To my coaches,
Thank you for always being there for me and for supporting me. You have made such a huge impact on my life. Without all of you, I would not be who I am today. You taught me many important things like hard work, dedication, and good sportsmanship. You taught me about time management and prioritizing so that I was, and will continue to always be, ready after my 5 minute warm-up or after the last practice before a test day where I had multiple things to test. You taught me to trust not only you, but also to trust myself; to trust that I could land that jump or nail that spin- all I had to do was try and believe in myself.
You have been there for me through the good and the bad. You have sat with me through many test days and competitions- even when they did not go so well. You believed in me when I didn’t know if I could do it, you watched and cheered from the sidelines, and you were there to give me feedback. You supported me mentally, emotionally, and sometimes even physically (such as while ice dancing).
Thank you for making skating a fun and safe place where I can be myself and enjoy some time away from everything else in life. I know I can always joke around and laugh with you. I know I can tell you anything. I remember seeing girls at other skate clubs crying either during or after their lessons because their coaches pushed them way to hard and it was no longer enjoyable for them. I am so glad you are always open and can sense when I’m not feeling well, or am exhausted, or have something on my mind; and even more that you are always understanding about it so I am never one of those girls who have to dread going to the rink if I’m not 100% that day. You push for improvement, not for overload. Because of this, skating has become my sanity, my mental break from university, and my little escape from reality.
Thank you for being a good role model and a good friend. I appreciate everything you have ever done for me and I hope that one day I can make half as big an impact on my skaters as a coach as you have made on me. There is so much more I wish I could say, but there are no words to describe your influence on me as I grew up and progressed as a skater. I continue to succeed and progress because you are there to push me, guide me, and give me the correct technique.
No matter if you have been my coach for years or only just a short time, it has meant so much to me. For those that have been my coach for years, thank you for taking me under your wing when I was young. For those who have just recently become one of my coaches, thank you for coming into my life. Thank you all for changing me for the better.
I love you all.