Not only do coaches help athletes to improve their physical performance, they also encourage them to improve themselves as people and to exceed their own expectations.  Whether they play field hockey, soccer, tennis or football, players learn from their coaches in many ways.

Junior and field hockey player Kate Dickenson of Spring Lake Heights had a coach who inspired her to push herself more.

“When I wasn’t trying hard, my coach took me out of the game and put me back down to JV,” Dickenson said. Because her coach showed her the negative consequences of putting in minimal effort, Dickenson learned that she needed to push herself in order to succeed.

“Once I realized that, [my coach] put me back up to varsity, so it taught me a really good lesson,” she said.

Sometimes, coaches can change the lives of their players with their overall ability to motivate.

Sophomore Sawyer Barth of West Long Branch plays for Shore Boys Varsity Soccer. He said that his coach makes him more competitive. Because his coach enjoys winning, Barth said he pushes himself to succeed. When his coach drives him to win, it helps him “get into that game headspace.”

Athletes who may not love their coach are still able to find ways in which they have been beneficial.  Freshman Isabelle Erskine of Holmdel swims competitively.  A few years ago, she had a coach that seemed to be the complete opposite of her; the two of them did not get along.  Since they were not compatible, Erskine said it taught her “to deal with disagreements.”  Those controversies that she had with her coach assisted and inspired her.

Coaches are the key element to every single team.  In addition to coaching, they help athletes reach their greatest potential and provide encouragement along the way.  Even individuals who may not love their coach as a person, like Erskine, can still be positively impacted by them.  As hardworking athletes, Dickenson, Barth, and Erskine can all agree that coaches are extremely inspirational after all.