As I walked through the gym doors on my first day of the 2014/2015 season, I thought, Only 119 practices to go. It was my junior year–and my first year on the girls varsity basketball team. It was established that I would be a bench player this season–scrimmaging the starting five during practice, cheering so loud I’d lose my voice during games, and staying engaged and ready to be called on at any time. I would never play all 32 minutes, Ellie Shelp would never appear in the headlines of the local newspaper, and a camera would never be pointed at my face after a big game. But I was okay with that. This team was an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself and so I accepted the role that I was given. But the next four months were still physically and mentally demanding.

The satisfaction of making a varsity team wore off  midway through the season and reality sunk in. Was this something I wanted to do? Was this worth my time? Did the team even need me? I didn’t feel valued.
I put in the same amount of time and energy throughout the off-season and regular season as the starting five, but strangers never ran up to me after games and said, “Wow, great job. It’s fun watching you play. Keep up the hard work.”

It didn’t seem fair that the starting five got all the recognition for doing the same things I did while I rarely heard a “Congratulations,” from my family or teammates.

By genuinely recognizing who I am and what I did for the team, Coach Rick Witte changed the way I felt about being a bench player. The thing I loved most about the basketball season was getting stronger in the weight room. Since I wouldn’t be contributing by scoring points or getting rebounds on the court during games, the weight room was a place for me to contribute to the team.

Every day in the weight room, I felt two eyes analyzing my every move like a TSA agent at the airport. By watching how I operated in the weight room, Coach Witte learned about me–not only as one of his basketball players, but also as a person.

He noticed how motivated I was to make myself better–holding the count on my squat, perfecting the form of my hang clean, and never skipping a rep.  He noticed how I didn’t hesitate to add on weight–I was confident. And he noticed how I was independent–I didn’t have a regular workout partner like the other 14 girls on the team. He noticed even the tiny things like how when things weren’t going smoothly, I got upset.

Although Coach Witte noticed these things about me, he didn’t know why. Why was I so motivated in the weight room but not on the court? Why didn’t I workout with a partner? Why did I get so upset? By talking with me and listening to me express myself, he began to understand why I was the way I was.

“Being great will take work and focus. It is a great challenge for you and I got your back,” Coach Witte said.
I wasn’t taking on this season alone anymore; instead, I was taking on this season with and for Coach Witte. All I needed was someone who believed in me and someone who had my back. Coach Witte took time to get to know me on a personal level instead of 1 of his 15. He believed that I could not only make myself better, but also make those around me better.

Coach Witte once said to me, “Our time together will be short. Let’s make it count Ellie.”

I am no longer counting down the days, but making every day count. Coach Witte made me feel valued. No matter the situation, I have value, I have purpose, and I can make others better because of it. I am doing it for him. And that is why I chose Rick Witte as my educator of the year.