What did you think was important as a younger athlete?
—> Personally, I always wanted a fun environment.
—> I wanted to make friends and build friendships. The social aspect of being on a team is huge for kids.
—> It has always been important for me to be exposed to a challenging and competitive environment.
—> I appreciated a fun and fresh environment to support my interests and curiosities of the sport.
—> I wanted to learn stuff! It was extremely important that I liked my coaches. Kids don’t learn from someone they don’t like and respect as a coach/teacher.
—> As a kid, I wanted to know and feel that my coach cared about me as a person.