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IGNITE Hopes & Dreams

As we embrace the beginning of the season, the lessons have us thinking of the future. We are discussing goals and expectations with our team. We are planning milestones that need to be achieved to reach our goals. This is the perfect time to bring in the phrase “Hopes and Dreams.” What are our hopes and dreams for this season? What are our hopes and dreams for this school year? What are our hopes and dreams for this practice? Each practice takes us one step forward and makes us one step stronger. We are creating a space for girls to achieve unimaginable things! It is our goal this season to ignite and empower every girls’ hopes and dreams!

This is how we do it! This is how we are the super heroes seeing to it that dreams come true:

The “Recipe of Me” card says a great deal about the girls’ stories.

Their favorite hobby tells you about what type of mental and physical challenges they prefer. Think about your own hobbies. Are they creative or problem-solving challenges? This explains how you or the girl will tackle challenges and milestones- with a creative mindset or a problem-solving one?
Their celebrations and what is unique about them also tells you what is important to them in the current moment. We don’t always feel special in the same way each week, month, season, or year. How we feel unique in our world is where our confidence will shine and where we will pull for motivation. What we enjoy celebrating also shifts as we journey through our days and shows us how we need to be motivated. Do we need big birthday type celebrations or comforting family time celebrations?
Check in often with the girls about what word they would use to describes themselves. This word will change with their mood, environment, confidence, thoughts, and feelings. This word also tells us about the girls’ self-image in the present moment. Randomly ask them while running laps or filling up water bottles. Make a mental note or write it on your GOTR Coach Bookmark to use as a motivating attribute for each girl.

We need to guide the girls’ self-talk and milestones as they break down their goals into achievable strategies. Achieving the small goals (i.e. 2 more laps than last week, 10 more reps than last practice, one more chapter in a book, etc.) requires positive self-talk to recognize you are doing hard things. Create affirmations that are specific to each girl’s motivational mindset and milestones. Here are a few to use:

“Two more laps puts me closer to ten!”
“I am strong in my walk/run!”
“Another practice brings me more confidence!”
“My team cheers me on!”

Referring to the girls’ goals and expectations as “Hopes and Dreams” creates an inviting space for our minds to expand to the unimaginable. Our unimaginable dreams will become reality when the positive self-talk is building our confidence each small step of the way. As their coach, take their recipe and cook up the dreams that are there to be explored and conquered! Each girl has an inner cheerleader. Each coach has an inner cheerleader. We are training that inner cheerleader to be stronger, louder, and more loving- in ourselves and in our girls. Achieving goals, big and small, is challenging. Shifu says it best in Kung Fu Panda 3, “If you only do what you can do, you will never be more than you are now.” (Maybe write that on you GOTR Coach Bookmark too.) Ignite your girls’ hopes and dreams and watch them soar!

Shayla A is the Coach Mentor for Girls on the Run Greater Kansas City. Her background comes from the classroom, coaching, day treatment schools, wellness, and advocating for children with special needs. She enjoys empowering and advocating for girls and coaches in every challenge and celebration. Connect with her for support and assistance this season via call, text, or email. shaylaaranda@gmail.com | 816-284-9770

RESOURCE LIST TO EMPOWER HOPES AND DREAMS: