“We Are Family”
“We Are Family”
By: Wes Smith
When you hear these words do you automatically sing the song by Sister Sledge released decades ago? There’s probably 75% of the people reading this that don’t know who I’m talking about. That’s ok, it just tells my age. I can assure you that it is not on my playlist but definitely a staple from the time period.
Anyhow, family is one word I think about when I think of the people at Max Kane. I’ve learned in my life that you don’t have to have common blood lines to be family. While my immediate family is a tight knit group, I do have those in my life that are not related directly, but have made and continue to make an everlasting impression on my life. We choose to be at Max Kane, it’s not like our job where we have to have it for financial survival. Whether we see other members at Max Kane daily, weekly, or sporadically, we know we all have something in common off of the top; a drive to have a healthier and more fit life. If you don’t know someone, there’s your first topic of conversation. Once we learn more about each other, a strong community will begin to grow.
From a coaching standpoint, I strive to learn all I can about the athletes; not indulging in personal issues but just what drives their lives, their hobbies, their family, etc. Through this relationship, I want to build that trust and accountability that I’ve talked about in past blogs. I care very deeply for my family and care about those athletes that choose for me to coach them. If some of my regular athletes have been absent for longer than normal periods of time, they have probably gotten an email or text from me, just as a check-up. I want to make sure they are safe, doing well, and just to let them know that I am here to help if it’s something within my reach. Families care and lean on each other when life gets hard, why can’t we as athletes lean on each other when we hit a wall in the gym. There are times in my life when family has gotten me through a lot of dark times, let your fellow athletes and coaches help you stay afloat, reach your goals, and have fun doing it.
I believe strongly that all of the coaches at Max Kane has your best interest in mind when you step into that gym. While we all have busy lives of our own, use that one hour you choose to be at the box to build a new family and ultimately a community will be built.
The last part of the song has these lyrics:
Living life is fun and we’ve just begun
To get our share of the world’s delights
(HIGH!) high hopes we have for the future
And our goal’s in sight
(WE!) no we don’t get depressed
‘Cause here’s what we call our golden rule
Have faith in you and the things you do
You won’t go wrong
This is our family Jewel
This entire part of the song can be related to what we have to invest in at the box. I’m here to remind you to believe in yourself and what you do.
While I could make this song a staple for my classes, it is not one that I could wod to; I’ll save you guys the agony. I’ll stick to Shawn’s favorite request, Roxanne.
