I never saw myself coaching any sort of sport -- we will just start there. I ran track and field in high school and middle school, and I didn’t even like a majority of my coaches, so I definitely never thought about being one. Yes, I had the few coaches who truly cared, made an effort and were dedicated to the success of us, their athletes. I never understood that. Why on earth would these grown adults spend all their time coaching angst-ridden teenagers instead of living their lives? I mean, I suppose somebody had to coach us, but the people who did didn’t even get paid? Why? Track is one of the most involved sports there is. Three-hour practices daily, and then five-hour meets once a week and usually once a weekend. What was with these people, spending at least 20 hours a week coaching random kids? I thought they were insane.
Boy, did my opinions change quickly. When I talked to my college advisor about going to medical school, she told me to get on top of my volunteer hours ASAP. She offered me lots of options, but there was nothing that jumped out at me. I finally decided I could volunteer for middle school track because I wasn’t so close in age to the kids I’d be coaching. Unfortunately, the middle school track season had already passed by the time I was looking into it. The thought of coaching high schoolers was daunting. I was only one year removed from them; they’d never ever respect me.
I had to bite the bullet, and I emailed the head track coach at the high school closest to campus, who instantly replied and asked me to come down to talk with him. One CPR class and a week later, it was my first day of practice. Naturally, it poured down rain (thanks, Washington). I felt so out of my depth instantly. What if they wouldn’t listen? What if I didn’t know enough? I wasn’t even running for my college -- how on earth was I qualified for this?
They could tell I was young, so I knew I’d have to be strict at first. The season progressed quickly, and even more quickly, I was able to connect with the kids and help them get better and better. There was another freshman girl who was volunteering as a coach, which definitely made me feel better. I remember how stupid I thought it was for my coaches in high school to waste all their time on the track, but since coaching, I can’t imagine a better place to volunteer.
I had the opportunity to travel with the team and see their playoff meets, as well. We went to the semi-finals, and one of the last races of the night -- the men’s 4 by 400 relay (4 runners each run a lap) -- had all the coaches a little bit nervous. As the race began, we all couldn’t believe the way the boys were running. They all ran fantastic races and made it on to the second night of the finals. It was wonderful to watch them run, these being the boys I had worked with a lot to prepare them for the race. As great as it was to watch them do so well, there was no better feeling than to see them walk off the track, lit up with pride.
They’d done what we coaches weren’t sure was possible. Seeing the happiness on their faces, I instantly understood. I understood why my coaches coached. I understood why it made them so happy. It was an amazing feeling to see the boys so happy. Of course, their performance was solely based on them and their talents and strength, but seeing these kids so happy, so excited, and knowing you helped contribute to that, even in the slightest, is a fantastic feeling.
Passing on knowledge and love of a sport I care about was an amazing opportunity I never thought I’d get a chance to experience. The other coaches I work with are amazing. That feeling of telling a kid they broke their PR (personal record), or when they come up and tell you how happy they are with a race... That feeling is pretty damn awesome. I wouldn’t trade coaching for anything in the world, and although challenging at times, it’s so insanely rewarding.
