The Grand Views

Issue date: 2/5/10 Section: Opinion

I have coached Taylor Kelly since she was a freshman in high school. I knew she would be a great player. During her senior year she was a team captian and was a 1st team all-conference player. This photo was taken after Taylor advanced to the 2009 state volleyball tournament. She'll be playing volleyball at Iowa Central this fall.

When I was in high school, I always helped with little girl sports camps. Those girls looked up to me, and I wanted to help them develop the skills that I had learned.

After working with them, I knew that some day I wanted to be a coach.

My first coaching opportunity came during my junior year, when I tore my ACL playing basketball. I couldn't play AAU (club) volleyball with my teammates in the spring, so I helped coach the eighth grade and freshmen teams.              

There was a girl in my sister's class that I knew had the ability to be a great volleyball player. She just needed a little help in realizing it.

I told her, "You have the ability to be the starting middle hitter next year. You just have to work harder than the other girls."  So she stayed late after practice to work on hitting and came early to work on blocking.

When it came time for the regular volleyball season to start, she was the starting middle hitter. During her senior year (this last fall), she was named first team all-conference and was a team captain, and she helped her team to the state volleyball tournament for the second time in three years. She'll be playing volleyball this fall at Iowa Central.              

She was a player that just needed an extra push and someone to tell her, "You can do it if you put your mind to it."             

This reminds me of all the coaches who have pushed me in everything I've done. They've taught me lessons not only about sports, but life lessons.

I had always talked my way out of running 400s in middle school, but knew I couldn't do that in high school. Before I knew it, my coach had me running three 400s a night. I thought there was no way I could do this, but he knew I could.

I accepted the fact that I would have to run 400s, but I drew the line when it came to 800s. I was wrong again. The first meet of my senior year, there I was running an 800 for the first time in my life. He kept telling me, "You can do this. No one's ever died running an 800."

After I won my first gold medal in the 4x800, he asked if he could have that medal. And now I realize I should have given it to him. If it weren't for him pushing me and believing in me, I would have never gotten that gold medal and realized that I could do it. 

My volleyball coach once told me, "I've never thought you were the most gifted player, but that doesn't matter, because you've worked harder then anyone else to become the athlete you are today."

I've taken what those coaches taught me and used it in every part of my life; to work hard in everything I do and believe in myself.

When I saw an ad in the newspaper in July for a volleyball coaching position at a local high school, I jumped at the opportunity.

I wanted the opportunity to help high school girls believe that they can do anything they put their minds to. I wanted the opportunity to be that person who believes in them just like my coaches did for me. 

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools