AUGUST 22 - 2021 | Super Sprint, Sprint & Olympic Cleveland Triathlons
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Kids that Tri
About the Program
Kids that Tri is a Not for Profit organization put together to drive Cleveland Urban Youth to participate in a sport that we know and love, Triathlon. It is organized by the same team bringing a new triathlon to downtown Cleveland called Tri CLE www.RockRollRun.com. This is a sport where you combine swimming, biking, and running in consecutive fashion to come up with a total time. It sounds “overwhelming,” “extreme,” “I could never do that.” We have all heard and thought these very things. Now, we do these races and train as a regular part of our lives. We want to share these with kids in a safe and professional environment. We are partnering with both the Parker Hannifin Downtown Cleveland YMCA, the Ohio City Bike Co-op and The Foundry as our Cleveland partners to offer Davis High School the first 25 kids that sign up free monthly training at the YMCA, will include swim lessons with Gary Guzy and the YMCA Swim Training Team, bike training on the spin bikes at the spin gym, run training will initially take place on the treadmills at the YMCA. All followed by a pizza party celebration for both kids and their parents to take place Saturday, November 7th from 2:00 to 4:30 pm. We have rented the entire facility so it will be only our group using the Y. There will be observation areas with plenty of room for social distancing for all to spectate. We will also offer weekly Zoom classes year-round. While at the Y, we will observe the COVID protocols in place there.
We know this is a crazy time. However, kids need safe places to exercise. As you know most venues are shut down and it's about to get worse when it gets cold. We are planning to continue this program all winter long. The program will culminate with an offer to the kids for a free entry into our race August 22, 2021 or 10 months from now. We have support from the USA Triathlon Foundation and we have lots of free equipment for the kids. Swim Goggles, Caps, Running Shoes, Bike Helmets, and we have secured free bike usage from Ohio City Co-Op so the cost is zero and the fun is unlimited. In fact, the first thing we tell all our coaches is to make this fun. Exercise and sport should be fun! The YMCA has worked out a safe training protocol with every other machine closed and all equipment spaced out. Our team has viewed it, and it is amazing.
We have worked with Tim Jones and Russell Germaine to set up a safe fun program and now all we need is the first 25 kids that want to be part of Kids that Tri! No previous experience is needed. Parents can watch us teach and then do this with your kids at home!
Please let Principal Tim Jones, or Physical Education Teacher Russell Germain, know that you can make the kick-off meeting on Saturday, November 7th at 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm for our first training session. It will take place at the YMCA which is inside the Galleria at 1301 East 14th Street. There is on street parking. Should you need RTA passes to get to the YMCA, contact Davis High School's office.
Learn More
If your kid attends Davis High School and is interested in participating in this program, fill the form out at the bottom of the page.
Meet the KTT team!
Gary Guzy
Demetra (Dee) Boyd
Demetra (Dee) Boyd
Head Swim Coach
Gary started with The YMCA of Greater Cleveland in 1992 as the Head Swim Team Coach of the Ridgewood Y Dolphins. After 9 years of coaching and working full time as a Youth Recreational Therapist in Lake County, Gary accepted a full time position with The YMCA as Director of Aquatics. In 2001, Gary became the Director of Aqu
Head Swim Coach
Gary started with The YMCA of Greater Cleveland in 1992 as the Head Swim Team Coach of the Ridgewood Y Dolphins. After 9 years of coaching and working full time as a Youth Recreational Therapist in Lake County, Gary accepted a full time position with The YMCA as Director of Aquatics. In 2001, Gary became the Director of Aquatics at the Ridgewood Family YMCA where he supervised one of the largest Aquatics Departments in the Cleveland YMCA Association. In 2011, Gary became Executive Director of the Aquatics Core Service Program Line for The YMCA of Greater Cleveland and worked at the North Royalton, Warrensville and Hillcrest YMCA Branches before relocating Downtown to the Parker Hannifin YMCA in 2016. Through Gary’s Aquatics Leadership, he developed Outreach Aquatics Programs with The Cleveland Metropolitan School District as well as out in Middlefield, OH to reach the underserved and at risk Amish population. As Director of Aquatics Gary oversees and supervises the Parker Hannifin Downtown YMCA Aquatics Program. He has successfully collaborated with Davis Aerospace & Maritime High School over the past three years to teach each student in the freshman class how to swim. Through this program, The YMCA has produced students to become YMCA Lifeguards & Swim Instructors and now hopes to recruit students for the 2021 Cleveland Triathlon.
Demetra (Dee) Boyd
Demetra (Dee) Boyd
Demetra (Dee) Boyd
KTT Board Member
Running & Motivation Coach
Dee started her triathlon Journey in 2015 not knowing how to swim, but she knew how not to drown! She completed her first indoor triathlon doing the back float! Dee has completed many triathlons since 2015. In 2019, she had bilateral knee surgery, but that hasn’t kept her from maintaining an ac
KTT Board Member
Running & Motivation Coach
Dee started her triathlon Journey in 2015 not knowing how to swim, but she knew how not to drown! She completed her first indoor triathlon doing the back float! Dee has completed many triathlons since 2015. In 2019, she had bilateral knee surgery, but that hasn’t kept her from maintaining an active lifestyle. She has her eyes on one day completing an IronMan. Dee is excited about the Kids That Tri program. She is often 1 of 3 African Americans racing at a triathlon, so she hopes that this program can work on changing the future of diversity of triathletes. Dee is a mother of 3 boys, ages 13, 18, and 28 – and has an understanding of how important offering a program like this is for youth.
Contact Dee at: demidee3449@gmail.com
Deidra Thompson
Demetra (Dee) Boyd
Deidra Thompson
Bike & Spin + Motivation Coach
Deidra is a Cleveland native. She is no stranger to playing sports - in high school she was on the swim team, played volleyball & softball. She remembers the date of her first triathlon -- June 15, 2014 – since then, she has completed in sprint & olympic distance triathlons. Deidra says training for triath
Bike & Spin + Motivation Coach
Deidra is a Cleveland native. She is no stranger to playing sports - in high school she was on the swim team, played volleyball & softball. She remembers the date of her first triathlon -- June 15, 2014 – since then, she has completed in sprint & olympic distance triathlons. Deidra says training for triathlons has taught her discipline and to strive for a ‘finish’ in all areas of her life. The sense of community in triathlon is something special that she didn’t experience on team sports growing up – the encouragement of everyone, which helps build personal confidence. Deidra is training for her first Half Ironman this December! The skills that she brings to Kids that Tri is swimming & cycling techniques, along with resilience. Deidra is passionate about youth & diversity in all sports. She is currently attending Cleveland State University as an engineering student.
Contact Deidra at: deidrathompson7@gmail.com
Mark Brandt
Emily Kotnik
Mark Brandt
Founder of Tri CLE
Mark is a long-time member of the downtown business community. He found triathlon at the elevated age of 50 and races in half IronMan distance events plus and enjoys sharing his disciplines of swimming, biking, running, strength training and nutrition with others. He founded a new reimagined triathlon in downtown Clevel
Founder of Tri CLE
Mark is a long-time member of the downtown business community. He found triathlon at the elevated age of 50 and races in half IronMan distance events plus and enjoys sharing his disciplines of swimming, biking, running, strength training and nutrition with others. He founded a new reimagined triathlon in downtown Cleveland set to launch August 22, 2021, with the three shortest event distances to attract more people to the sport. His passion is seeing new people enter the sport so he’s worked with his network to launch “Kids that Tri” for Cleveland Urban youth with the backing of The Cleveland YMCA and Davis High School.
Contact Mark at: brandt486@gmail.com
Jerry Shere
Emily Kotnik
Mark Brandt
KTT Board Member
Post Pandemic Coach
Jerry competed in his first triathlon in 1988 at the San Diego International Triathlon. Over the years, he has had the privilege of representing Team USA at 8 World Championships in Triathlon and Duathlon. His wife, Tove, and him retired to Cleveland Heights in June of 2019.They were attracted to Cle
KTT Board Member
Post Pandemic Coach
Jerry competed in his first triathlon in 1988 at the San Diego International Triathlon. Over the years, he has had the privilege of representing Team USA at 8 World Championships in Triathlon and Duathlon. His wife, Tove, and him retired to Cleveland Heights in June of 2019.They were attracted to Cleveland following their participation in the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships at Edgewater Park in 2018. They enjoy the incredible opportunities to experience the outdoors and their involvement with the robust triathlon community in Cleveland. Last year, they coached a group of kids at the Thurgood Marshall Rec Center in triathlon and led them to their first triathlon at the Age Group Nationals in 2019. Tove and Jerry have served as Ambassadors for the USA Triathlon Foundation for the past two years.
Contact Jerry at: shere.jerry@gmail.com
Emily Kotnik
Emily Kotnik
Emily Kotnik
Tri CLE & KTT Board member
Head of Coaching
Emily grew up in Sagamore Hills where she ran cross country and track for Nordonia High School. She began her collegiate athletic career as a cross country runner but was quickly recruited for the swim team where she was introduced to triathlon by her coach. Emily has competed in Sprint, Olympic
Tri CLE & KTT Board member
Head of Coaching
Emily grew up in Sagamore Hills where she ran cross country and track for Nordonia High School. She began her collegiate athletic career as a cross country runner but was quickly recruited for the swim team where she was introduced to triathlon by her coach. Emily has competed in Sprint, Olympic, and half Ironman distance races since then and has qualified for Ironman 70.3 World Championships 3 times. In addition to triathlons, Emily is a marathoner and ultramarathoner! When she’s not training for a race, Emily enjoys traveling around the country on backpacking trips. Emily is thrilled to be part of this program because wants to encourage the next generation of triathletes to get involved!
Contact Emily at: kotnike@gmail.com