If you were ever an avid athlete in a sport, chances are you have one coach (or one set of coaches) that knows you more than you know yourself. These people are some of the most special, and influential people to step into your young life. For the majority of your growing life, they were there right by your side guiding you in more than one way. They shared some of the most exciting, dramatic, and disappointing moments you have experienced. They pushed you to succeed and forced you to persevere to limits you never thought possible. Yet although they mean so much, they really have gone so under-appreciated when you think of all they did for you. So to all of these special coaches in my life, here are your thank you’s. Thank you and thank you again.

To the Coach Who Was More than A Coach,

Thank you for being the person to push me to do great things, even when I didn’t think it was possible.

Thank you for helping me grow, athletically and even more importantly, as a human being.

Thank you for taking hours out of your life/work every day, to help ME. Your selflessness will never go under appreciated again.

Thank you for arguing with me, to put me back in my place, where I needed to be.

Thank you for giving me a safe place, away from the burdens life threw at me.

Thank you for all the lessons you taught me along our journey together.

Thank you for all the laughs you gave us, with the inside jokes and memories we were able to share.

Thank you for caring for me so much, that there was a point you became my parents away from home.

Thank you for yelling at me when I was out of line to give me a reality check.

Thank you for helping me find more than just a love for the game, but helping me find who I was & can be in this world off the field.

Thank you for jumping with us in celebration, losing your cool with us at bad calls, and soothing us in the big losses.

Thank you for staying sane despite having to deal with a group of girls ages pre-teen to teenager.

Thank you for being my coach.