As many on the board know my daughter's an accomplished archer and my wife and I have ridden her coattails into archery with coaching and judging. One of the tenants of my coaching philosophy is I don't coach to make kids better archers, I coach to help archers develop skills that will help them in archery and life. I coach them to analyze a situation and make decisions on their own.

We've had an archer shooting with our program for about a year now. When she first became involved we as coaches almost dreaded the practice sessions when she showed up. It was a non-stop gab fest, she was there for socialization and not competition. She was almost completely uncoachable, she didn't take it seriously it was her social outlet.

Fast forward to the past 3 months. She's taking it serious. She now has a top line target bow. Her first tournament in August she took 3rd. Last weekend's state championships was her first outdoor tournament, she qualified in 3rd and took bronze during the elimination rounds. She's gone from an archer we dreaded having on the line to one we truly enjoy coaching. Her scores last weekend qualified her to apply to the U.S. Olympic Junior Dream Team Selection Camp, the same camp our daughter is going to next month.

We talked with her and her father about the camp during Thursday's team practice. She was so excited about the possibility she started writing her application essay on a napkin in the lounge at the range. She and our daughter have become the best of friends. They've gone from being a distraction to one another to driving each other to shoot better.

This morning at team practice she and her father approached me about becoming a personal coach for her. She and I had a conversation and I asked if she would be able to treat me as Coach Frank and not her best friend's father. She paused, thought and agreed that she could. I then relayed the change in her attitude that we all had seen as coaches and how impressed we all have been with the progress she has made. I wasn't expecting what happened next, an extremely heart felt apology from her about her behavior when she first started. I told her no apology was necessary, her attitude and success spoke far more loudly than any words.

I feel truly honored to coach her. It's not about me, my ego or my coaching resume. It's about our young archers and coaching them through wins and losses to learn from them and be able to apply those lessons.

As her coach, you have the hardest job in the world; even harder than being her parent.

The flip side is when you find the switch that turns her game up to 33 on a scale of 1-10, that is the reward.

You can do it, I'm sure.

Well done 200Z-71, you have made and will continue to make an impact on that youth. You can go forward knowing that what you are teaching her will continue well outside her archery boundaries.