05/02/2026
Few will know…
You don’t forget that coach. The one who doesn’t just watch your swing or your stats… but actually sees you. The one who doesn’t get louder when you struggle, doesn’t pull back when you fail… but leans in harder. Same energy when you’re hot. Same energy when you’re not. No flinch. No fake. Just real belief in you as a person first.
When I look back, I realize how rare that is. And how much it shaped me. Especially during my time at University of Washington. I didn’t just grow as an athlete there… I grew up there. And that doesn’t happen without people like Heather Tarr and Lance Glasoe in your corner.
Lance wasn’t just a coach to me. He was steady when everything felt chaotic. When the game got heavy… when expectations were loud… when I felt like I had to carry it all… he reminded me I didn’t. He listened. He challenged me. He cared enough to sit in the uncomfortable moments and not rush me out of them. That kind of presence? That’s what got me through some of the hardest stretches of my career.
And here’s the truth most people don’t want to hear… everybody chases the shiny stuff now. The better team. The bigger name. The next opportunity that looks like it’ll get you ahead faster. I get it… it’s tempting.
But the real separator? It’s not always the logo on your chest. It’s the people leading you. It’s whether you feel safe enough to fail and strong enough to come back better. It’s whether your coach has your back when things aren’t going your way… not just when you’re producing.
Because when you feel that kind of trust, you play different. You stop guarding yourself. You compete with freedom. You push harder because you want to, not because you’re scared not to.
So if you’ve got a coach like that… hold onto it. That relationship will take you further than any “perfect” situation ever will. Because the right coach doesn’t just build your game… they build who you are when the game gets hard.
