Dear Athlete,

I would not be surprised if you feel tired of hearing from me by now. Nobody likes a coach who talks so much you think s/he likes to hear her- or himself talk. If anything, it feels like a breath of fresh air when coaches leave the air quiet.

I’ll let you have a breather, but I do want to build you up with this last point:

No matter what happens, I’m cheering for you.

Yes, we both have things we need to learn. We make our share of mistakes and we all need the occasional attitude adjustment. We experience the highest highs and the lowest lows together, and I want to give you the best chance to know more highs than lows.

We experience the highest highs and the lowest lows together, and I want to give you the best chance to know more highs than lows.

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At the same time, you should know that nothing you do or say will stop me from caring about you and wanting the best for you.

When you reach the PR you’ve sweated and bled to hit, my heart gets three sizes bigger.

When you speak disrespectfully to your teammates, my heart hurts because I know you mean a lot to them, and they feed on good words from you.

When you come back to play after overcoming injury or grief, I beam with joy and pride for you.

When you refuse to believe in yourself, that you can get better or that the extra work might be worth it, I want to open your eyes wider to see the bigger potential I see in you.

When you notice your own habits and attitudes that destroy you or your team, and you take the smallest first step to change for the better, I cheer for you.

We face daily decisions that can direct us toward good things like health in our bodies, relationships, and identities, or toward painful things like destructive attitudes and habits. The days feel long, but the seasons run short. You may not know the consequences of the options you have, but that’s part of the reason I’m here. I want to share wisdom that will lead to life instead of death, hope and joy instead of frustration and pain. I don’t have all the answers, but I know that some answers are better than others. I want to help you determine those better answers.

So, we break from this virtual huddle back into the real world, to interact with real people, wrestle with real pain, and celebrate real joy. We don’t receive a promise of a smooth life, but if we walk with God, then God promises to be with us along the way. Your athletic career could turn out disappointing for what you hoped or expected, but God continues to make all things new and redeem the pain to bring out good things. That, Athlete, is what I hope for you: more of God in your daily life, making you new no matter how life looks, no matter how life goes.

Thanks for taking the time to listen. If you have any questions or need support, let me know.

After all, I’m cheering for you.

All the best,

Coach Bekah