Synthesis Essay
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Chop Wood, Carry Water
"The mindset of a champion isn't something you're born with. It is forged and sharpened through hours of thoughtful practice" -Ben Bergeron
This is a phrase that my college coach would use repeatedly. After a good training session, “chop wood, carry water”. After a tough workout on the track, “chop wood, carry water”. So what was the significance behind this statement? Every day, we are presented with the opportunity to get 1% better from the day before. It might be as simple as eating a banana as a snack, getting to bed 15 minutes earlier, or spending 5 extra minutes in the training room. The lifestyle of being a student-athlete is not easy, and the little decisions we make on a day-to-day basis can contribute to big results over time. And most of these choices go unnoticed. But the fire has to keep burning, so you have to keep chopping wood day-in and day-out. As stated by well renowned CrossFit coach Ben Bergeron, “You don’t have to go to the gym. You don’t have to pick up the kids. You don’t have to go to work. You get to.”. We don’t have to do anything in life. We GET to choose our path and our journey. We want to be recognized for everything we do and everything we accomplish, however, that is not the case. It’s those who put their head down, put their blinders up, and grind away who are the ones who find success. Hard work does not go unrecognized, and this mentality was a huge reason I am pursuing the career path I am today: education through coaching.
I never thought I would be an educator. My interests in high school led me towards more of a science-based academic path, with a focus on kinesiology and human movement. As I worked through my undergraduate degree majoring in exercise science, I learned that I did NOT want to do physical therapy or athletic training. Though receiving rehab is helpful, I realized that I wanted to work with athletes more so on the physical end, not the rehab end. I wanted to work with athletes daily at practice, in the weight room, and traveling to competitions.
With remaining track and field eligibility due to a redshirt season my freshman year, I was left with a few options come to the completion of my senior year of college: pursue a master’s degree or forgo my remaining eligibility. This decision weighed heavily on life, as I was unsure what direction my personal path would go. I was interested in a career along the lines of collegiate coaching, so I applied to the sport management master’s program at Western Michigan University, and so I could run my final season of track. Upon acceptance, I also applied to be a graduate teaching assistant for the department to help me financially. The next thing I knew, the 2019 fall semester started and I began teaching in the human performance and health education department. I quickly felt comfortable being in front of a lecture hall and started forming strong relationships with my students. The day-to-day lifestyle of being in a classroom was enjoyable and rewarding. My class sizes were small and manageable. I had mastered the subjects and enjoyed the content I was teaching. This experience not only solidified my passion for health and wellness, but it gave me the confidence to pursue coaching and leadership on a higher level. That’s where my journey at Michigan State University began. I made the decision to transfer from Western Michigan University’s sport management master’s program to Michigan State’s master of arts in education program. I wanted to focus more on the education, teaching, and research of coaching. I am big on relationships, and being able to communicate and connect with people is a strength of mine. A large part of coaching is talking and building relationships with athletes and recruits, and that sounded very exciting to me. I have always been a people person, so why not make that my career? Coaching allows me to combine my favorite things: running, sport, and education.
I took KIN865- Stages of Athlete Development during my first semester at Michigan State University. When I began the program, I had a focus on wanting to coach collegiate and elite athletes. But taking KIN865 really expanded my horizon on youth development and how important it is to educate kids through sport. Understanding how athletes develop at different ages has prepared me to understand how my athletes grew through their youth sports teams. I learned what stages of development need to be fun-based, and what stages need to be goal-based. There is a lot of education to be taught at younger stages of athlete development, and as someone who loves to teach, I wanted to take a stab at coaching a younger group of student-athletes. Upon my curiosity, I picked up an assistant cross-country coaching position at a high school in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and it was a blast. Working with the 14-18-year-old age group was refreshing and humbling. It not only reminded me of how far I have come athletically and academically but also reminded me how youthful and enjoyable the sport of running can be. In college running, there is a lot of attention to detail. In high school running, the focus is shifted to making practice a fun yet hard-working environment. Covid-19 made the season unique in many ways, but nonetheless, I learned a great deal on how to communicate and lead high school students. With the foundation of knowledge I built in KIN865, I was able to apply my learning hands-on while coaching my high school athletes. Whether it was a new communication method, a drill movement, or a racing tactic, I was able to use my athletes as ‘guinea pigs’ per se to test the research I had studied in class. Sport is an opportunity to teach, and understanding the stages of athlete development can help the coach (aka the teacher) cater to the specific needs of that age group.
KIN857- Promoting positive youth development in sport was my absolute favorite class taken within the master of arts in education sport coaching and leadership concentration at Michigan State University. A large portion of the class was focused on building environments that foster developmental assets for kids. Development assets are traits that include communication skills, time management skills, social skills, so on and so forth. It is important that kids learn these soft skills through sport and then transfer them to other domains of their life, such as academics and a job. As a coach, one of our main priorities is to include developmental assets in our training program. The goal should always be to help prepare athletes to take on the next stage of their life, so if we can help them get 1% better each day, we are on the right track. Coaching often goes wrong when the emphasis of the sport is on the wrong topic. That is, winning should not be the main priority. Too often we see kids experiencing burnout because of high-stress levels, loss of motivation, and loss of enjoyment while participating in sport. A lot of this can fall on the coach if they are not educated on these topics and how to keep athletes satisfied and engaged. As I wrap up my degree and begin to take steps into the collegiate coaching realm, my main goal is to be an example of what my college coach was to be: a leader, a mentor, and a friend. My coach prepared me to race hard and fast, but she also taught me how to handle life challenges, balance the stressors in my life, and promote self-care. KIN857 provided me with the knowledge to promote positive youth development on my future teams and with my future athletes.
KIN868- Skill development in athletes was the class that expanded my coaching knowledge the most. Coming from a running background, I had only learned from my previous coaches. But this course pushed new boundaries and taught me new approaches to developing skills in athletes. There is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach to learning new sport skills, and every athlete will develop skills at their own pace. Being able to cater to the needs of your most talented athletes as well as your amateur athletes can be a tricky task, but KIN868 prepared me with activities and methods to ensure every practice session is successful for all athletes. One aspect this class focused on was that developing skill is not linear. Some skills will improve quickly while others will take longer periods of time to master. In the sport of running, there are always small skills that can be improved on. Running form, strength, speed, race strategy, knee drive, the list can go on. My role is to find a training plan that works for my athletes and their bodies ’ needs. Teaching skills also includes non-physical roles, such as nutrition, mental game, and education of the sport. We want athletes to be students of their sport; knowing the game and how to be successful while loving what they do.
My experience as a Michigan State spartan has been an incredible experience. Transferring into the MEAD program midway through the year and being the new girl on the track and field team was intimidating, but moving to East Lansing and completing this graduate program was one of the best life decisions I have made thus far. Not only am I excited about the knowledge and experience I have gained while being a student in the sport coaching and leadership concentration, but I am also ready to apply what I have learned.
My journey through education has been extremely unique, and that is what makes it special. Just as every person has the opportunity to get 1% better each day, to chop wood and carry water, every person has the opportunity to chase their dreams. Education is a field with endless possibilities. From classroom teaching to online learning, to higher education, and sport coaching, the possibilities to be a leader are abundant. Being a member of the Spartan community at Michigan State University has given me the life skills to feel confident applying for jobs moving forward. The countdown to graduation is slowly ticking down, and as I reflect on my journey as a graduate student within the MEAD program, I am grateful for the knowledge I have learned. Here's to closing this chapter and opening a new beginning, and as always, GO GREEN.