Tanisha Bowden

Being a coach has really changed my life.

When I first got to Wolfe Street Academy, the kids hadn’t had any organized physical activity for two years. That first week, Kwan-tay didn’t want to join in the organized playground games I was offering. Even though he was very athletic, no one had taken the time to teach him how to play these games. Nearly everyday after lunch he ended up in the principal’s office for disrupting other students’ games or being involved in fights.

I decided that I was going to make an extra effort to see if I could channel that negative energy into something positive. So I asked him to help me set up for recess. He agreed and started to join in my games. Then I introduced the junior coach program and suggested he could make an excellent leader.

You should have seen the transformation that happened when Kwan-tay put that junior coach t-shirt on. He starting leading games and helping other kids work out their conflicts. By offering my attention, teaching him how to play positively with his classmates, and setting clear expectations about following rules, I was able to help him improve his behavior and enjoy school more at the same time.

Kwan-tay’s mom and his teachers all say the changes are amazing.

Being a Playworks coach has taught me how to be loyal and dedicated and never give up on anyone or anything. Just seeing the smiles on my students’ faces when they see me walking through the halls or during recess lights up my world.