The new coach

She describes her 1st day on the job to me as we’re driving home.
I took my kids aside, sat them down and told them, I want to know everything you’d like to do and learn here.
Brilliant!! …was my 1st thought. Her 1st day and she already grasps that her gymnasts will learn more, develop faster and enjoy themselves better when their motivation is engaged by learning what they want to learn.

We talk about coaching and motivation, about making things fun. She describes redirecting a gymnast to a new activity before the frustration of repeated failed attempts makes it too difficult to focus. I get the scoop on the gymnasts in her groups. She sees each person with their own desires and needs and changes her approach to suit them. I hear about her ideas on bringing along a shy person.

I’m getting goose bumps by now. How did you learn so much about being a great coach? I ask. There’s people who have coached for years that still don’t understand the positive influence they could be, if they could just take on your attitude and approach.

That’s how I learned from Laura and Marlene, she tells me. The coaches she changed gymnastics clubs for to follow them to their new club. I already knew they were something special; I’m getting a better idea now why.

What I thought was a good summer job for my daughter Kayla has transformed into a great summer job. The opportunity to try your best and stretch yourself at something worthwhile; the teaching, the leadership, the practice at helping individuals and groups, ….

Try learning that, operating the deep fryer all summer.

Kayla, I stopped genuinely worrying about what kind of monkey you would become when you got together with some grade school friends 5 years ago and organized a bucket brigade. Hundreds of emergency care kits went to Iraqi refugee families through the Mennonite Central Committee.

It’s silly that I didn’t know your good heart before then. I haven’t stopped noticing ever since.

I’ve been happy with you and proud of you for a long time now. On this occasion, I’m happy for you.

The new coach: