Dear Coach,

You’ve stuck with me through thick and thin. Through the highs and lows of my athletic career and just life in general, you have been my closest advocate, cheerleader, and friend.

I’ve been obnoxious at times. Most of the time. 98 percent of the time. And yet you’ve put up with me because you’ve seen my potential and how much I’ve grown over the time I’ve spent with you. I’ve grown in my athletic ability, but I’ve also grown up.

We’ve spent a lot of time on the road together, and so we’ve grown super close. We’ve sung to 80’s party mixes on the way to competitions, and we’ve had deep discussions about performance, excellence, and disappointment on the way home. I don’t know how many other people I can say that about, but I’m so glad you were the coach put into my life to influence me in so many ways.

You’ve stood beside me when I was on top of the world. I wouldn't be the same person without you. You helped me evolve into a better competitor and overall person, learning sportsmanship and life lessons that I would have never gotten any other way. It may be “about the journey, not the destination,” but that destination is pretty nice.

The destination is great, but that journey really sucks sometimes. You’ve also been beside me, watching me struggle with failure and defeat. This happens more often than victory, unfortunately, but it’s a fact of life. You’re the one who tells me those annoying clichés like, “It’s not how hard life hits you, it’s how hard you hit back,” and, “You fall seven times, you get up eight.” And I roll my eyes and maybe pout and get angry at you, myself, the world… but eventually it makes me fight harder to be better, to become greater, to try to excel and right the crappy day I’ve had.

You’re the reason I am who I am in my sport. You’re the reason I’ve come as far as I have. Without you, I might be nothing. I could have quit. I might have stuck it out for a few years, but I wouldn’t have made it far. I would have gotten nowhere, been no one, and would have quit and that would have been that.

I’m writing this letter to thank you. I owe you so much. I need to say these words more often, but you’ve shaped me in so many ways. Coaches are the cornerstones of teams. You hold the team together, help us work towards a common goal, and make sure we work hard and push ourselves and each other as hard as we possibly can to achieve that goal.

You’ve been a big influence on so many, and you’ve made such an impact on my life.

Thank you.

From me, and all those you’ve pushed towards greatness.