Going into my sophomore year, I decided to join cross country. I had never done it before and was very skeptical about whether I would enjoy it or not. Little did I know then, that I would meet one of my favorite coaches and mentors who would help me not only grow my love for running but teach me many valuable lessons along the way.

Cross-country assistant coach Kelsie Jones has impacted me more than she may realize. As someone who struggles to find confidence in my abilities and stresses about anything or everything, I know that I can turn to coach Jones for guidance and reassurance. Before every cross-country meet, she never failed to encourage me and assure me that my mental well-being was worth more than any time I ran. Hearing this, as a person who often fails to grasp this concept, has changed my attitude and thought process in not only running but in everything I do.

It is obvious that she cares profoundly about making each of her athletes the best they can be but doing it in a positive and influential way. She has made visible efforts to try and help relieve my stress, which means a lot when I am so used to people disregarding how I feel or how it affects me. She pushes me to my limits and has taught me that I am stronger and capable of more than I believe. Without Coach Jones’ compassion and desire to influence athletes in the way she has, I truly believe I would not be where I am today.

Navigating a new sport and my mental health can be very hard, but Coach Jones has helped me tremendously, and I don’t thank her enough for this. So, thank you, Coach Jones, for being someone I can turn to to become a better athlete and receive helpful and encouraging words. You have made a difference in my high school years and it is a privilege to know you.