Thanks, Coach

This picture could have been a part of my HOF post, but it truly deserves its own. This is Ted Heimstead. He was my basketball coach and my mentor and my friend and my biggest critic and my biggest fan. With him I laughed so hard and I cried so hard and I was a kid and I grew up. He taught me life lessons that were invaluable to me that sound so cliche but are so ridiculously important like leadership and perseverance and mind over matter. He put the fear of God in me so much that I didn't dare have any alcohol in high school and just in case I better not do it in college either. He made me guard my sister when I was a freshman and she was a senior, just to see how we'd react, and he made me go against her in a free throw contest. He told me to picture everyone around me naked when shooting free throws. He was first to tell me I was going to be ok when I twisted my ankle so bad before state volleyball tournament but also the first to yell at me because what the hell was I doing playing a pickup game in the gym during lunch before the state tournament? This picture here is invaluable to me and just looking at it brings tears to my eyes. Ted, I hope you know the impact you had on me. I know I've said the words, but they aren't empty or casual. They're the words of the person I am today... and I'm pretty proud of that person. Thank you for helping me be me!