Have you ever moved to a new place? Ever been the new kid in school? I have. As a military child in my fourteen years of life, I have started at over 10 schools, and being a student athlete can often be complicated with these moves. I love playing sports; I wanted to tryout for basketball, but knew I may have missed the cut-off during our last move. When they told me I was able to tryout, I was so excited. During tryouts I felt that I was a part of the team; This was all thanks to Coach Richard.

I selected Coach Richard to be my nominee for Educator of the Year because he believes in me. If I miss a shot, he tells me to shoot again. If I feel that I am doing poorly, he still keeps me in the game. Also, he comes to help me when I stay and work on shooting instead of getting water.

I also think Coach Richard is a very knowledgeable man especially when it comes to basketball. If I cannot make a shot one day, he suggests little changes that make a big difference. He knows what to do in stressful situations during the game. He also knows what drills can help us to get better for the next game.

Finally, the reason I chose Coach Richard is because he is encouraging. If I am the last one done in ladders, he tells me good job or you are almost done. He tells me when I step up to the free throw line that I should be confident in myself. If I mess up, he tells me how I can fix it.

Those are just a few of the reasons I chose Coach Richard for this award. This was a very hard decision. I feel this way about all the coaches, but he stands out. I feel that he is a very encouraging, knowledgeable, and a funny coach. For all of these reasons and more I am nominating for Educator of the Year.