my life as an athlete

I grew up with sport as a central part of my life and my identity. My schedule revolved around practices and competitions, and most of my friends were my teammates. In a time when many aspects of my life were up in the air, sport was a grounding constant, the one thing I was sure I wanted to do.

Water polo, basketball, swimming, and softball were the main sports of my youth, with water polo being the one that took me furthest. I earned a scholarship to Stanford University as a member of the water polo program, and I was a sophomore when I earned a spot on the United States National Team. But, that same year I battled a drawn-out case of mononucleosis that took both an emotional and physical toll; by the time the season ended, my passion for water polo was gone. 

After taking the summer to think things through, I sat down with my parents and told them that I was quitting. They were shocked, worried, and very confused. My water polo coaches were frustrated and disappointed, and most of my friends couldn't relate to the enormity of my decision. It was a lonely time. All my life I had been an athlete, and suddenly that was over.

What followed was a very confusing period during which I left college, moved out of state, worked a handful of brutal jobs, and struggled to connect with other people. After a year, I returned to Stanford and was able to experience the stark difference between being a student-athlete and being simply a student. I never second-guessed my decision to quit, but making it on my own was a daunting and overwhelming process.

My journey to coaching

In 2003, I was hired to coach water polo at Burlingame High School. That began my 13 year tenure at the Burlingame Aquatic Club. I worked my first four years as the club's Head Water Polo Coach, leading mostly high-school aged teams but some 12U and 14U teams as well, then transitioned into the role of executive director. 

As the executive director I continued to coach, leading teams seasonally and assisting with others. I took teams to the National Junior Olympics and helped coach one of our region’s all-star teams. But eventually the club grew so much that I no longer had extra time to spend on the pool deck. It took years of being deep in the world of administration to realize this simple truth: I missed coaching.

I began working with a career coach and realized that I wanted to get back to coaching. I also realized that there are all different kinds of coaching, and that working as a life coach would allow me to focus on what truly inspires me – supporting the growth and aspirations of others. After all, coaching was never really about the water polo, it was always about the people.

I am proud to have been trained and certified by the Coaches Training Institute (CTI), the internationally recognized leader in professional coach development. The rigorous training that I received from CTI, coupled with my years of experience coaching athletics, has made me uniquely suited to support young people, especially student-athletes.