Technical Diving Solutions

Triathlon Coaching

Errol Kalayci is a successful coach, businessman, lawyer, married father of three young girls and has been involved in competitive sports his entire life. He has a thorough understanding of life’s demands on goal oriented age group triathletes, and posses the experience and knowledge of how to balance these demands with achieving sport goals. Errol has been involved in endurance sports as a competitive triathlete for over 10 years. During this time, Errol served as Vice President and President of Gold Coast Triathletes, obtained his USAT Coaching certification, and been mentored by National and Olympic coach Lance Watson. Living in South Florida, he currently works with athletes at the Performance level.

• USAT Certified Triathlon Coach
• Mentored for 8 years by International Triathlon Coach Lance Watson
• Licensed Attorney,Real Estate Broker,Contractor
• World Renowned Scuba Instructor & Explorer - Global Underwater Explorers
• Member – Explorer’s Club
• Former high-level soccer player
• Top Ranked Clydesdale Triathlete
• SABR Soccer’s Coach of the Year

Errol's Philosophy:
To share my knowledge and practical experience in whatever way is necessary for each athlete to not only achieve their dreams, but also maintain a fulfilling and sustainable sport journey that fits their lifestyle.

Dive Coaching

We also offer dive “coaching” which is different than diver instruction. Diving instruction takes during an organized dive “class” which is for a specific period of time and works on specific skills and knowledge. When the class ends, so does the student’s contact with the instructor for the most part. Don’t get me wrong, taking dive-training classes are great and one of the most important things a diver will do to improve their skills and knowledge. But how do you fill in the gaps in the diver’s skill or knowledge? Are you sure that you are even taking the right classes or in the order that makes most sense for your goals? Have you ever discussed your ultimate dive goals and dreams with an experienced professional? Think how great it would be if you could explain your dream, what your current experience and training levels are at, and have a professional map out a sensible progression plan to help you realize your dreams. This plan would lay out stepping stones of specific dives and corresponding goals to achieve on those dives to progress in a sensible and systematic fashion. The plan would lay out when to come visit your “coach” for him to dive and evaluate your progress, when to submit video clips for on-line review and when it would time to take formal training and what that training should be, who would be the best instructor for that class and what environment it should take place in. While this sounds great, why don’t more dive professionals offer such a plan? Well, a dive professional must first understand how to set up a logical progression with micro and macro goals that are objective. They also must understand what support the diver needs to be successful, the timetable it will take, be able to make dynamic adjustments and be secure enough to set aside his own ego and refer the diver to local instructors, mentors or other instructors if others would be better to work with the dive client on specific aspects of their development. The coach should also understand how to improve the diver’s weak areas, which may include a need for the diver to strength muscles, muscle memory or cardiovascular health. Which brings us to diver fitness coaching.

Dive Fitness Coaching

There is such thing as functional training for divers. I presented on said topic at GUE’s 2010 Annual Conference, which was held in Mexico. As a world class triathlete who has had enjoyed the privilege of being coached by the number 1 triathlon coach in the world for the past 6 years I have a good understanding of how training works and can craft a sensible plan with micro and macro goals for you to achieve on the way towards enjoying a lifetime of being fit. Further, as a world-class diver and dive educator I understand how to tie the two together to make you succeed at both. Your plan will begin by taking objective measurements of your fitness and body composition so you can objectively observe the tangible improvements along your journey.

An example of how it works:

Let’s look at “Joe” for an example. Joe is 40 years old, has been diving for 10 years and likes to visit wrecks in the 100 feet range. He realizes that he does not have the control he desires in the water and that he is often tired after the dive. His goal is to dive on wrecks in the 150 feet range by the end of the year and to try and bring back first class china from Andrea Doria (over 200 feet deep) the following summer. Speaking to Joe, we learn he has 300 logged dives is advanced open water and nitrox certified. He has a busy life with 2 young children and is a busy businessman. After speaking about his goals, we do some measurements and determine that he currently has 22% body fat, a resting pulse of 75 and can not run more than a mile without stopping. We speak to him about how much training he can comfortably fit into his week and learn that could fit in up to 5 hours a week of training. We craft a training plan with the macro goals for this period of running a 5k within 12 weeks from now where he will run the whole thing and weigh in 12 pounds lighter. We break the 12-week period down into micro cycles and provide stepping stone goals along the way. Joe competes in the 5k, runs the entire race and weighs in before the race at 13 pounds less than he did when we spoke with body fat now at 17%. He is feeling good and his interest in fitness has increased dramatically as has his energy, his clothes are fitting different and he can see the changes on the measuring tape as well. Joe signed up for a Fundamental’s course, which he takes on week 13 and is surprised he has so much energy and is proud that he can keep up with the guys in the class that are 15 years younger. Joe passes Fundamentals with a technical pass and we decide that he now needs to put his new knowledge to work and gain experience. The technical pass means that he is eligible to take a Tech 1 class without further training.

We map out a series of dives that he can do for the next 6 months where he will gain valuable experience and send me video clips of his dives to review and comment upon. During these dives, he is given specific areas to work on and objectives to achieve. Once a month, we meet for some one on one dive coaching where we go on a dive together and practice what he has learned and I can evaluate how he and his team have gained experienced and provide feedback to ensure he is on track. During this time, Joe has found joy in running and completed another 5k and a 10k. His body has continued to change and his resting pulse has dropped 10 beats and his body fat is now 14%. He is ready for his Tech 1 class, which he passes with flying colors. We then map out his dive path from that point on which includes purchasing and learning how to use a dpv and a drysuit. Becoming cave 1 and 2 certified and of course tech 2. We discuss the sequence of classes that makes sense, how his dives should progress and who the best instructors would be for the various courses and where they should be held. Joe explores the Doria on schedule, is lucky enough to retrieve some first class china, is a competitive runner and down to 10% body fat.