For this blog post we will answer a plethora of questions related to Coaching. We will specifically address the following questions -
Blogging about an important coach who was in my life, and what were you trying to achieve? How this person helped? In what ways was my performance was accelerated?
Alternately, we will blog about the importance of having a coach in our corner, and how a coach to helps you achieve your goals? I will hypothetically answer how if given an opportunity to work with a certified coach for the next 6 months. How would I use this gift to advance myself?
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Carlos Bowie. I unfortunately do not have any photos of this gentleman, but he was my youth track coach from age 11 until age 17. He was the head coach for Texas Storm Track Club in Pearland, TX, and was a very successful sprint, and middle distance coach. I was a talented middle distance runner from a military household who recently moved to Pearland, TX in the summer of 2003. During my very first practice in August I challenge the top athlete in my division for the local team. His name was Bobby Bassett. I did not know who Bobby was, but he was my age and we did the same event at the time. Bobby, and I sprinted when we were supposed to be running in relaxed fashion on the required runs. After several runs I started to finish ahead of Bobby. Bobby was naturally a faster sprinter, but overtime my distance background wore on him and I was able to overcome his efforts just slightly. My mindset at the time was to act cool as I continued to be ahead of him, but on the inside I was extremely tired from Bobby attempting to beat me. We ended the practice, I went home with my folks, and I was ready to come back the next day.
I recall arriving for the second practice very well. Coach Bowie had went home that night, and did research on my prior background. In 2003 I was the fourth fastest kid in the USA in the 800 meters at a time of 2:17 12 years old in the United States America Track and Field Junior Olympics. Coach Bowie wanted to know what he could do with a talent like mine, and Bobby's for the years ahead. He chatted with my folks a bit longer the second practice, and Bobby and I became very good friends.
Over the years the track team had extraordinary talent on the team. The progression of talented athletes was a result of Coach Bowie. When the weather was bad he made us practice, he made young athlete run with older athletes, overall he truly made us stronger. This resulted in him have a team of very strong minded athletes such as Erica Alexander (4xTX State champ), Jessica Flax (USA Track member), Amber Rozier (TX state qualifier), Bobby Bassett (#2 Sophomore in 400M in Texas for 2010), and myself. Overall, his approach was all about the mindset. We had to learn to operate in an environment that is forever changing, and realize what we can control, and what we cannot control. The key is to focus on what we can, and to not worry about what we cannot.
This helped my future mindset by developing a robust, and very strong mindset when my response comes to reacting to external stimuli. When others complain about external factors, I am grounded in my thought process to understand I cannot control those items therefore I should remain calm, and focus on what I can control. I learned this behavior at a very young age. My overall performance and professional growth was accelerated in this regards, because even today people complain about items outside of their control, and I believe they need coaching to help them realize the complaints will not change the outcome.
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If I was given an hypothetical coach for the next six months I would request one who is adept in real estate techniques. COVID-19 is amongst us, and I am on the fence about buying currently. I would like to have a coach help me focus my energies appropriately on a suggestion for a way ahead to help position myself, and my family to make the best out of the circumstances we are living in today. I know a little having bought in 2017, but am timid to buy now given the uncertainty we are facing with this virus. Having a coach to help advance the situation to be a benefit, or clarify why I should go in this direction would be very valuable given my concerns.
A coach can help us be a sounding board, we can lean on their expertise, and they can see items we may struggle to view for ourselves to have to navigate from. Every top athlete has a coach, and each mentor I know have a mentor who've helped them reach where they are at. Understanding the role of coaching is importance incase we are in a position to one day be a coach to a family member, or friend in need.