The coach and the athlete

This past weekend the kids and I went down to Pine, AZ for Autumn's first gymkhana where she rode her horse, Polly, all by herself.  It was so fun to get her all ready.  A week before, she set out her competition clothes and for a month she has been practicing loping 'Wobin's' horse.  The days leading up to it she would ask all kinds of questions about how the gymkhana worked.  "Mom, how do you enter the arena? Mom, how old will all the girls be?  Mom, can I lope the whole way?  Mom, do you win prizes?" 

Up until this point of her riding career I have not really helped her.  'Wobin' and Grammy are the ones who coach her in her riding and because she is highly self motivated she has learned so much on her own. This weekend my grandma Jerry was there to watch the boys so I got to coach and ride with Autumn.  I have now learned a lot about my little athlete and me as a coach.

I had never thought of teaching your child or horseback riding as a coach/athlete relationship, but while setting up buckets out by the trailer to help Autumn become familiar with the patterns, my mom said "Well, there is the coach coming out in you!"  And she was so right because I am coach that demonstrates as much as possible.  I feel like if they can see it, than they can pattern it. I started instructing Autumn on the three patterns that she would need complete.  After following me once around, Autumn would declare that she had the pattern memorized.  So I would have her show me and sure enough she had it.  The coach in me wanted me to have her practice many times, but she insisted she had it after going through it once by herself.  Now the patterns are not hard but when you are five and on a horse there is a lot to think about. 

As Autumn's event approached I continued to instruct her and she continued to assure me that she was ready.  Now up until this point I was excited for her opportunity to participate, but as began to watch her I noticed her natural competitive spirit.  She was focused!  She sat on the edge of arena watching the other competitors and when we would offer her a drink she would quickly grab one and then she would continue to watch the other competitors. As we were standing around talking she would not say a word.  When it was her turn she was right at the gate.  The horse was excited, but Autumn kept her focus and took off to the first barrel.  She rounded each barrel with confidence and stayed right in the saddle. 

After it was all over, Autumn won first in the barrel racing with a prize of $6.  The experience was so cool!  I learned that with all Autumn and I do together she has learned to work hard and to focus.  I love that she is a competitor.  Recently, we have been training together for a biathlon in Snowflake.  After miles of riding or yards of running she will get into that zone of 'this hard but we are almost done'.  I am so proud of her!

I  also learned that as an coach my job is not only to instruct and teach, but to motivate then sit back and watch and let them discover their potential.