• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Fitness Fatale

Fitness Fatale

Conquering Fitness Goals One at a Time

  • About
    • Press
  • Blog
    • Archives
    • Workout Program Options
      • 21 Day Fix Resources
      • P90X Resources
    • PRs & Race Reports
    • Pregnancy
      • Twin Pregnancy
    • Recipes
  • Coach Business Mentorship For Runners
  • Beachbody Accountability Groups For Runners
  • Show Search
Hide Search

Coaching Girls on the Run – Season 3

photo (27)

My third season as a coach for the amazing program Girls on the Run is coming to a close. Yesterday was one of my absolutely favorite practices and it really reminded me why I coach. If you need a recap on how the program Girls on the Run works, you can read the post I wrote when I first began coaching in the Fall of 2011. In a nut shell, Girls on the Run is a not for profit program for girls age eight to thirteen years old which combines training for a 3.1 mile running event with self-esteem enhancing, uplifting workouts. The goals of the programs are to encourage positive emotional, social, mental, spiritual and physical development (summarized from gotr.org).

For the last two seasons I’ve been coaching Girls on Track, the Girls on the Run Program tailored to slightly older girls, ages 11-13. Nearly all of the girls in the two groups I’ve coached have been in 6th grade (11-12 years old). For me, personally, 6th grade was a really rough year for me. I was growing into an adolescent but I was kind of still stuck back in childhood. Some of my friends were starting to “hang out” and talk about boys at lunch but I was still playing hopscotch. It was an odd year for me as I began the process of becoming a woman yet still felt like a child. It was also my first year of middle school (luckily these girls are still in elementary school in 6th grade), so in the midst of all these changes I was also thrust into a new school with new social expectations. As a very shy girl, it was a rough year to say the least.

This season has been awesome because the girls are smart, cooperative and friendly. In past seasons there have been a disruptive clique of three that have made it difficult to move the lessons along, but this time my team is comprised of wonderfully behaved, talkative and amazing girls who all support and uplift one another. Four of the girls from the previous season returned this time so I also was able to build stronger relationships with these girls.

Honoring Each Other With Kind Words
Honoring Each Other With Kind Words

The season is reaching and end and yesterday we had a really fun lesson where we honored each other. For our “warm-up” game, we had each and every girl sit in the center of our circle and then we went around and each said a few kind words about the girl in the center. Each girl was beaming with pride by the time they left that spot in the center. All of the girls considered their words wisely and thought of wonderful things to tell their fellow teammate. I even got to have a turn in the middle and the girls made me feel incredibly special. They all told me I’m pretty, but the compliment that touched me the most was when one of the girls said “you are a really good coach.” It meant a lot to me.

After all of the praises had been sung, we had our final workout. This time I decided to run too and ran around the track in the opposite direction as the girls. Each time I reached one of them I asked them to tell me a favorite memory from the season or something they learned. Although most of them started by telling me they liked capture the flag (they ask to play this every single practice) or the scavenger hunt, they other most common answer was that they liked running with their friends.

photo (28)

I’m so thankful to have found this program and to be able to hopefully help these girls become better prepared to handle the challenges of adolescence as they enter middle school next year. Yesterday at practice I told them a little of my story – that I had been made fun of when I was in middle school but as I grew older I realized that those people who made fun of me were doing it out of their own insecurities. I told them that they all should all be proud to be who they are no matter what anyone tells them. I’m not sure if anyone actually digested my words but even if just one girl remembers my advice one time I will be glad that I shared. photo (26)

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

May 3, 2013 By fitnessfatale 1 Comment

Filed Under: Running, Uncategorized Tagged With: Girls on the Run

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Monika

    May 10, 2013 at 7:50 pm

    Aww I miss coaching! There’s no way I could coach these days though. I have to clock in and out and have a long commute. i’d have to be at work at like 6am to leave in time :o( I think last season’s group was a fluke. The previous 3 times I coached things were soo easy! Much easier than the younger girls.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Let’s Get Stronger, Healthier & Faster Together!

I am specialize in working with runners to help them incorporate strength training & nutrition into their running routines.

I am passionate about mindset and love to help people find more joy and success in their running by breaking through mental barriers.

While weight loss is a result of our programs, women in my groups often find that they are running faster, are less injury prone, and have more energy and confidence!

I am the founder of Team Run the World, a group of BODi coaches who love running! I provide mentorship, support and training for women who want to start their own coaching business from home and work flexible hours.

I would love to help support you in reaching your goals!

Archives

  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · Fitness Fatale

 

Loading Comments...