That Is Why I Am A Physical Education Major

I remember the first day. I was 13 years old and it was drizzly and chilly. I wasn't sure what to expect but decided I wanted to be there. I sat on a picnic table under the awning with 8 or 9 other girls and their parents. A man stood up and introduced himself and starting discussing what we were going to be doing. I remember being very unsure of him and that he seemed a tad scary. He kept saying that he would never scream at us but did yell a lot, if anything to make sure he was heard across a distance. That day was too wet to do anything so we talked and then went home. We came back a few days later, after a few trips to the store, and I remember feeling silly with the clothes I had on. One thing stuck out in my mind that day, that man saying, "You girls have a long way to go, but after 7 years of it, you will improve." I just remember thinking that I wasn't ready to commit to seven years of my life to this and that I wasn't sure how much I would like it yet. The people around me were all fairly new to me and I felt awkward.

It didn't take long before I knew I was doing exactly what I wanted to do for a very long time. Little did I know the irony of not wanting to commit seven years of my life to this, when in the end I only got six and wanted many more. I learned that the "scary" man on the first day was not scary at all, but probably one of the greatest mentors I had in middle school and high school. I remember not long after that first day he tells us we are going to have a drill we will do everyday and I was never more scared to step in front of a softball in my life. He had us stand back about ten feet and would hit a ball pretty hard at the ground at us and we learned very quickly that our reactions would move faster then our minds could think. I would always back up after each hit until finally he just put us up against a fence and made me stay in it and get faster. A day came, though not soon enough I felt, that I wasn't scared of that drill anymore. 99% of the time my reactions were fast enough to stop it. Yes that does mean that I got hit from time to time. I played third base and often would shy away from a ball to the face instead of fielding it. Let's just say it drove my coach crazy. One day he gets down on his knees and asked his brother to drill grounders at him while he held his own hands behind his back. He never moved. He let the softballs hit him. He stood up and threw my glove to me and said, "Taylor, fear is in your head, conquer it and you could do anything." I remember getting into fights with him about everything from being afraid of the ball to play calling. We definitely had our bad days, but I don't know that I ever respected anyone as much as him at the end of it all. During an important game against our rival team, I caught a line drive from their biggest player (who happened to go on and be a college ball player) and barely stood up in time or it would have hit me in the face. I caught it with my arm and my stomach and passed out on impact. I don't remember much but waking up with their coach over me and mine coming quickly. Thankfully, I was ok. A few days later, observing the middle school softball game I was talking with my coach while watching the game and he said, "You know, I love this game. I am all about winning and love watching you girls play, but when you went down on the field the other day, my heart dropped. At the end of the day, this is just a game and you girls are all that matters. Winning is not worth losing one of you girls. Y'all are what matter to me." I had never heard anything like that from him, but it still didn't surprise me. I learned a lot about him and his character while playing for him for 6 years and never ever regretted it. Last night was the opening game for a friend's team that I keep up with. Every spring I go watch and I always get that very strong desire to be coaching. I'm hoping it happens this summer but I'm waiting for God's timing. I just hope and pray I can be half the coach that he was for me, growing up. I want to teach high school girls about perseverance, courage, and passion like my coach taught me. That is why I am a physical education major.