Background Data collection.
What is your history, how would you describe yourself? Very short BIO/history/description of you. Approximate age? A coach would like to know this. Obvious to you of course.
Where do you live? (Part of the country to understand weather obstacles to training)
Cycling for how long? Do you consider yourself a “lifetime” athlete? Some of are and really didn’t realize it until you start down this path.
What kind of cycling are you doing, casual, commuter, gravel?
Racing, what style? Criterium, Stage, one day events, Track/Velodrome, average length (Time or distance)
What are your other sports involvements if any, past and current?
Why are you looking into a coach relationship?
Are you starting to ride/race competitively?
Already racing and want to improve your placing in the races/events that you already race?
Prepare for specific events? Is there some key events this year you want to attend and succeed. Remember, success can be more than just a podium place.
Understanding how much time you have available to commit to training on a weekly basis will help you decide to plan your year.
Does your family support your time and dedication to your sport development? Are there family commitments that will affect your available training time? It’s important to involve your family in your plans and goals.
Are you willing to do all the training that may be assigned to you as an athlete? If you have been casually training, it may be a shock to learn what is needed to achieve your goals.
Are you willing to devote more than a season/partial year to a coach relationship? Coach relationships can exist for years, decades even.
Are there any limitations/injuries that will affect your performances? Coaches may be able to help you recover from past road blocks.
What kind of equipment do you own to ride/train/race on? Power meter, Smart Trainer, Heart Rate monitor, cadence sensor, speed tracking. Bikes you have: road, gravel, commuter, CX, track/velodrome, other?
Are you a Virtual Rider/Racer and how committed to it are you? Training Peaks Virtual, Zwift, BKool, lots more out there.
Are you connected on any data tracking site and willing to share that info with a coach? Training Peaks, Strava, Garmin, Ride with GPS. There are so many more.
Are you a member of any team or have other riders to train with?
In Summary: If hiring a coach, pick a coach that you feel comfortable with, can easily communicate with and can trust to do the right thing for you. Ask if they have knowledge in your desired style of sport. Ask questions of them and get some background on them. Be aware that a coach may make you work harder than you are used to, especially if you have never had a coach. Generally, you should try to pick the best option and then work with that coach for a while to try and adapt to the training plan and methods before choosing to move to a different coach. If the current coach arrangement doesn’t work, talk to the coach about what isn’t working to get their feedback before making a change to a different coach.