Those of us who are passionate about a certain sport certainly know the rigors of a demanding schedule: hours of practice, no social life, and intense exhaustion. What makes the sport so worthwhile are the people you get to meet and the successes you achieve. After years of competitive gymnastics and diving, I believe the best way to cope with the stresses of being an athlete is having coaches that you can look up to and confide in. You get to spend great amounts of time with these individuals, who were at one point strangers to you, but in time have become somewhat like second parents. Although the sports I did involved keeping the same coach year after year, I believe this can apply to athletes of all sports. Thus, looking back and reminiscing on my years of athletics, I've composed a list of ten reasons our coaches were actually our parents.

1. They give you life advice.

If you are ever struggling with a problem, whether it be a block, fear, or what to do with your time off your, coaches always come through with stellar advice. They have years under their belts of amazing wisdom, so they know what to do in certain situations. They can talk you out of your worst moods, so you can be successful both athletically and in the real world.

2. They tell you stories about when they were your age.

3. They tell you what to do at home.

You'd think it's enough having two parents run your life while you're at home, but no, you actually have more. Your coaches advise you to stay in shape by working out at home, to eat healthy, and to get a good night's sleep. So on top of your actual parents controlling what you do at home, your coaches edge their way in too.

4. Their children are like your siblings.

You spend so much time at practice and with your coaches that you get to know their family as well as you know them. They can't always leave the kids at home or with a babysitter, so their children join you at practice. Whether you are their role model as they “practice” with you or just someone to talk to, they are like second siblings to you.

5. They feed you.

There are always those magical occasions when your coach provides you with nutritious (or not so nutritious) food. Birthdays or athletic successes call for tasty desserts, while away competitions call for full-on meals. All in all, your coaches couldn't bear to see you starve.

6. They make you cry.

There are times when you're fooling around or not doing what your coaches have told you. We all know that times like these are when the yelling begins. You become upset and maybe even begin to cry because, like your parents, you hate to disappoint your coaches. You know deep down that you can do better by them.

7. They tell you to stop crying.

Like your parents, they can't bear to see you upset. They reinforce their message, but then tell you to knock it off. There are other things to get through, especially if practice is far from over.

8. They believe in you and push you.

Your coaches know you so well because you are their athlete. They spend so much time with you and know what you are capable of. They believe in what you can do and push you to be the best you can be. They are hard on you because they care; if they didn't care, they'd probably just ignore you.

9. You make them proud.

You are a reflection of your coaches' time and hard work. When you succeed, they succeed as well. They are proud of your accomplishments because you both put so much effort into improvement. Even when things don't go so well, they appreciate that you tried your best and gave a valiant effort.

10. You love them like second parents.

You and your coaches have a bond. You look up to them because they have gone through a lot of the same things you have. They know the fear of failure, the demanding schedule, the irritating exhaustion, and the immense passion for the sport all too well. They've walked in your shoes and know what's best for you because of all the time you've spent together. Most important, they care about you. It's easy to go to practice every day when you love and admire your coaches like second parents.