A Mother’s CoachUp Story
We love our moms here at CoachUp. Since this coming Sunday is Mother’s Day we thought it would be fitting to bring you one of our favorite athlete stories, shared with us by CoachUp parent and all-star mom, Leigh. Leigh sought out a coach for her talented son who needed just a little more guidance and 1-on-1 coaching to excel in his school’s track program.
Leigh got him the help he needed to get to the next level in his sport. As a result, he’s dropped three full seconds off of his 400m time thanks to Coach Ivory’s guidance and his mother’s support. Despite not having athletic experience herself, Leigh made it her priority to help her son in his athletic endeavors and the results have been tremendous success.
We caught up with Cindy to ask her a little more about the story:
Tell us a little bit about your athlete. What events does he run?
Our son became interested in track (running) last year and has primarily run the 400, 4×400 or mile.
What sort of times or level was your son competing at?
He is a novice runner and was running a 58 second 400.
What were some of your son’s frustrations or goals?
He really wanted to run faster and learn how to be a better runner in general. He received very little training from his high school coaches. They basically would just make the kids run, but not really instruct them or teach them.
What is your philosophy, as a parent and as a mother, in helping your son in sports?
My husband and I are both supportive of our son in any activity that he wants to do as long as he works hard and shows interest and commitment.
Why did you decide to have your son try private coaching?
Our son came to us and asked us if we could please get him extra help, I went online and started searching for private track coaches and that is how I found CoachUp.
How did your son feel about private coaching initially and then after a few sessions?
He was a little nervous, but we were all hoping the coach would be able to help. After the first session, our son came home completely pumped up and excited. He loved the coach and felt certain he would see improvement this track season.
What sort of changes did you see in performances?
Our son went from running a 58 second 400 to running a 55 second 400. His mile started at 6 minutes and quickly came in way under that. Unfortunately, our son suffers from asthma and was sick for a few weeks, but I think he would have done even better if he hadn’t been sick.
What sort of changes did you see in your son outside of athletics?
It was night and day when he was with Coach Ivory! His mood and attitude was positive and he came home from each session feeling inspired. We only wish the school track coaches were as good. The Coach Up experience was very good!
How does it feel to be able to have positively impacted your son’s life by helping with in his sports career?
Fantastic! We felt like we not only gave our son an opportunity to train with a professional, but we also exposed him to someone that cared about him as a “whole” person. Coach Ivory seemed to really care about our son as an athlete, a student, and a person. That is what makes the sessions so special.
What other things are important to you in your parenting? (values and ethics/practices you want to instill in your children)
I really hope my kids learn that hard work, perseverance and commitment can be rewarding…whether you win a race or not.
Do you feel athletics can help children become more successful or help them develop admirable character traits?
Absolutely, our son seems to have grown from the healthy competition with other students, and from the hard work and dedication that he has invested in sports.
Do you have any advice for other mothers looking to support their children’s goals in sports?
Probably the most important thing a mother can do for their child is to listen to them. Let them tell you what they want from the sport or the team experience. Too often we get caught up in what we expect as parents from a sport. We need to listen to our kids. If they say, “I sure wish I could hit better, or I wish I could run faster,” then you reach out and offer help. But too much “pushing” when they aren’t ready to commit can backfire and turn a child off of a sport.
Any advice to other parents on how to best use CoachUp?
Give it a try, if your child wants to get better. Great coaches that use positive reinforcement! We did the package of five sessions and it was just the right “kick start” to track season.
Do you consider yourself a “sports mom”? What does “sports mom” mean to you?
I’m a sports mom in the sense that I enjoy when my children play sports. I love watching the games, the events, the meets, and always hope that win or lose…they enjoy the experience.
What’s your idea of a great Mother’s Day gift?
Probably spending time as a family and a nice card or note from my sons.
From the CoachUp Team we wish all of our mothers, and yours, a very Happy Mother’s Day!
