It was the height of a spring softball game, and all of my girls were lined up against the chain-link fence chanting cheers in support of their teammate. I took a moment away from coaching to see one of my players standing isolated by the trees. She was talking on her cell phone looking more distraught than ever before. I walked over to her and asked her if everything was okay. She apologized quickly and said she needed to take this phone call, for it was her dad, and he was calling from prison. I was in shock- it was hard to believe that underneath all of the happiness was a girl who has had a much tougher life than I could have imagined. It was in that moment I knew, there was more depth to my 10 year old girls than I could have imagined. My job was to be much more than a softball coach. I grew up heavily involved in my community’s softball league as a player, and have coached a team for 2 years now. Coaching was a challenge at first, but quickly became a strong passion of mine as the girls’ joy and drive was inspiring. I encountered the most loving children, amidst a city that is plagued by negative media and influences. The high school I attend is populated by over 4,000 diverse students, and I would not trade this for the world. It …show more content…
To me, being a coach is providing my kids with a role model and steady figure in their lives to count on no matter what. I make sure I am there for the girls that I committed to, and give them an outlet for their day to day stresses. I always take time to ask them how they are doing- no matter what. A few of the girls will ask for help with their homework since no one at home can. I stress the importance to try their hardest in every aspect of their lives. Girls who would once give up on their homework started to ask for help instead of accepting defeat. They know I will always be there for them for more than just