Caroline Bailey
Caroline Bailey
Coach and performance psychologist based in Byron Bay, with over 15 years of diverse coaching experience from community settings through to junior and emerging elite levels. Caroline coaches across middle and long distance and steeplechase, with sound technical knowledge across sprints, hurdles and relays, and brings strong experience in building sustainable coaching and club environments in regional contexts.
Why I want to be involved
I like to help people. I have had to learn a lot of things by experience, without much support from anyone else, and
so made quite a lot of mistakes along the way. I would have valued having support from more experienced coaches
earlier in my coaching career and so appreciate the mentoring and support network I feel I have developed through
Athletics Australia’s Women in High Performance Coaching initiative.
I think the role of a coach can be at times the most rewarding and equally the most demanding emotionally and
physically. I would like to be able to support someone else through the challenges of coaching.
What I can offer the mentees
I am a good listener. I have good knowledge of performance principles, sound technical knowledge across sprints, middle and long distance, hurdles and steeplechase, and over fifteen years diverse experience of coaching from community up to junior and emerging elite levels.
What I would like to get from participating in the program
Making connections with the next up and coming generation of coaches. I am interested in discussing new ways to approach old or new issues in coaching and believe that mentees can bring a fresh way of looking at and doing things. I get a lot of personal satisfaction from seeing other people thrive and would like to be a part of an upcoming coach’s progression.
Academic qualifications
- BSc (Hons) Psychology
- MSc Psychological Assessment
- PhD Performance Management
- Post Graduate Certificate in Occupational Psychology, British Psychological Society
- Chartered Occupational Psychologist, British Psychological Society, registered 2000 to 2004
- AHPRA and Medicare registered psychologist, Australia, 2003 to current
Coaching qualifications
- Athletics Australia Level 3 Performance Coach
- Athletics Australia Level 3 Middle and Long Distance
- Athletics Australia Level 3 Sprint, Hurdles, Relays
- Kids’ Athletics
- Athletics Australia Level 4 High Performance Coach
- World Athletics Level 2, Middle and Long Distance
Occupation
- Performance psychologist, Principal Psychologist, Dynamic Performance Psychology
- High Performance Middle and Long Distance coach, voluntary, Byron Bay Runners
- Mum
Current squad
Head Coach for Byron Bay Runners, responsible for programming squad sessions for school age runners. Caroline personally coaches up to 70 competitive runners aged 8 to Under 20 in middle and long distance, with a few adults and masters runners also. Winter focus includes cross country 2km up to 10km and road distances 5km, 10km and half marathon. Summer focus includes track events 400m, 800m, 1500m, 3000m, and 2000 and 3000 steeplechase.
Individualised training programs are provided for athletes aged 12 plus who are competing at state or national level. Face to face sessions are delivered four times per week. Caroline occasionally coaches recreational adult and masters runners online, from couch to 5km participants through to sub three hour marathon runners.
Club development and context
Founded Byron Bay Runners in 2011. The club is a regional club with a bumpy half marked grass track and limited competition opportunities, and is affiliated with Athletics NSW. Caroline served as club president for 13 years, resigning in December 2023 to focus on coaching, and has experience in the administrative side of setting up and running a club.
The club grew from two coaches coaching around 15 runners in 2011 to a membership of 200 plus runners and nine coaches by 2025.
Key coaching achievements
All achievements are with runners who are community and local athletes, not a high performance selective squad, and none had previously had formal run coaching.
- Elliott McGaughran, 2020: U20 Junior World Championship qualifier, championships cancelled due to COVID restrictions, 1500m in 3.43 at 17 years old
- Tyler Dogan, 2021: Under 15 2000m steeplechase, Australian Athletics junior national champion
- Elliott McGaughran, 2018: Under 17 3000m, Australian Athletics junior national champion
- Alexandra Dogan, 2025: Under 15 2000m steeplechase, Australian Athletics junior national champion
- Bailey Crabtree, 2021: Under 20 3000m steeplechase, Australian Athletics junior national silver medallist
- Jett Beck, 2025: Cross country, Under 18 Australian Athletics junior national silver medallist
- Jake Giltrap Good, 2018: Under 14 800m, Australian Athletics junior national bronze medallist
- Stella Mace, 2024: Cross country, Under 14 Australian Athletics junior national bronze medallist
- Typically 7 to 8 runners each year achieve National Qualifier Times in events including 400m hurdles, 800m, 1500m, 3000m and steeplechase
- Around 20 runners from junior and senior squads qualify for NSW All Schools state cross country championships, with 2 to 3 making podium
- Approximately 14 runners from junior and senior squads compete at NSW All Schools athletics, including steeplechase, with 4 to 5 seniors making podium or state champion
- July 2023: Coached Team Off the Street On Our Feet, 10 rough sleepers and homeless participants, to complete Gold Coast Half Marathon
Roles with athletics
- 2022 Athletics NSW Event Coach, Targeted Talent Program, Middle Long Distance
- 2023 Athletics Australia, U23 Australian Team Coach, Europe, Switzerland, France, Germany, England
- 2025 Australian Athletics, U23 Australian Team Coach, Taiwan
- 2025 Athletics NSW Junior Nationals, Perth, Team Coach
- 2025 Presenter at the inaugural Australian Athletics Women in Coaching conference, Gold Coast, July 2025
- 2025 ANSW Country Coach of the Year
