Life is all about the ups and the downs, it's all about the good and the bad... coaches. I am sure most athletes can relate to having coaches they love and coaches they could care less for. We all have that coach that constantly encourages us to be better, to go outside of our comfort zones, and push ourselves to the furthest extent. Then we have coaches that either do not pay attention to us, only point out our mistakes, and cause us not to enjoy the sport we've always loved. Don't let them win.

Through many years as a basketball player, I have experienced many types of coaching styles, but my high school experience was the most unique. My freshman year I wrote a letter to myself saying I wanted to play Division 1 basketball and by junior year I just wanted the season to be over. I dreaded going to practice, games weren’t enjoyable, and we were losing- and who likes losing? I had started to disregard a game I once put before anything else, because of poor coaching.

Young women need some reassurance sometimes. We need a pat on the back when we make good plays. We need encouraging words to keep us pushing. I didn't have that. I had a coach who only pointed out the negatives and yelled instead of cheering. It made me dislike a sport I always loved, but there's one thing that always kept me coming back to practice every day, showing up to every game and working hard; my teammates.

The girls you play a sport with become your family. You spend so much time with them that they even see you more than your actual family most of the time. They are there to see the best of your bests and the worst of your worsts. While some become like siblings and others like distant cousins, in the end, you're all a family.

My teammates are the reason I played my senior year and fell in love with the game all over again. They are the reason I decided to continue on to play at junior college. They are the reason I was successful. I did not choose to play another two years based on the coaching staff. My teammates are the reason I chose to continue to play at Stockton University, and I am not only thankful for them, but for the coaches that made me appreciate them more.