How to Be a Triathlon Ambassador Starting Today
Updated: May 3, 2018
Racing in triathlons keeps us healthy. To keep the sport healthy, we should be a triathlon ambassador. People in this role encourage increased participation, healthier lifestyles, and new approaches to improving performance results.
When living in Bangkok I attended a handful of events at the US Ambassador to Thailand residence. Mr. Ambassador worked the crowd of attendees representing the interests of the US to their host government, people from local entities, and US expats. He inspired me to represent triathloning at global and US races. Luckily, I didn’t need US Senate confirmation and chose not to seek any other formal organizations’ blessing. But I stepped up my behavior from only being a participant and took on the roles of an ambassador.
Not sure how to be an ambassador? Consider these nine items:
Talk up the sport like you’re its top promoter to each community and the world as a whole.
Compete in tri’s like you’re in the Olympic finals representing your country. Show your colors. Respect the host officials. Honor your competition.
Celebrate like you won a full dose of every top sporting event in the world combined. Your upbeat energy will be contagious to others.
For all you get from triathloning, give back to the sport like you’re its most important recipient.
Support triathlon sponsors before, during, and after races like you’re spending taxpayers’ money.
Give a thank you speech like the Oscars and don’t forget anyone deserving your recognition of gratitude. Especially your immediate family, parents, volunteers, race directors, sponsors, fellow competitors and every coach, teacher, and mentor you learned from in life.
Volunteer at races for check-in or post wrap up activities if competing. Bring along some of your support crew for them to cheer for all racers.
Introduce racers to each other in the transition area during pre-race set up, in the holding pen near the starting line, and at all post-race celebrations.
Talk to spectators and volunteers during the race. Give high 5’s, thanks, big smiles, and humorous comments that draws in spectators as new competitors to the starting lines for future races.
At work on an international assignment I became a member of industry global forum. I figured out my role quickly. I was more of an ambassador to promote the industry than a board member to vote on agenda topics, choose the next meeting location, or showing off my employer’s performance within its market space. I hosted industry people visiting from all over the world whenever they came to Thailand. We promoted innovations. We exchanged ideas. We learned about opportunities from their insight. The ambassador concept succeeds for governments, businesses, and sport. The skills and procedural concept