Your time will come...if you wait for it

I have been searching my whole life to figure out what it is that I do best, I have always been good at somethings but I have never really been great at anything. I think I know can say, with confidence, that I have found my calling.

I have always loved to make people happy. I find it so fulfilling just to put a smile on someones face. I get most of this joy from coaching. I have the opportunity to mold young lives into thriving adults. I take deep pride in this. I always knew I wanted to be a coach. That was something I dreamed about as a kid. Most teenagers dream of becoming all-star athletes, doctors or lawyers. I just always knew that I wanted to be a coach in some way, shape, or form. I wanted to give to others what my coaches had given to me. My coaches were vital in my upbringing. They told me to reach for my dreams daily, to never give up when things get tough, and to push through, because no battle is easy, and once the battle is over the reward is so incredible that you will forget about the struggles you went through to reach your destination. I felt compelled to pass these messages onto upcoming volleyball players. Those messages help me get through the day. They make the impossible, possible. There is no obstacle that can stand in my way because of the strong words relayed to me at such an early age. I was blessed to be introduced to a set of amazing girls last year around this time. I had no idea that these girls would mold me as much as I was going to mold them.

There are moments during coaching that can elevate you to a place so high that you might never want to come down. Nothing thrills me more than seeing the girls that I am coaching win a game no one thought they would win. The illumination on their faces could light a million candles. Those moments are the ones I strive for, knowing that our goals have been achieved. Those moments will forever be frozen in my mind.

I also quickly realized in coaching there are lows. It is so heartbreaking to me when a player comes up to me after a tough loss and asks “what could I have done differently” when I know they gave it their all. It’s my job to show them the light when the skies get dark. As much as I want to sulk with them, I know I have to be the one to pick them up and tell them that it’s going to be alright.

One of the hardest things I have ever had to do is a coach is let go. Some of the girls I am/are coaching will be graduating this year. A few nights ago was their "senior night" and it took all I had not to burst out into tears as soon as I walked through the door. To make matters more sensitive they play for my alma mater. All of the emotions I had during my senior night returned that night. I had no clue how incredibly hard this would be for me so I tried my best to channel my emotions into something productive. So I wrote them all a message straight from my heart. This is what it said…

Your time as a Morehead volleyball player is almost over, so I ask this of you. Remember every accomplishment you had, remember your losses, remember the remarkable wins, and the laughs you shared along the way. You only get ONE senior night and it should be a time of reflection and victory. Always remember where you came from, always stay true to who you are. You are, and will forever be a Panther. You should be proud to wear the red, black, and white one last time. Those colors should run deep through your veins. Your time here will not be forgotten. You made your history now it’s time to pass the torch to the younger generation who will carry on your magnificent legacy.

This night will stay with you for the rest of your life. Tonight it is no longer about wins or losses. It’s about the memories you have made with your past and present teammates. Appreciate every moment, breathe it all in, because this is the last time you will ever wear your colors on your home floor. Make this one count; this is the one that will stand out. You won’t understand it now, but take it from someone who knows. This will be one of your best memories ever made.

It came from my soul. It was my way of trying to interpret what I was feeling during that time. It was just me giving them the same wisdom my coaches gave to me at their age. It feels unbelievably rewarding to pass this knowledge on, and I am overly proud to call myself their coach.

These are the moments that make coaching so rewarding. I know letting them go will be hard but I know the future generations will be counting on me to give them the same advice, knowledge, and motivation that I gave to those seniors.

My time has come. This is who I am. I am a coach.