Dear coaches,

I would first like to say, thank you for everything you have done for me in my years as an athlete. I know I wasn't the easiest to coach at times, but you never gave up on me. Even to this day, I still value your relationship as much as I did at that time and wouldn't change it for anything.

You taught me a lot about myself and without your influence, I wouldn't be the same person that I am today. I am determined, and vocal, and persistent, and that is because of you, so thank you.

Thank you for always forgiving me when we fought. I would get frustrated when I wouldn't get a skill right away and you kept pushing me to do it or when you made a call that I disagreed with, but we always came back from it and it made me a better athlete in the end.

I know you constantly had a lot on your plate, but you never gave up on me. Even when I wouldn't get a skill right away, you kept your patience and continued to help me over and over again even when you weren't really doing anything and I was just too afraid to try on my own. You sat with me during your lunch period while I cried in your office or after practice when I needed someone to listen to a frustration with the team or even just high school drama, and you never, ever judged me. Thank you for that.

Along with that, you gave me advice. Not only did you advise me on how to better grip a shoe in a stunt or better tumble with my feet together, but you advised me on relationships, and college, and everything in between.

Thank you for keeping me motivated on the times I wanted to give up. There were many times I would tell myself I was quitting, or that I would never get this new skill, but you always kept me involved. While my passion for the sport would sometimes wear thin in frustration, my trust in your judgement was never questioned.

Trust is one of the most important aspects of a relationship. People think that trust is important among teammates, but it is as equally important among athlete and coach. I know how hard it is to maintain a sport when you have a lack of trust and relationship with your coach, it could ultimately ruin your passion for the sport, so thank you for opening your heart to me and showing me that I could trust you.

Thank you, too, for respecting me. Growing up as an athlete my whole life, I never had an issue of not respecting myself, or having no self worth. I believe a lot of it is because you believed in me, respected me, and never degraded me. I always looked up to my coaches and valued their opinions, and if they thought nicely of me, it was easy to think nicely of myself.

Thank you for still being there for me, even now. Knowing that I can come home from college and walk into my high school or the gym and see your smiling faces makes me miss the sport a little bit less, because at least I will always have a piece of it in me with you.

So thank you for everything you've done for me and please know that you have impacted my life forever, and that I am a better person having had your authority in my life. While I move on in life and don't still pursue my sport, it will always be in my heart and so will you because to me you're more than just my coaches, you're family.