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• What drew you to coach at The Yard?
   

  • "What drew me to coach at The Yard was the opportunity to give back to the community that I grew up in. The Yard was not a thing for me growing up so having it here now I want to make the most out of my knowledge I've gained while playing and share that with others."
     

• What do you love most about working with youth athletes here?
   

  • "Providing leadership and guidance. Also, I enjoy seeing the progression that each player is making throughout the years."
    
     

Coaching Philosophy & Impact

• How do you define success for the kids you train?
   

  • "Their personal growth in the knowledge of the game as well as their skill sets are improving, but the biggest one for me is their love of the game growing."
     

• What’s one moment this year that reminded you why you coach?
   

  • "I had a parent come up to me after I had done lessons with their son a few months prior and they were showing me videos of how much he improved. The smile on that parent's face was a huge reminder of why I do this and why I love doing this."
     

• What’s a lesson you try to teach that goes beyond the game?
   

  • "The mental training; examples of this would be learning from failure, changing their mindset about how to approach tough situations, as well as communication with their peers."
    
     

On Growth & Community

• How have you seen kids grow through training, not just as athletes, but as people?
   

  • "I have seen kids take the knowledge that we have taught them in training with a purpose and put that information into other aspects of their life. Such as school, music, dance, and every other sport."
     

• Why do you believe this type of training and mentorship matters in a community like Salina?
  
  "I believe that this type of training and mentorship matters in a community like Salina because we are providing guidance for the next generation. Guidance on how to treat others, how to treat the things they enjoy doing, and how to strive to be better at everything. Not just the sport that they play."
  
   

Looking Ahead

• What excites you about what’s coming in 2026 at The Yard?
   

  • "One thing that excites me about the year to come at The Yard would be growing the love for the game. Since I started training here we had a pretty consistent group of kids that were coming in. Now I am seeing new faces and am able to make new connections with players throughout the year."
     

• If you could tell every supporter/donor one thing, what would it be?
   

  • "What you are doing matters. You may not be able to see it on a regular basis like I can, but the impact you are making is changing the lives of many kids in our community as well as mine. Thank you."