Special Olympics Florida Coaching Feedback by Katherine

Special Olympics Florida Coaching Feedback by Katherine - August 2026 Scholarship Essay

Throughout high school I’ve been working as a basketball coach at Special Olympics Florida. I started my coaching journey without confidence or experience and thought the primary goals were to ensure I was on time to each practice with a smile on my face and teach young girls to dribble and shoot a basketball properly. Thanks to constructive feedback from the head coaches, I learned the importance of the program is not enhancing athletic skills, but gaining confidence, practicing and improving social skills, and having fun. I quickly learned making every athlete feel seen and know they have someone rooting for them was more important than teaching athletic skills.

In a special moment at the state level game one of the girls on my team, Penelope, got a first place medal and ran up and hugged me thanking me for supporting her throughout the season and teaching her to be an amazing basketball player. I had never felt so fulfilled and honored. This confirmed for me that feeling supported can change someone’s confidence and outlook on life. This is the moment I decided I want to dedicate my life to helping people see their own worth.

This new sense of purpose has guided my plans for the future. I am planning on being a psychology major and pursuing a career as a mental health professional. I want to make other people feel seen, known, and loved. If just one thing I do reminds someone of their value, my effort has been worth it. With the help of valuable and constructive feedback, my outlook on life and future plans changed for the better.