Coach profile: Barry Keem

18 September 2020

Coach profile: Barry Keem

Coaches have an enormous impact on the lives of our athletes. In his coach profile with former talented junior Wollongong athlete, Barry Keem, who went on to represent Australia in Mountain and ultra running, we learn about one of these athletes whose lives have been turned around.

“Alison Wheway Jones came to us having never run a step in her life,” recalled Barry Keem.

“She said she would like to be able to run 5km every other day thinking it would never be possible for her to achieve anything more. I knew with some hard work on her part and some structure and support and somebody to really believe in her, that anything was possible. Her greatest achievement to date is running and completing the Gold Coast Marathon.”

These great stories are happening across our state with our fantastic coaches like Barry Keem playing an instrument part.

Barry Keem’s move into coaching was not planned.

“Coaching wasn’t a conscious decision. It happened quite organically when I coached a friend for the Gold Coast Marathon and it was a slow simmer from there. I had been helping a number of friends with their running in the years prior, and got a great deal of satisfaction out of seeing them achieve things that they believed weren’t possible. Then after GC 2012 it developed a life of its own. And Team Keem Coaching was born.

Barry Keem was a 2:21 marathoner and won the 2006 Canberra marathon, was a former NSW half-marathon champion and owned some solid track PB times of 29:33 (10,000m) and 14:24 (5000m). As recently as 2018 he was a member of the Australian team at the World 100km Challenge.

“I still see myself as an athlete, although I am currently recovering from a sacral stress fracture. I enjoy being able to run with my athletes as I feel it keeps the connection strong between coach and athlete.”

Keem’s squad is based at beautiful North Wollongong.

“Our Squad is a fantastic combination of first timers to experienced right through to elite level.”

Two members who have been achieving some notable results are:

Karen Blay

-running PBs well into her 50s

-Breaking the Australian and NSW 3000m record for 55-59 (10.37.44)

-Selected for the NSW open team at age 55 for the Australian Marathon Half Champs, then running a PB 1.27.01

-Undefeated over any distance since 2017 in her age group.

Myles Gough

A former recreational runner who started in the squad as a 16min 5K runner and a 2.40 marathoner and reduced those times to 14.49 and 2.26 respectively.

What drives Keem to spend the many hours he does as a coach?

“I really do get a great deal of satisfaction from seeing others achieve goals and knowing I played a role in that development and their result is incredibly rewarding. It’s something I never tire from,” said Keem who plans to continue to coach for many years.

“I see myself doing this well into my twilight years.”

His coaching philosophy?

“Train smart and hard. Results come from consistency, remaining injury free, and working hard. It’s a simple philosophy.

“With juniors, the approach has to be conservative. Don’t over train them with too much mileage or speed, and make it fun! Less is often more. They should look forward to coming to training, and not feel like the parents are forcing them.”

Keem has been fortunate to come under the influence and be involved with some of the legends and greats of the sport from the local area.

“My junior coach was Valmai Loomes from Illawarra Blue Stars, who shaped my development in those early years. I never overtrained with excessive volume, and we had a really good junior squad that included national champions – for example Stephen Parkes. My dad played a big role as well, taking me to training and travelling the country, and instilling in me a hard work ethic and a love of the sport.

In my later teenage years, I trained with Kerryn McCann and developed a love for the marathon. She guided me and taught me how to respect the distance and what work was required. This is something I still live by and can pass onto my athletes.”

Keem is putting to good use his diploma in fitness and health and coaches outside of his full time job at BP Australia where he runs multiple retails sites.

Thank you Barry for taking on coaching, using your knowledge and experience as an athlete to significantly impact the health and lives of your squad through developing a positive environment for them to enjoy the sport, flourish and achieve fitness goals.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Images: Barry Keem with squad members