I got to coach today.
Read that again. I GOT to coach today. It was a privilege and a pleasure. I got to do something that brings me happiness, something I take pride in, something I know others benefit from. I didn’t HAVE to coach today, I GOT to coach today.
The past two Saturdays I got to coach a total of 7 athletes at two different meets. I have had bigger groups at meets, and I have coached meets where it was only myself and one athlete. I really poured myself into coaching these past two meets. I felt an extra push this week to do right by my athletes, and give them my best as a coach. All of these athletes had amazing performances and did something on the platform they had never done before. New competition or lifetime PRs, personal achievements in consistency, qualifying for meets at a higher level, and one athlete even competed in their first meet today. The past two Saturdays were great days.
At 5:51PM today, my mother told me my grandmother had passed. My grandmother has been struggling with dementia and physical health issues such as severe joint problems, mobility issues and heart issues for many years. I am saddened by her passing, but am relieved to know she is no longer in pain. She lived many years longer than predicted after her health declined, and my sister said it is because “She was feisty, and the feisty ones always keep fighting”. I would have to agree. My grandparents on my mother’s side were definitely feisty. I do not remember much about my grandfather on my mother’s side as he passed when I was only 10, but I do remember his commanding presence in any room he was in. I like to think some of the fire that has become my trademark in weightlifting comes from my grandparents on my mothers side in addition to the intensity I know I inherit from my father. I hope my effort in coaching, the “feistiness” I bring to pushing the athletes I get to coaching, honored my grandmother today. I also hope I continued to honor her and my family with my pursuit to make my small mark on this world.
R.I.P. Grammy