From the Stands, with Love

Sometimes you need to give the control to someone else.

That’s what a coach is for.

She made the top 20 at Nationals.

They pulled for position. She pulled 20.

Last to go.

Almost an hour to sit with the weight of it.

I handed her over.

Lipstick. Hairspray.

A deep breath.

I walked away.

I went to the stands and trusted someone else to do what they do best;

to coach.

To ground her.

To steady her nerves.

To help her set her mindset when mine was spinning.

As a parent, this is hard.

We are wired to hover.

To fix.

To protect.

To be the last voice they hear before the moment that matters.

I sat there, watching 19 athletes perform before her,

trying not to live in the future,

trying not to borrow stress from a moment that hadn’t happened yet.

In that space, I was reminded of something important:

It is okay to share the adventure.

It is okay to let the coach, coach.

It teaches her something powerful;

That she has more than one hype person.

More than one safe place.

More than one adult who believes in her.

People who want to see her succeed.

People who will be waiting for her either way;

with arms open,

ready to catch her

whether she wins

or learns.

Here’s where the educator in me shows up.

This isn’t just about twirling.

This is about leadership.

This is about trust.

In schools, in teams, in life,

we don’t grow by being managed.

We grow by being supported.

By being coached.

By knowing there is a village around us.

Good leaders know when to step in.

Great leaders know when to step back.

Good parents?

We learn that letting go (just a little)

isn’t abandonment.

It’s belief.

Belief that they are ready.

Belief that others can pour into them, too.

Belief that success isn’t just standing on the podium.

It’s knowing you are never standing alone.

That night, I wasn’t the one warming her up.

I wasn’t fixing her bun.

I wasn’t whispering last-minute reminders.

I was there.

Watching.

Rooting.

Learning.

Sometimes,

that’s the hardest leadership move of all.

#Unscripted #LetTheCoachCoach #ParentingAndLeadership #TrustTheProcess #RaisingStrongGirls #LeadershipLessons #TheVillageMatters #AddorationInnovation