Coaches

Learn about your Coaches!

Coach Trent Hayden (USAT Level II Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer, University of North Carolina Professor of Health and Wellness)

Coach Trent’s triathlon career started on a fateful day in graduate school.  He was dragged through the swim, passed on the bike, stumbled on the run, and loved every minute of it.  Since that time, Trent has made it his mission to expand endurance sport participation through positive encouragement for everyone. 

  • USAT Level 2 Coach for Peak Triathlon Coaching
  • University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) Professor of Health and Wellness
  • Head Coach, Founder and President, USAT affiliated Cape Fear Triathlon Club
  • Head Triathlon Coach for the Nir Family YMCA Youth and Junior Team
  • Race Director, Nir Family YMCA for the YMCA Youth Triathlon and Pier-2-Pier Open Water Swim Race
  • ACSM Certified Personal Trainer
  • Head Coach, UNCW Triathlon Team January 2016 – present
  • Swim Coach and Team Nutritionist, IndoJax Surf team and charities

Coach Kitty Clark Cole (Bachelor of Science: Nutrition & Dietetics,  USAT Level 1 Coach)

My life-long love affair with food began at age 5 at my grandmother Anna’s side; gardening, canning, freezing and standing on a step-stool learning how to cook.

I’ve been passionate about the relationship between food and health since being diagnosed with a stomach ulcer at age 15 and ate for health and wellness since that time.

I majored in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Wisconsin, wanting to know even more about food and it’s interaction with healthy living.  At the time I thought I wanted to go to Medical School but after graduation went to work in public health nutrition. I was also active but didn’t get the bug to race and actually train until I bought a book and trained myself to run my first marathon in 1998, to celebrate turning age 45 and the memory of my brother. I competed in my first triathlon to celebrate turning 50 and here I am today!