Thanks Coach

As we walk back through time, each of us can remember different inspirations and life lessons that provoked a turn in our lives.  This week I can't stop thinking about one that happened many years ago with what was a simple request for help.

I was a teenage boy, with a love of sports. I was surrounded by supportive people.  Coaches, friends, parents of friends, neighbors and my parents.  I was encouraged constantly to be my best. Some would say that my best was all that was acceptable.  My parent's neighbor and friend to all suffered an injury and much to my surprise - he contacted me for help.  He was coaching a girls soccer team (I can't remember if it was U-8 or U-10) and his injury was going to limit his ability to coach.  His request was simple - just help out, but the ramifications of the request and my eagerness to try literally changed my life.


I began helping with the running of drills and teaching the girls different aspects of the game.  I loved the game so this was rather simple.  However, I learned that fall that coaching soccer had less to do with my soccer skills and ability, rather it was about communication, coordination, and working towards a common goal.  I learned how to organize a group of people (pre-adolescent girls) to accomplish a task.  I learned that being supportive of the group would go further than teaching a few of them a new trick or technique.  Through my working with the coach, I learned to truly love the art of coaching.


Ever since that fall season, I have been a coach.  I have coached youth sports for most of my life. Some of those sports were organized recreational programs and some of them were simple training sessions with individual players.  I moved from coaching young girls soccer through coaching co-ed and boys soccer through high school age.  I coached baseball from U-5 through U-18. I am an assistant coach for a girls Track and Field team.  I also find myself serving as coach at work and in the community.  All of that coaching started with one man and the lessons he shared.

This past weekend I learned that he passed away after a battle with cancer.  My heart sunk with the news. My deepest condolences go out to his family - his daughter's Paula and Jaime and to his wife Ms. Bert.  I regret never having told Mr. Pete how much he impacted my life. I am truly thankful for having known him and him thinking enough of me to give me the opportunity. You never know the lives you impact with your simple actions.