Coaches

I'm reading The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. If you get the chance, read the book or watch his video on YouTube, I don't think you'd regret it. As I was reading I came to the end of one chapter titled "I never made it to the NFL". There was one paragraph that stuck with me:

"...Coach Graham keeps showing up in my head, forcing me to work harder whenever I feel like quitting, forcing me to be better. When we send our kids to play organized sports-football, soccer, swimming, whatever-for most of us its not because we're desperate for them to learn the intricacies of the sport. What we really want them to learn is far more important: teamwork, perseverance, sportsmanship, the value of hard work, an ability to deal with adversity".

That paragraph got me thinking about how I have become involved in sports, the teams I'm part of, my teammates and above all my coaches. My coaches who whether they realize it or not, "show up in my head, forcing me to work harder whenever I feel like quitting, forcing me to be better". My coaches have also calmed many of my fears when I get closer to the "big day" my A race/event. And let me tell you I panic. I'll inevitably send the text or email asking my coach if they really think I could it, if I trained enough, if the hills are as hard as I think, questioning everything. That's me in panic mode. Stressing.

You know what they say? They tell me I can, they remind me of what I've already accomplished, they tell me I've trained on harder hills. They reassure me and calm me down. On my 2nd century ride I was stressing about a hill everyone had been talking about, so the day before I texted my coach and asked him if he thought I could do the hill and finish the 100 miles in time. His words: "you've trained on harder hills". That's all I needed to hear cuz when I got to that hill I rode it slow and steady. When I reached the top I said to myself and teammates "come on we can finish this ride, that's the hardest hill, coach said I could do it, and if he said I can than I can!" and I did :).

I've learned a lot from my coaches so far. I respect them tremendously; their ability to see the bigger picture, to be the calm in the storm, for their patience, for their knowledge in the sport, for always pushing me, for being able to draw that fine line of expecting more and being supportive of what I CAN do. Coaches have a hard job. Mine have inspired me.

Next year I plan on applying to be a captain and coach for two of my teams and can hopefully inspire and teach others the way my coaches have and continue to teach me. No matter if you're a kid or adult when you join an organized sport Randy's words hold true and you do learn "teamwork, perseverance, sportsmanship, the value of hard work, an ability to deal with adversity".

THANK YOU Jon R., Delaine, Lewis, Tim, Mike, Danny, John S., Cary & Tom you guys are THE BEST!