After playing various sports throughout my childhood and watching my brothers play for years, I can personally tell you the kind of impact coaches make on their players. Even now I go back to advice given to me by some of my coaches. Sure, they teach you about whatever sport you are playing, but a great coach will teach you so much more than that. I remember playing in a softball tournament a few years ago. I was really struggling and just overall having a bad day. My coach sat with me and talked to me about what was going through my head and why I seemed to be so off that day. After talking for some time and getting some advice, I got my head up and was able to perform better. Coaches teach you about the game, but they also help to teach you about yourself. They push you to do things that you never thought you could do. Through this you are able to learn to push yourself and achieve amazing goals that you did not even know were possible. They turn into so much more than just someone who taught you how to play a game. They become people you look up to, role models. Take a look at our school’s football team and coaches. Many of our players have talked about the impacts that Coach Slaughter and others have made on them. There is such a special bond that coaches and players share, and I am so thankful to have had many amazing coaches that have been role models for me.