In my 5 years of coaching and teaching, I have always had the lingering idea that I wasn't doing what I was "meant" to do. I have always loved coaching and building those relationships with my girls. Last year was the first year I really concentrated on praying over my girls, giving them handwritten notes for each game, and telling them I love them at the end of every practice. After 3 years, I had finally figured out the coach I wanted to be. Remain positive, reinforce and build up their self esteem, serve them well with dedication, loyalty, structure and discipline. This combination ended up working so well in my last position as a head coach. I believe great things can happen when you love and serve people well.
At the beginning of my career, I thought they needed to earn your trust and respect. However, a couple of years later while I was an assistant at Richardson High School, it came to me that maybe it was the other way around...maybe I needed to give it from the beginning and not only would they respect me in return, but they would become someone I would trust and respect anyway. It works. Yes, they are teenage girls, so yes they will make mistakes, they will disappoint. However, provide the discipline and the structure and it will lead to better decisions and not just for the present, but for the future which is even more important to me as a coach. All of this to say, I love my job. I love my athletes. I love seeing kids succeed and even more watching kids see themselves succeed.
This year, I decided to make a move and take an assistant position at South Grand Prairie. It was a good move for me both personally and career-wise, considering my goal from the beginning has been to be a head coach of a 5A program. I also recently got married, and am at the same school my husband teaches and coaches as well. It is a huge school so it's not like we see each other constantly, but the random wave or hello is really nice. I also love the fact that we are living and serving the same community, students, athletes, and high school.
We had a great volleyball season that wrapped up Tuesday night, and I really believe helped girls have a meaningful season. Every year towards the end of volleyball season I have noticed I go through a "depression period", I don't really like using the term depression in the casual sense, but it's just a weird feeling that overwhelms me, which I think comes over anyone after such a long period of time of pouring yourself and all your time into something that is suddenly over and no longer in existence. This is when I generally really start to hear that lingering questioning again of if I am doing what I am really supposed to do.
The other day, a student that walks by my room everyday asked if I went to church. I told her I was a covenant member at The Village in Dallas. The next day she mentioned that she had asked me that because "she could tell",...it made me realize I'm right where I'm supposed to be. I pray that I don't grow satisfied with this one comment but strive to make that same impact on many other students especially those that are non-believers.
So...why did I do all that rambling? I say all of that to tell you I know I am in the right place, for now. However, I do still have that need to create and use my artistic talents (not sure I can go as far to say they're talents), maybe more artistic interests....and make art! I have always had to coach more than one sport and never found the time or energy to do much during the school year. Well, this year I am only a volleyball coach! So I am going to fill my "free time" with this blog, an etsy shop soon coming, and lots of artwork and handmade cards for sale! Lots of things posting soon :) Welcome to my life, and I hope you never doubt that He is "Faithful to Finish".
