If you follow us on Facebook and Twitter, you know that we’ve been celebrating National Mentoring Month this January. This week, we’re excited to be a supporter of the National Mentoring Summit right here in Washington, DC!
Around here, we know that coaches – like our very own Soccer for Success coaches – make amazing mentors, and all of this talk about mentorship got me thinking about the coaches who have made a positive impact on my own life.
Coach Pat was my swimming coach when I was about ten years old. She was known for her grueling practices and for making swimmers stay late for extra fitness conditioning. She ran a tight ship, to say the least. But with every practice and every meet, Coach Pat taught me to push myself past my perceived limits and to see challenges as opportunities to grow and improve. She made me realize that even when I’m exhausted, frustrated, and ready to call it quits, there’s always room to go just a little bit further or a little bit faster. These were lessons that I carried onto to the soccer field and into the classroom; they are lessons that are still with me today.
Every kid deserves a Coach Pat – someone who believes in their dreams; someone who will push them to be their absolute best; someone to tell them that sometimes, when things get tough, you’ve just got to buckle down and keep swimming. For 18,000 kids across the country, Soccer for Success coaches are doing just that, and we couldn’t be more proud.
Is there a coach or mentor who’s made a significant impact in your life? Tell us about them below!
