As an athlete at any level, we've all had the good coaches,
the mean coaches, and the crazy coaches, etc. And as a coach there are the
athletic, lazy, coachable, etc. athletes on the team. However, the ultimate
goal of a coach is to find a successful way of showcasing the talent of the
athletes on the team. Coaches try to help better their athletes' performance
and reach their full potential. Any coach can provide feedback, but a good coach provides constructive feedback and a bad coach provides destructive feedback.The latter is the type of coach that ruins
sports, so here is to you:
1
Because of you I lost all confidence in myself
as a player and a person, doubting every sporting event. While I knew I wasn't
the best on the team, I knew I still played a part in helping the team win.
However, your body language of being closed off, absence of communication, and lack of effort made me fear ever making a
mistake.
Because of you I lost the passion for a sport I
grew to love. You took away the freedom of playing the game I loved. The freedom of being competitive and enjoying myself while I play. You made me grow
hateful towards something that brought many friendships and memories through your lack of leadership and effort towards me and the team.
Because of you I became broken. You made me
question who I was and who I wanted to be. I was an athletic multi-sport high school athlete. I wanted to become a successful collegiate athlete. Instead you made me feel like I was
worthless. To you I was just another number on the roster, not a person. That
brokenness brought me many sleepless nights of questioning if I had made the right choice.
Because of you I am changed. I've had to fight
to gain back my confidence in sports and in life. Something I wished I'd never
have to do. Instead of becoming the greatest player I can be, I've had to fight
to become the player I used to be. I still have days where I feel I'm never
going to be good enough. I won't ever look at sports the same. Never did I
think one person could break me down as much as you did, and never did I think
I would be where I am today.
Because of you my relationship with Jesus has
grown immensely. I have started healing, and Jesus is mending my heart. He has shown me, on my good days and even my bad days, I am worthy of His love and grace. I am no
longer bound by the chains you, as a coach, put around me. I have found freedom in knowing
every season has a purpose. This season may have brought trial and hardship,
but it has equipped me for whatever is coming. (Ecclesiastes 3: 1,4)
Because of you I walked in the darkness and have
been covering up my emotional wounds. But now I am not scared of telling my story, and you no
longer have power over me. I am here to reveal my trial, journey of faith, and be a light for
others to find healing. (John 12:46)
Because of you I know nothing is impossible. You
took away what I thought was the most important thing in the world, sports. You
shattered my plans. However, God has shown me, He has bigger plans for me than
I could even imagine. (Proverbs 3:5)
I want to thank you. It took you breaking me down to my
lowest to find out who I truly am, a daughter of Christ. I will never think of
sports the same because of you, but I will be able to share the love and grace
God provides with others. You restarted my journey of faith, and I am ready to
share.
