Coach,

You were there from the very beginning. You saw my potential before I even knew how much I would love this sport. It was not only my first year of high school ball, but it was also your first year coaching for my school. We both walked into a new world and dove in head first to the game of volleyball.

I came into my freshman year without knowing where I really belonged on the court. In junior high, I almost never hit a volleyball in my life. I was always the one setting up everyone else to hit, but on my first day, you put with who I thought where the scariest of hitters which where the middles. I didn't know it then, but I would soon fall in love with that positon and pour my heart and soul into it. You saw my dedication to the position through summer and preseason, and when it came to tryouts, you placed me on the junior varsity team. My love for the game sparked when I read my name on that list and then when I knew this was going to be the game for me.

Through out the rest of my freshman year, I continued to grow and improve and I still remember that time you pulled me as a freshman to go practice with the varsity. I was so nervous and excited that I earn a spot to play with some of the girls that I idol. I may not have been ready for that level of play just let, but you stay so positive for me even though you could see the fear on my face when game play got so fast that it was a blur in my eyes. The fact that you were able to believe in me, made me believe in myself.

The next three years of my high school career seem to go like a rollercoaster. I continued to work hard and was able to become a three year lettermen all thanks to that moment freshman year. These years were filled with tears of frustration when you seemed to spend a whole practice pointed out every little thing I was doing wrong and all I wanted to hear was a "good job" and "there you go". But, they were filled with smiles and laughter, whenever I would get a 10 foot line kill or straight down block, I would look at you and know I was able to do that because of you. By my senior year, we developed such a strong player-coach relationship where I could go to you for anything. I became on of the team captains and you put me in charge of the team and making sure everyone was all on the same page when it came to practice, game day or life in general.

I am beyond grateful for all the faith that you put in me from the very beginning. That year I realized how much I loved the game. I realized how good I could actually be and learned how to believe in myself. Volleyball has taught me so many life lesson that I am almost certain I would have never learned if it wasn't for the game. I would not be playing college ball today, living life just as happy as ever, if it wasn't for you. I will always have a special place in my heart for you because of everything you taught me.

Now that I have coached a year of ball all on my own, I learned just how much work it is and how much you are underappreciated at times. From being a coach and player, I now understand just how much a coach means to an athlete and how a simple "thank you coach" can mean so much. So thank you coach, thank you for everything you have ever done to help me get to where I am now because without you, I don't think I would have been able to do it.