Nicole Drummer (Coach Nicole) grew up in Florida and attended Florida State University where she earned a degree in chemistry. While at school she became involved in competetive Taekwondo. After graduating from FSU she moved to Illinois to pursue a Master's degree in chemistry at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. During this time she kept up the martial arts training, earned the rank of second degree black belt, became a certified instructor with the American Taekwondo Association. In 1999 and 2001 she competed in the ATA World Championships, finishing each of those seasons ranked in the ATA World Top Ten. In addition to her personal training, she taught martial artists of all ages at Newberry's Black Belt Academy in Champaign, IL.
In 2004 Coach Nicole moved to Colorado Springs, and in 2005 resumed Taekwondo training under Olympian Barb Kunkel. Nicole explored the world of triathlon in 2006 with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training. Nicole was now hooked on endurance sports. The next year she jumped into the half ironman distance (and also earned another black belt).
In 2008, Coach Nicole was brought on as the coach for the Colorado Springs Team in Training triathlon team, where she prepared beginner and intermediate athletes to complete sprint, Olympic, and half ironman distance races. In 2009, she completed Level I coaching certification with USA Triathlon.
Nicole has participated in running races ranging from 5k to half marathon and triathlons ranging from the sprint to half ironman distances. Outside of endurance sports, Nicole is an avid college football fan, plays the drums and bass guitar, and enjoys going to the mountains with her husband and their dog.
