Paying a coach usually ranges from about $300 to $1,500 per month. It depends on location, coaching experience, training group size, etc., but those numbers can go up or down in certain circumstances.
In some cases, your shoe sponsor pays your coach. This would be negotiated into your contract by your agent. Some coaches are under contract with shoe companies; athletes sponsored by those companies are encouraged to join those training groups, and the payments are taken care of by the sponsor.
Coaches might add additional performance bonuses into contracts made between the coach and the athlete.
“I think everyone should pay their coach something, even if it’s $20 a month,” said Lisa Aguilera, two-time USA Champion in the steeplechase, “It represents a commitment between both of you that this is important. For example, you may pay your coach anywhere from $20-$200 a month as a base salary type thing (whatever you can afford). And then have a bonus structure on top of that: $1000 if you win USA championships, $1000 if you’re ranked top 10 in the world, $1000 if you set a PR, and so on. This is just a rough example that you’d want to work out, but it benefits both of you. When you run well and make some money, your coach has earned that as well. Win-win! This is different for different levels of athletes, but I think it’s a good example for someone coming out of college that has the potential to make it at the next level. You pay your coach what you can afford now, and as you improve and make more money, you coach is rewarded as well.”
Thank you to Joanna Hayes (2004 Olympic Gold Medalist, 100m Hurdles) and Lisa Aguilera (2-time USA National Champion, Steeplechase) for contributing to this post.
Have anything to add to this post, such as your experience with deciding what to pay your coach? Please let us know in the comment section below.
