What is your favorite part of being a high school coach?
The interactions that I get to have with the girls. To see their growth from freshman year to their senior year. Seeing young ladies be there to build eachother up and be involved in a positive, healthy activity.
How has COVID-19 affected the way you coach?
It was so tough to lose last year's season. I felt horrible for my athletes. We remind the girls not to take anything for granted.
What have you learned from your time coaching?
You cannot think of your athletes just as athletes, they have so many things going on in their lives. They need to know that you care about them as the entire person. It's easy to get caught up in it all. Make sure you take the time to step back and enjoy the ride. Let the goals be the teams...not yours. If the team creates the goals, they have ownership in them which is so much more powerful.
What are a few skills you have developed or refined while coaching?
- Patience - taking the time to help my athletes understand the importance of all of the parts of being a successful athlete and person.
- Seeing the whole picture - there are so many reasons why girls come out for track. High schoolers have so many things going on in their lives. Helping them find the balance to do everything they want to while still taking care of themselves.
What advice would you give someone who wants to be a coach?
You must have a passion for it. Be ready to coach ALL athletes no matter the ability level. All athletes should have the opportunity for growth in their sport.
Why did you become a coach?
I was blessed with having many wonderful coaches throughout high school and college. I love helping students be healthy, successful individuals. I have had a passion for track and field pretty much my entire life and I love sharing this passion with others.
What value/idea is most important to you as a coach?
I have a few: passion for the sport, work ethic and positive competition are things that I want all of my athletes to have.
Did you play any sports in high school, if so, how has that impacted your coaching techniques today?
I ran cross country and track and played basketball. There were some ups and downs. I've learned to always tell my athletes the truth. Even if the truth isn't what they want to hear, they need to know that you will always be there for them.
- Spotlight written by Amanda Burghduff, Waukee APEX Associate
IGHSAU Coach Spotlights are created by high school students in Waukee High School's APEX program. The IGHSAU is thankful for its partnership with Waukee APEX to create meaningful content to share with our member schools, student-athletes, coaches, and fans. To learn more about Waukee APEX, click here.