Reflection: The Coach and me
By: Olivia Sheridan
Written: April 2022
Coaches are one of the most impactful individuals in the lives of an athlete. They are the bridge between an athlete simply liking a sport and loving it. Meet Coach Scott Ward and learn about how he impacted my life, and led me to be the student, athlete, and person I am today.
At the end of a glimmering eight-lane 50-meter pool, stood a daunting figure: his legs firmly planted on the ground, feet shoulder-width apart, arms securely on hips. As the group of young kids walked closer, the man just got bigger, until finally, we met at the side of the pool deck. As he towered over us, like a hawk circling its prey, the other kids looked up to him and shivered. Yet, I simply stood there bouncing in my place, eyes wide, staring up at the large statue in fascination. Little did I know, that day about six years ago would be the catalyst to creating who I am today as an athlete, student, and person.
Coach Ward and Olivia Sheridan
Photo - Olivia Sheridan 22
Coach Scott Ward is used to being known as intimidating because he’s a character who carries himself with confidence and self-respect. In fact, it's fair to say that oftentimes my teammates and I can be a bit scared of him. Yet, when I first met him at the young age of eleven years old, my shiny blonde hair, big pink glistening cheeks, and outlandish personality stood up strong against his daunting force.
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“Ya know, that first summer I wasn’t too sure if I really liked you or not,” he recited with a slight chuckle after I had asked him if he recalls the first time we met. We sat across from each other, between his large desk scattered with a sea of miscellaneous papers, in his small stuffy office, no larger than the size of a work cubicle. Large bookshelves encompass two of the walls making it easy to feel confined, but the soft dim lighting of his desk lamp and the faint smell of chlorine make me feel calm and at home.
The founder and CEO of the Eagle Swim Team and Head Coach for both the McDonogh Boys and Girls Varsity Swim Team has become especially accomplished within his 36 years of coaching. According to the Eagle Swim Team website, he began coaching for McDonogh in 1992 and has since then led both varsity teams to a total of twenty championship titles; fifteen granted to the girls' team, and five to the boys. He has also coached twelve US Olympic Trial qualifiers and thirty-four athletes who have qualified for the US National meet.
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Yet, to Coach Ward, the accomplishments and championship titles are not that important. Instead, he finds it’s more meaningful to teach the athletes how to be the best versions of themselves.
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“I look at swimming as sort of my classroom to try to teach people and help them be better people,” he explains, assuring me that to him, swimming is more than just a sport. Through his coaching, he implements values and life lessons that he finds important, including a sense of self-discipline, a strong work ethic, and good character.
“Ya know there’s a great saying,” he said, “ ‘discipline yourself so others don't have to’ … life is tough, but you can find that things go a lot smoother if you possess self-discipline,”.
For a split second, he breaks eye contact to gaze through the small circular window at the tranquil pool fixated behind me. The place where at 3:45 pm, every weekday, Coach Ward greets his athletes on deck and hands them the workout for the day. Then, for the next three hours, the peaceful deck becomes a madhouse. Music blasts from the immense speakers placed around the pool, while coaches scream quotes of encouragement as the athletes are pushed beyond their limits. After practice, once the athlete's aching muscles finally begin to cool down and they have been given a chance to catch their breath, every single one of them walks up to Coach for a handshake. It’s a sign of mutual respect and a sort of “thank you” to the coach for the opportunity to improve.
“To me, it’s not a job though, it’s like a calling,” he confidently stated after I had asked why he continues to be a coach. “I feel like when I’m coaching you guys, you’re kind of like my kids, and I just feel like a sense of pride,” he said.
Coach Ward has a reputation as someone who wholeheartedly loves and cares for the people that he works with. I believe that it can be difficult to find someone like Coach Ward in your life. Yet, those who recognize and have that support are lucky and should fully appreciate and be thankful for it.
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“Well Coach, thank you again for meeting with me,” I say as I conclude the meeting and reach out for a handshake. “I’ll see you this afternoon!” I exclaimed while walking out of his office, met once again by the comforting smell of chlorine and home.
Work Cited
“Eagle Swim Team :.” TeamUnify, https://www.teamunify.com/Home.jsp?team=mdest. Accessed 3 April 2022.
Contact Information
Scott Ward, estcoach@gmail.com