built that supportive environment for coaches,” she said.

Currently finishing a course on coaching female athletes, Fagan presents as an eager student on a quest to become the best coach possible for her athletes – with the hope of seeing them soar to great heights in the green and gold.

“I can definitely see what I did really well and what worked for me, and then the areas I wish I had greater support or had done things differently. I don’t think I made a successful condition from the 10-kilometre to the 20-kilometre walk, so I have been investigating a lot about how to do that,” she said.

The primary school teacher says her coaching pursuits fall in line with her passion for working with young people and helping them reach their goals, saying that in both industries it is essential to share what works well with your peers – with the Athlete to Coach pathway program aiding this process.

“With all the athletes I coach, if we are continuously achieving goals and growing as people, they are the key goals for me. And when they get older the goal is to make junior and senior Australian teams.”

Acknowledging that race walking events progress relatively quickly from 3-kilometres to 20-kilometres as athletes transition from juniors to seniors, Fagan has sought the assistance of AA Race Walking Lead, Brent Vallance, as a sounding board for athlete loading and laying the foundations for future success.

Fagan is also working closely with Olympic hurdler Lyn Foreman, an opportunity that she is looking forward to as the two share many common attitudes when it comes to the coaching industry.

“She offers me advice and still allows me to put my own flavour on it and make it my own style,” she said.

By Lachlan Moorhouse, Athletics Australia
Posted: 26/11/2021