My five a.m. alarm goes off and the temptation to turn it off and go back to sleep is lingering in my thoughts. I force myself to think about how my coaches would love me to work hard during off season, then I get up and get ready. Walking through the cold I reach the door and open it. I’m welcomed with a good morning from Coach Mr. Franklin. As me and Coach Franklin are waiting for the rest of us to show up, I’m missing my warm bed.

I asked Coach what we were doing today and he replied with an upper body day. I’ve never been the strongest when it comes to upper body strength. As soon as he said it was an upper body day my confidence went down.

He told me he believed that I could use the heavier bar the whole workout without switching to a lighter bar. I told him I didn’t believe I could but I was willing to try. I was close to the end of the workout and I wanted to switch to a lighter bar so bad. My arms were aching, I couldn’t use the heavier bar any longer.

Coach Franklin told me to finish out the workout with the heavier bar, he kept telling me I could do it. As he’s right next to me cheering me on telling me to keep pushing. He pushed me to complete my last few reps.

I couldn’t believe he was right. I finished with the heavier bar. I was so happy I had pushed myself past what I thought I could do, and accomplished a goal today all because Coach Franklin helped me believe in myself and push myself to reach the goal I had set.

It’s another workout day and I’m up and ready in about five minutes. I arrive at morning workout ready to take on a challenge. I was ready to set my goal high and reach that goal. Coach Franklin told me maxing out on squats was on today’s agenda. I’m going up in weight and I reached a weight that was a little hard for me but I wanted to go higher. Coach Franklin let me try 205 pounds. And surprisingly to me and Coach Franklin I got 205 up. I met my goal of trying to go a little bit higher with determination. Coach Franklin not only gave me confidence in the weight room but on the court as well. There isn’t one game where I don’t set a mental goal for myself.

Because of coach Franklin I’ve become a better person on and off the court, and in the weightroom. I chose to write about him because he has forever changed my mind about working out, and my mental mindset on and off the court. He taught me to always believe in myself and set goals to reach everyday no matter what I’m doing. He’s changed the way I think and he doesn’t even know how much he’s helped me.