It Comes From Within…

My favorite teenager started playing basketball in a local youth recreation program as a fourth grader.  During her first game, she was a timid shadow on the court and I am pretty sure that she never touched the ball.  Her fear of fouling and lack of confidence caused her to choose to not engage on the court.

My favorite teenager at age 10…

I believe in the power of positive reinforcement and have a rule that after each one of my girls’ sporting activities, Matt and I always compliment them on something that they did well.  I’ll never forget the look on Matt’s face as he visibly struggled to find something positive to say to Ashley Grace after that game.

Matt ended up placing a bet with our little 10 year old basketball protégé knowing that, given her personality, it would be an effective catalyst for positive change.

He bet that she couldn’t make a foul in the next game.  When she proved us wrong (and made a foul) we went to Dairy Queen as a family after the game for ice cream.  That first foul was the beginning of a new era as Ashley Grace learned that in order to be successful, you have to engage.  Mistakes will surely be made, but in the end engagement is the key.

A few years later, looking for a good shot…

Over the years, we have watched our daughter turn into a very good defensive player.  Today, she is often given the job of guarding players much larger than herself because her quickness and persistence make her incredibly effective at shutting them down.  She has learned that no matter what obstacle is placed in her path, success is something that comes from within. 

The girl in maroon is just slightly bigger than my favorite #32…

Her days of non-engagement on the basketball court are long behind her.  That timid ghost has steadily been replaced with a confident contributor.  Thursday evening I watched her sink two free throw shots in the last minute of the game to lead her team to victory.  I have to admit that I was blinking back the tears as I watched the composure and strength of character shine through.

The 10,000 baskets that she made on another bet last winter provided a good foundation…

As a parent I often struggle with the balance of helping my daughters and letting them learn to do things on their own.  Over the years, I have settled into a place where I try to always offer support and direction but at the same time step back enough to allow my girls to become strong and independent young women.

I believe that allowing them that freedom teaches them that true strength comes from within…

After all, when the buzzer sounds in the game of life, it will be up to them to make the ball drop into the hoop…

Becoming Believers…

My favorite Cowgirl/Chef announced at dinner Saturday night, “Mom, you’re a hard ass”.  While her choice of language was not entirely acceptable to me; within the context of the dinner table discussion, I really could not argue with her statement.  The conversation that night focused on the fourth swim meet of the season and my coaching *style*.

During the summer months, I periodically take off my feed yard manager/Boss Lady hat and put on my Swim Team Coach hat.  On weekdays, I can be found on the community pool deck from 11:25 to 12:45 for practice; and I am at a pool somewhere in Nebraska almost every Saturday in June and July at our weekly swim meets.

If you look closely you will see one of my favorite quotes on the front of the t-shirts!

My girls and I became involved with the Plains tSunami swim league four years ago joining up with a neighboring community program in Gothenburg (the town 5 miles west of the feed yard).  Today, with the help of two other coaches and a couple of wonderful “managers”, our team touches more than 60 children in the Gothenburg and Cozad communities.

I have been a volunteer youth athletic coach for many different sports in the 16 years since I graduated from college, but swim team is my favorite.  There is no doubt that the sport that I dedicated my life to for more than a decade holds a special place in my heart.  However, my love for coaching this group of kids goes deeper than that.

About 3/4’s of the 2013 team 🙂

There is something about a pool of water and a pair of goggles that teaches young people that the ultimate source of power comes from within.  When the going gets tough, it is quite literally, a matter of sinking or swimming.  While I have many athletes that spend most of the year exceling in sports other than swimming, I know that the summer days spent training in the water do more than bring a new level of fitness to their bodies.  Those hours build their confidence and make them believers.

As Megan so pointedly noted on Saturday evening at the dinner table, I am a challenging coach.  I expect my athletes to not only work hard but also to believe in themselves.  I ask them to do things that raise the bar higher.

I want them to learn that life is an open door for them—that they can accomplish their dreams if only they will work hard and believe in themselves.

“Coach” Anne

While I am intense and likely a bit intimidating when I put on my *coaching hat*, the truth is that my athletes excel not only physically but also mentally under my tutelage.  With every race that they win or every PR that they swim, the athletes learn that they control their own destiny.  I treasure the expressions of personal victory that I see so often on their faces.

What my swimmers may not realize is that as I watch their successes, I have to pull my baseball cap down just a little bit further so that they will not see the tears in my eyes—tears of pride and of joy that come as I watch them become believers.

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