Former Liberty triathlete named USA Triathlon Olympic Coach of the Year

In the nearly five years since moving on from Liberty University, where he coached the Club Sports men’s and women’s triathlon, cycling, and men’s swimming teams, former Flames triathlete Parker Spencer (’12) has been training the next generation of Team USA triathletes. On Wednesday, he was rewarded for his efforts by being named USA Triathlon’s 2022 Olympic Coach of the Year.

Spencer, USA Triathlon’s Development Senior Manager and head coach of its Project Podium program, accepted the award at the Endurance Exchange, a three-day USA National Race Director and Coaching Conference held at the Austin (Texas) Convention Center.

“As a certified USA Triathlon coach of a national team of elite triathletes who compete at the highest level, I feel I’m at the pinnacle of the sport,” Spencer said Thursday. “Looking back at my career, I realize that a coach is only as good as the team you surround yourself with. The support team is key.”

Spencer coaches a team of 12-15 triathletes between the ages of 18-23 based out of Tempe, Ariz., for eight months of the year and Park City, Utah, at the 2002 Winter Olympic facilities, for the four warmest months.

“My job now is to find our next Olympians, develop them as athletes, and when they graduate (from Project Podium) and are no longer a developmental athlete, hand them off to the coach who will coach them one-on-one in the Olympics,” he said. “We have a really strong recruiting class coming in, and the program is thriving. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Spencer said he a massive team of people who help him along the way.

“I’ve got really strong mentors that have coached at this level for 20-30 years who are key people in my life. I love this role and the type of athletes I get to coach because a big part of my job is helping them grow up, leaving their parents’ home for the first time. I get to do more than help them become triathletes. I get to help them in life.”

Two recent Project Podium graduates, Darr Smith and Chase McQueen, are currently on track to make the U.S. Olympic triathlon team that will go to the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Additionally, Spencer recruits and trains Team USA’s Paralympic triathletes.

Spencer enjoys the opportunity to travel the world. He visited 16 countries in 2022 and has even more scheduled this year. He and his wife, Kristina, have two daughters, Alayna, 3, and Lilyanna, 11 months, who will travel with him to a few events in the United States and international races in Mexico and the Dominican Republic this year.

Spencer, earned a B.S. in Exercise Science from Liberty. In addition to competing in triathlon, Spencer was also a member of Liberty’s NCAA Division I track & field team. He credits his former coaches and professors for playing a role in his career achievements.

“Liberty’s played such a massive role in my life and in my development as a coach and a person,” he said.  “Being a student at Liberty and learning from Dr. (David) Horton and being inspired by his (exercise) class led to me switching my major and my career path altogether. Then, coaching at Liberty, Van Phillips and Scotty Curlee (former assistant coaches) were key people that helped me do what I do every day.”