When You Get Frustrated With Your Sport, Coach.

I've been doing track for the past 5 years, which isn't a super long time, however I ended up just feeling really run down after the past season.

I was doing better workouts and doing more strength work to make my body stronger, however I felt I wasn't getting the results I wanted ( or felt I deserved. I hate the word DESERVED, it breeds entitlement) I was just stressed out and, was putting so much pressure on myself and it wasn't fun.



I actually thought about quitting sometimes, because I always told myself the second it wasn't fun anymore I'd do something else. There were other things I was interested in but was putting so much time into this sport. I'm really glad though that by the end of the season most of my major frustrations left.

Track has brought me so much happiness and so many cool experiences, and i'm just so blessed to be able to do something that pushes me, that allows me to be frustrated. I'm lucky to even have this gift, these hops.

I wasn't able to really contextualize and get my REAL love for the sport back until this summer though. Coaching kids from age 8 to 17 how to high jump, it just brings me back to when I started, and why I continued this into college.

Watching the younger athletes get really into jumping during practice to the point they want to go again, and again, and again till they get it right, and then actually getting it right...it's just an insane feeling. Knowing your helping someone else out and then seeing how happy and excited they get when they finally get a certain part of the approach down, or clear a new height, it's just so incredible.

It just brings me back to being 14 and starting this sport as a gangly freshman in high school. I just tried out for track because I still wanted to do something once basketball finished. It ended up leading me would lead me to quitting basketball. Seeing these kids, and working with other volunteer coaches years older than me, just shows me how short life can be. The adults want back they're years of collegiate athletics, no matter what level they performed at, and the kids are just starting out on their journey. I's just such a gift I've been able to be a part of this Track and Field family.

All I know is I've been there when you feel run down and wonder what the point is. The point is that we have an ability and a skill that many people don't. And we need to really be grateful and thankful that God has given us such an incredible talent.

If you're feeling run down from your sport, coach. Because watching the beginners, reminds you of why you started, and kept going in the first place. It's just fun, and a different way of thinking about the sport. It transitions from it being about you, to being about them.

Coaching has just really brought the sport full circle for me.