If you’ve been with me for a while, you know that I write a lot about emotion, attitude, and just being there in the moment with whatever it is you are feeling.

#dontweknowit

I’ve written about former players and teams crying because of bad games, lost seasons, or emotional wins. I went back through some of my writing and got choked up on a few because I’d forgotten how hard they played, the sting of a season-ending loss, or just how much raw emotion can be packed into a middle school girl’s body!

#Needstobeanenergysourcetosaveusall

No kidding!

But I’ve not written much about my own emotions. Well, my “Cried” series gets another chapter. Me.

A few weeks back, a former student and player messaged me out of the blue to tell me she was being inducted into the National Honor Society. She was “that” girl as I coached her, but she had lost confidence in her ability. My task, bring her back. After some tough love, some outstanding play, and a couple of 1st place tournaments, we had her back. She played, then started varsity basketball as a freshman, runs cross country (qualified for state this year), plays softball, runs track, and honestly, I’m not sure when she sleeps!

#youneedyoursleepgirl

I’m not sure if this is true of all National Honor Society ceremonies, but ours has the candidate read a speech about someone who inspired them. In her message, she asked if she could write about me.

#ha

No, really! Needless to say, I was taken aback. I’m a teacher, and I teach. I don’t really think that I inspire, nor do I look for that kind of attention. I just do what comes naturally. However, I did agree to it.

Fast forward a month, and last Friday, I got a message from her, “Hey, did you get my email about the ceremony? It’s November 10th.”

Oh no.

#what

We had a game that night. An away game, 45 minutes away, that we (my wife and I) drove the girls to in our school van. There was no way we were coaching two games, getting the girls back, then running another 15 minutes to the school. It just wasn’t logistically possible (I went through a ton of scenarios and nothing worked). So I messaged her and let her know that I was crushed I wouldn’t be able to be there, and thanked her for the honor.

She, in typical teenage fashion, said, “No worries, but here is my speech”. Oh. Now the speech is in my inbox? So I read it. Tears. Tears of realization that maybe, just maybe, I do make a difference in lives. Again, as many teachers do, I don’t see the outcome of my efforts. At my old school, the kids left the middle school for high school, and unless I saw them at games or musical concerts, they just disappeared. Here, at my new school, it’s one campus, but I rarely see the middle schoolers. If I were to stay here for a while, I think that it would turn out to be the same.

Well, that was fine until her mom messaged me her recorded speech this morning. More tears. The voice was the killer for me. And I’ve always been a bit of a sap, and since my stroke, my emotions get a little more wired. Either way, happy tears, but tears all the same.

So, I’ll leave you with the transcript she sent me and the request: If you are an educator who feels that you are not making a difference, stop it! You are doing just that and more. No, you won’t feel that connection with every student, and that’s ok. But you’ll make every student feel special by doing the things you do on a daily basis that let them know you care. That smile in the morning, that question about a family member, showing up for that event, they all matter. It’s not the grand gesture; it’s the culmination of all the little ones that help them realize that you see them and that they matter to you.

So now there are two of you who have written about me, and I am so proud of both of you. The further along in my career that I go, I realize what an honor it is to be chosen as someone who influenced you. Thank you for this honor. I hope my day-to-day actions reflect this honor! 🙂

“Keep proving to yourself that the mistakes are behind you and that you are ready for the next one.” I was told this over three years ago by a former NFV employee who impacted my high school career by giving me the confidence to become the person I am today and teaching me how to move on and learn from previous mistakes. I first met Mr. J in 6th grade, where he was my Social Studies teacher. Soon after, he became my basketball coach, who inspires me to this day. After every basketball season, Mr. J had a tradition of emailing his players a “season wrap-up.” In this email, he always explained three things you did well during the season and three things to improve on for future seasons. In both of these categories, Mr. J brought up my confidence and leadership, where he addressed how I am a positive leader and lead by example.
Even though I am now a junior at NFV High School and Mr. J teaches at P, he remains one of my go-to people to contact when I face athletic challenges. I turn to him because we grew incredibly close while he coached me through losing my confidence on the court and finding myself again. His coaching techniques and life-advising discussions have morphed me into both the player and person I am today. The biggest lesson Mr. J has taught me is that no matter the mistakes you make, you have to keep your head high and look past them. This advice applies both on and off the court, and has aided me in overcoming many challenges I’ve faced in high school.