Mom Acts as Coach, Mentor Teaching Daughter to #StandTall

Patch and When the Game Stands Tall are asking about the coaches, teachers or mentors who inspired you.

This submission comes from Kristin Martin in Los Altos, California. Her mentor is her mom, Carol Winters, who was also her coach.

Mentor Name: Carol Winters
Known Mentor for: 35 years
School: JW Faire Junior High also taught aerobics (previous)
Town: Los Altos High Booster Club President (previous)
State: CA

What my mentor taught me about success:

I received a scholarship to play indoor volleyball from the University of Virginia and I played semi-professional beach volleyball for years post-college. I played on high-school club volleyball teams that placed 8th in the entire nation and I even had the privilege of playing on one of those teams with 3-time Olympic Gold Medalist Kerry Walsh. Throughout that time period, I had the fortune of having some incredible coaches. But none were so inspiring as the coach that raised me. My mother, Carol Winters, was one of the most athletic and fitness-minded people around me. Prior to having me, she was a Physical Education teacher in an inner-city school in San Jose. She ended that career to stay home with my brother and I, but she was anything but “stay-at-home”. She taught an aerobics class, she coached our sport teams (soccer and basketball), she was the President of the Athletic Boosters club, and she supported all our many, many athletic engagements throughout the years (not to mention she was a Music docent and wrote and directed our school plays). I am 35, so at this time there were not many examples of athletic woman who were mothers in our community and my mom was a total athletic rock star. She inspired me to be a “kick-butt” female athlete and that inspiration led me to a successful sports career.

What my mentor taught me about dealing with failure:

Failure is relative. If you are confident you gave your all then you didn’t fail at all.

Best advice from mentor:

Work hard, have fun but above all, do it for you and no one else. Be your own motivation.

Patch would like to know about the people in your life who inspired you. Tell us about the coach, mentor or teacher who made a difference in your life. Your mentor will be entered for a chance to win a prize package from Patch. All Everyday Hero submissions will be shared on Patch. Nominate your mentor here.