Dear Coaches: (Louie & Becca) You both spent many of days, minutes, and hours with me, and I want to thank you for dealing with the mess. I don't think words could ever go into expressing how much I really owe you both. Through everything I have been through you both have always had your arms and homes open wide to me.
1.) You both practically raised me.
Being in the gym from 8am to 8pm, I spent more time with you both than I did my own family. Louie, you were, and still are, a father to me. Man did we have some good days and bad days in the gym, but I will always be thankful, and grateful for you. You always pushed me to work hard, and to learn skills because you had so much faith and confidence that I didn't even have in myself. Becca, you will always be an inspiration to me. You have been such a role model in my life. In the gym when I was having an emotional day, you would always let me know it was going to be alright: even in my adulthood, you still do the same. Thank you both so much.
2.) You loved me even through my attitude.
So the attitude didn't come until about 13 or 14, and man do I apologize for that. I know you saw the eye rolls when you told me to get back on the bar and do my routine again "Louie". Becca, I know you know I cheated once or twice on the painful, hard conditioning you had us do in the gym without AC. (In all honesty it sounds worse typed than it actually was in person, I was just a semi-brat) You guys let it slide from time to time. You both are rock stars for dealing with my attitude, and the team's attitude.
3.) You taught me that it's okay to fall, but you have to get back up and try again.
It doesn't matter the age, or period I am in life: this is one of the best and most important things I have learned. Throughout my years in the gym, and honestly in my life, you both have told me that everything was going to be okay, I just had to get back up and try again, and not continue to the do same thing. Without this key lesson, I honestly don't know where in life I would be.
4.) You protected me
As I write this, my eyes fill with water. You protected me from the outside. You kept my love for the sport and in the gym, away from the outside world that you watched slowly crumble. You kept me safe. You gave me a security net and a family.
You both are the real MVP's. God blessed me with having you both coach me growing up. You both taught me some of the most key and valuable lessons in my life that I can't wait to share with my children one day. At the age of 24, you both are still two of the most important influential people in my life, and I thank you for always being you.
