Coach

No, not the designer handbag. 

The person in charge of the team. The one who pushes each member of a team, each individual athlete and participant. At practice, the coach is the angry face pushing everyone from the sidelines, and teaching each player on a team how to improve. In tennis, the coach helps work on serves. In football, the coach is mapping out plays for the next game. The cross country coach is calculating mile times for each runner. The bowling coach is watching the form of each bowler, and the soccer coach trains the team to pass the ball smoothly. Practice is a grueling, long session of repetition overseen by that scary coach, who shouts from the side with pieces of seemingly useless advice. The whistle hangs in his mouth, or there's a timer in her hand, or a clipboard under his elbow. "He's tough," say all the teammates. "Yeah, she made us run extra laps yesterday," they whine. But at the end of the day, that coach is the one pushing everyone on the team. Every exhausting practice with that coach is preparation for the real deal - game day. The competition, the meet, the tournament. Every practice leads up to the big day...

Whether it's the buzzer, or a starter gun, or a kick-off on the field, the coach is there for every second of it, reminding the team of what they've learned and the skills they've developed in practice. Kick it in on the last stretch of this 400 meters, make sure to block the opposer's shots, and keep your eye on the ball. And in a matter of hours, minutes, or sometimes merely seconds, it's over. 

When the team has won or lost, the coach has to be there. The coach is the one that celebrates after a success, the one who pours gatorade on the team and hands out medals and announces successes. The coach is the one to treat the team to pizza, or plan a pool party, or even just pat a player on the back. Coaches recognize every effort as a success, and they're the secret to the success of a team. 

To all the coaches out there, thanks for keeping everyone moving forward. You criticize, challenge, and motivate your teams every day in practice and in play. You are the driving power of a team, and a true role model.

Stay awesome,
Claire