Melissa is here to help you achieve your greatest potential as an athlete. She empowers the athlete in you by bringing greater levels of health, fitness and speed to you.
Through a combination of structure and motivation Melissa can help you move to the next level of training and racing. That means getting to know you personally, to train the whole person - the whole athlete. Coach Melissa takes great care in helping you juggle work, family and social commitments with the need and desire to get and keep your body healthy and strong.
It also means athletes of all ages and all abilities, from first timers to the professional to the weekend warrior looking to get back to a greater level of health and fitness. What are you shooting for - to move beyond a plateau, to get off the couch, enjoy your first triathlon or to move up the ranks nationally or internationally? A great coach can help you meet and exceed your goals.
Melissa's history with the sport of triathlon began in 1984 when she entered her first race during college - and won. It seemed like a logical progression to enter a triathlon; after all she was competitive swimmer by age 7, a cyclist and runner by age 12 and, no surprise to friends and family, possessed a competitive streak a mile wide.
Melissa continued to race triathlons for 10 years, competing as a professional for 6 years. During that time, she achieved numerous podium finishes at the World Cup level. In 1992, she placed 3rd at the World Championships in Muskoka, Canada - capturing the overall World Cup Title. That same year she was voted Triathlete of the Year by the US Olympic Committee. In 1993 she added to this impressive list of accomplishments by winning first ITU Indoor World Championship title.
Since retiring from the sport in 1994, Melissa has gone on to earn a Masters Degree in Sport Sciences from the University of Denver. For the last 15 years she has remained very active in the fitness industry as a coach and personal trainer. Currently, she is a certified Level 3 (Elite) Coach by USA Triathlon, a Level 1 (Elite) Coach by USA Cycling and a Performance Enhancement Specialist, certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. A strong desire to learn fuels Melissa's passion to teach others. Melissa attends multiple continuing education coaching clinics and seminars yearly to further her education and experience to help her athletes achieve their optimum performance.
Melissa is also a published author, sports photographer and has worked in radio and television. In 2006, she was named the Director of the professional VMG Triathlon Team. And, since 2005 Melissa has been the official coach for the Tri for the Cure, an all women's sprint triathlon. She coached the inaugural Tour of Hope, a cross country bike ride to raise awareness for clinical trials for cancer treatments in 2003.
In 2007, Melissa started working as Head Coach to the US team at select ITU World Cup races. She coached in Lisbon and Cancun in 2007. In 2008, Melissa coached at the World Cup triathlon in New Plymouth, NZL and Madrid, Spain. Acting as Head Coach at a World Cup event puts Melissa in a pool of coaches to be chosen to coach at the Olympics and Pan Am Games. In April of 2008, Melissa coached at the ITU PATCO (regional Pan Am championships) where her athletes Jillian Petersen and Matt Chrabot both WON the elite male and female races. She also worked at the Elite Development Camp held in conjunction with the race. At the Olympic Training Center, she coached for one week of a 5 week Elite Development Camp in Colorado Springs.
In 2009, Coach Melissa worked as the Head Coach/Manager of the US Team at the ITU World Championship Series Triathlon in Yokohama, JPN. In 2010, she worked as the Head Coach/Manager at the Huatulco, MX World Cup.
Melissa coaches USAT National Team member and 2009 National Champion, Matt Chrabot. He is the 2008 and 2010 PATCO (Pan American) Champion. Matt finished the 2010 season ranked 12th in the ITU World Championship Series Rankings and 8th in the Olympic Ranking London 2012: Number ONE ranked American. He is the 2010 USAT Elite Athlete of the Year.
Melissa also coaches 2012 National Team Member, Jillian Petersen. She earned a bronze at the 2010 PATCO Championships. Petersen finished the 2010 season ranked 32nd in the ITU World Championship Series Rankings and 30th in the Olympic Ranking London 2012: Number FOUR ranked American
Melissa started her own coaching business, The Empowered Athlete, in 2006. She has devoted herself fulltime to coaching and training athletes since 1995.
M.C. Pro/Elite
2008:
Valle de Bravo ITU Pan Am Cup Triathlon, 7th
Nevis ITU Pan Am Cup Triathlon, 3rd
Mazatlan ITU Pan Am Championship, First
Richard’s Bay, SA ITU World Cup, 19th
Escape from Alcatraz, 5th
USAT Elite Nationals, 4th
Lorient ITU World Cup, 18th
2009:
Mooloolaba ITU WC, 9th
St. Anthony's, 6th
Oklahoma ITU Pan Am Championships, 4th
USAT Pro Nationals, 1st
Chicago Tri, 2nd
J.P. Pro/Elite
Valle De Bravo ITU Pan Am Cup Tri, 5th
Nevis ITU Pan Am Cup Triathlon, 3rd
Mazatlan ITU Pan Am Championship, First
Richard’s Bay ITU World Cup, 17th
Des Moines ITU World Cup, 18th
Tiszaujvaros ITU World Cup, 14th
Pacific Grove, First
Scott Tinley’s, First
2009:
Miami International, 1st
Mooloolaba WC, 6th
St. Anthony's, 4th
S.O. Age Group
2008:
5430 Sprint Tri, 1st AG
Boulder Peak, 1st AG
5430 Long Course, 7th. 30-34 AG Winner of 5430 Series
USAT AG Nationals, 9th AG
USAT Duathlon Nationals, 8th AG
Barkin Dog Duathlon, 5th Overall
Big Sky Duathlon, 4th Overall
Cabbage Head Duathlon, 4th Overall
Duathlon World Championships, 15th AG
2009:
ITU World Championships: 22nd AG
N.M AG
St. George Tri, 3rd Overall, 1st AG
ITU Age Group World Championships, 26th, 9th American
5430 Sprint Tri, 3rd AG
Loveland Tri, 3rd AG
Boulder Peak Tri, 6th AG
Rattlesnake Tri, 2nd Overall, 1st AG
Steamboat Tri, 11th Overall, 1st AG
USAT AG Nationals, 20th AG
