Coach Karen Quilty

Team Director and Head Coach

USAT Level 1 Coach

Shorecrest Preparatory School Running Club Director and Coach

Ironman 70.3 Finisher  

Karen has been running for 35 years, having started competing in track and field and cross country on an all-girls track team in Michigan at the age of 7.   She competed nationally during her youth and participated in many other sports until she began rowing as a freshman at the US Naval Academy in 1985.  In 1989 Karen had the honor of being selected as the US Navy Female Athlete of the Year.   Karen spent 4 years training at an elite level in rowing and two summers participating in events with the US Women’s Crew Team. 

 As a US Naval Special Operations Officer Karen spent many hours in the water each day and shifted her competitive efforts to triathlon beginning in 1992 after her husband entered a triathlon on a whim.  They both fell in love with the sport and since then Karen has participated in hundreds of endurance events to include marathons, ½ marathons, Ironman 70.3 and numerous other shorter distance running races and triathlons. 

Karen began coaching her children in soccer six years ago and then shifted her coaching efforts to triathlon in 2006 when all three of her children became more dedicated to the sport.  She became a certified coach and took over as Head Coach of the St. Petersburg Stingrays in 2008.  Over the past four years she has coached over 60 young triathletes from the ages of 6 – 14 and has been instrumental in the success of the Lifestyles Family Fitness Youth Triathlon Series as one of the core team members.  Karen is very excited to merge the Stingrays with TBTS to better serve the youth in the Tampa Bay area.   

Karen is a stay-at-home mom who spends her time volunteering at her children’s school, with their sports teams and in the community.  She lives in St. Petersburg with her husband Chris, a financial analyst for Raymond James, and her three children, Zack, Reagan and Emerson.

Interesting Facts about Coach Karen:
Favorite Triathlon Discipline – running
Favorite Race – Escape from Ft. Desoto

Favorite Place – on a beach or in my kitchen
Favorite Food - popcorn

Coach Karen can be reached at:
coachkaren@tampabaytri-sports.com