CLEVELAND — Tove Shere has been a triathlete since the 1980s and is now instilling her years of knowledge into the next generation through the Kids That Tri program. 

“It is an organization that offers free coaching for kids who want to give triathlons a try,” Shere explained. 

The group comprises of kids from grades 6 through 12, like Kendra Culler.

“It’s all up to you, how hard you want to train yourself,” Culler said. “How much you want to get better.” 

The 16-year-old will take part in her first non-competitive triathlon event on Saturday. 

She said she enjoys the diversity of the group of kids she is training with and appreciates that it gives young people from all different backgrounds a chance to learn the sport. 

“We all have free access to biking gear, swimming gear, running shoes and they are giving us free lessons,” Culler said. “[Classes] would normally cost like thousand of dollars, which is crazy.” 

To make this all possible, Shere and her husband have put in a lot of work. 

“Every bike that you see here and every piece of clothing that we have handed out has been donated, absolutely everything,” Shere explained. “My husband has done all of the work on all of these bikes, they have come in, in pieces and parts, so he has spent the last year and a half in the basement, making it all work.”  

For athletes like Culler, all of the time and effort that goes into the program have been worth it. 

“It’s good to try new things,” Culler said. “Something might even turn into, you might want to do for a lifetime.” 

Later in the season, the kids will take part in competitive triathlons.​