Emily Lash was a competitive swimmer for 13 years but lost motivation after her first coach stopped giving her attention. During her last two years of swimming, she was unhappy and felt like she didn't belong on the team. She then decided to become a coach instead of an athlete so she could help swimmers feel valued and enjoy the sport. As a coach, Emily makes each swimmer feel important and shares her expertise to help them improve. Though some were initially surprised by her career change, Emily is happy with her decision and feels fulfilled coaching and still being involved in swimming.

1. Athlete to Coach
Personal Shift
Emily Lash

2. Outline:
Quote
Before change
During Change
After Change
Communicating my Shift
Response to shift

3. “Getting over a painful experience is much like
crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some
point in order to move forward.”
-C.S Lewis

4. Before:
I was a swimmer for 13 years
I was a Georgia swimming State Finalist (3 years)
4 Year Varsity Athlete and Team Captain
I was motivated, a hard worker, and very inspired
Always positive
A leader when it came to training
My coach gave me a lot of attention

5. "I wouldn't say anything is impossible. I think that everything is
possible as long as you put your mind to it and put the work
and time into it". ~Michael
Phelps
-My Inspiration
(side note: I was going to
swim practice at Georgia
Tech, where a USA
Nationals meet was going
on, so I stopped Michael to
get his autograph and
picture.)
-This was taken before the
London and Beijing
olympics

6. During:
I Started to decline in my athletics
-I lost motivation because of my 1st coach
- As a result, he stopped giving me attention
-I suffered through two years of swimming, and hated
the sport I loved the most
-I did not feel like I belonged to a team
- I felt very down and unhappy, and nothing seemed
to go my way

7. After:
I decided to reverse rolls and become a Coach instead of
an athlete.
I make every one of my swimmers feel like they matter,
because I do not want any kid to feel like they do not matter,
like I experienced.
Although I am not a swimmer, I am coaching my swimmers to
be the best they can be, and to enjoy their sport instead of
suffering through something they do not enjoy
I want to share my experience and expertise with my
swimmers

8. ~Communicating my Shift~
I want everyone to know that I do not regret my
change from an athlete to a coach
Everyone was very supportive of my decision but
shocked to see me quit the thing I loved the most
I informed everyone that it was time for me to
move on and share my years of experience with
younger children
I am still be around swimming in college because I
am one of the swim team managers for University
of Kentucky

9. My Swimmers:
Here are a few of my swimmers I have been coaching for over 3 years
and they have made drastic improvement.

10. ~Response to shift~
My parents were upset for a while, but discovered
quickly that it was making me unhappy
My friends see how happy I am that I am not stressed
with swimming and school work daily
My family understands my love for children and my
love for swimming

11. My Feelings now:
I am so happy to still be involved, but I feel like I
matter now
I could not be happier with my decision
I have time to experience many more things I never
got the chance to do, because of my very busy
schedule

12. Coach Emily
ME