Journaling (443 words):
Dear Coaches,
This letter is a form of thank you for the positive influences you have had in the lives of my two daughters. Kelsea (at age 9 or so) wanted so bad to “flip” like one of her best friends Ashley who had taken gymnastics classes for years already. Due to her shy personality, I convinced her older sister Lindsay (age 11 or so) to go with her until her sister felt comfortable in her class. You all made them both feel so welcome that they both decided to continue on and fell in love with the sport.
You gave them something to look forward to at the end of their long school days by making the class so much fun. They got some great physical activity and kept their physical selves in great shape and taught them good habits that have lasted them into adulthood. It gave them purpose to not do themselves harm and keeping themselves in top form for competition.
The friendships they formed were due to your interaction with all the girls and forming permanent bonds as a team. You are great examples of what friendship and support means to them and those around them. Although you compete individually, there is also a team aspect that you emphasized that helped them develop compassion, empathy and service.
Not only did you help form lasting friendships with others, the bond that they formed as best friends was strengthen by their years of gymnastics, both at the beginning level and further on when they not only were on the Hyland Hills competitive team but on the Standley Lake High School team as well.
Even now as they have started families of there own and have moved out of Colorado, the first people they want to catch up with are their former coaches. They take their kids to their old hang out and introduce team to their old coaches and teammates that are still there after 20 years! They enjoyed their time on your teams so much that they have taught their kids to enjoy the sport as well.
As parents, we worry about them during their teenage years, their growing circle of friendshps and influences, and I am so happy that they met you. They spend so much time in school (hopefully making good friends that support their values) and at home (most of which was spent eating and sleeping) that the many hours that were spent at the gym were among leaders that helped install the values we were trying to teach them in our home.
Thank you for your dedication to help raise a great generation of young women!
Credits:
Kim Jensen - Carpe Diem, Notebooks (from MOC 2021)
Carpe Diem Bundle by Kim Jensen (the-lilypad.com)
