Today we’d like to introduce you to Aria Betts.

Hi Aria, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?

If you asked me ten years ago what I wanted to do for the next ten years, I would have never said coaching or training. Life has an interesting way of weaving the tough parts of life into future success. I started coaching in 2012. After running the 100-meter hurdles for Laney College in Oakland and then UCLA, injuries forced me to stop competing and I began to share my knowledge with younger athletes. At the time, I was devastated that I had to stop competing, but after my first season as a hurdle coach, I fell in love and here I am, almost ten years later, a multi-sport speed and performance coach.

What I used to think held me back as an athlete became one of my greatest assets as a coach — In high school, I was hit by a car and sustained a compound fracture to my right leg. After a year of recovery and rehab, I was thankfully able to run track again and the 100 meter hurdles. My development was slow at first and I have been highly susceptible to injury due to structural imbalances. Because of this, I was forced to constantly be in tune with my body and seek the best possible professionals to help me cope with the extreme physical demands of D1 track & field. The intricacies I learned about my own body, technique, and muscular imbalances allowed me to later create workouts and programs that helped athletes avoid certain injuries. As I continued to learn and grow as a coach, the journey presented many obstacles but there is nothing more rewarding to me than fine-tuning an athlete’s technique so they can reach their highest potential.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?

I have mentally quit coaching many times. I have been physically exhausted and mentally uninspired. The biggest challenge has been finding a balance between doing what I love and running a business. The gift and the curse of loving what you do is that you would do it even if you didn’t get paid. Some of my best memories in life have been coaching high school track at a school that paid me less than $3 an hour. A challenge has been placing a monetary value on my time and expertise.

Another huge challenge has been being a woman in a male-dominated environment. Most of the time you are seen as nothing more than eye candy, and when you actually know what you are talking about you first become a threat rather than an asset. Respect takes time, and for a woman in sports, it takes even more time. I am thankful for the male coaches who have identified my value and given me a platform.

Another challenge worth mentioning is the work/life balance. If I am not training, I am writing up workout plans, reviewing films, buying equipment, etc. The work never really ends! But that is also the beauty of it!

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?

I am a USATF Level II speed development and performance coach at JLT Performance Gym in Hollywood. First a hurdle coach, I specialize in the precise development of efficient techniques required for elite-level competition in sports. I used to call myself Lady Speed Dr. because I was known to fix athlete’s speed and technical deficiencies. The things I learned from my junior college coach, Coach Curtis Taylor, initially set me apart as a coach early on and allowed me to be instantly effective in my craft and for that, I am so grateful. When I began coaching, it took me at least three years to get the hang of season planning, teaching technique, and learning to adapt to each athlete’s needs. I was 23 and hungry for knowledge. I attended over 15 coaching clinics in my first few years learning from the best coaches in California, and I began to niche myself as a corrective specialist helping athletes perfect and improve their running technique. Drill drill drill.

Over the past few years, my commitment to detail has allowed me to work with world-class hurdlers, Division 1 football players, and professional athletes. I am known for my work with athlete’s acceleration and explosiveness as well as my commitment to athlete development and sound teaching. I do not believe in overtraining or cookie-cutter workouts. Each athlete requires individualized attention and needs different types of development depending on where they are in their journey. Recognizing this, I believe, is an essential part of what it means to be a coach.

I am most proud of my growth. I have learned so much over the years. I am proud of myself for making it this far and being someone that athletes can really trust to take them to the next level, I am proud of the reputation I have and the respect I have earned.

What sets me apart for sure is my coach’s eye, the individual feedback I give athletes, and my personality of course! I ask people to do really crazy things, I put them through pain, I push them past their limits, and then we laugh. Building real relationships with athletes and giving individual feedback to everything I ask them to do is essential! After working with me, athletes can not only tell you what we did but more importantly why we did it. This is more important to me than anything.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?

Always stay humble and be nice, you never know which relationships will lead you to your next level. I have been in many rooms where I knew more than most and disagreed with certain coaching philosophies. I have worked under coaches who I did not agree with. I have had to learn to keep my mouth shut even when I knew I was right. No matter what, people are going to remember you not for what you know but for how you treat them, so be nice! Your time to shine will come.

Contact Info:

• Email: ari@jamalliggin.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anbtraining/