Crystal White of Vandalia, Ohio is a tri-sport coach who fell into coaching a few years ago.  She had always wanted to be a coach, but was never really sure how to get started.  Then the opportunity presented itself to her, and to say the least, she was hooked!  She now coaches basketball, softball, and cheerleading and loves every minute of it!

It all started when Coach White's daughter was starting kindergarten.  She signed her up for cheerleading with the local organization and she had to attend a 2-day dance and cheer camp.  Mom went along because she was only four years old.  Coach White recalled sitting in the bleachers the first day, "taking notes at lightning speed."  The second day another coach saw her trying to learn the routine (so that she could help her daughter at home) and asked her to join them on the floor.  She did, and by the end of the day she had been recruited to be an assistant coach!

After the initial season coaching cheer, she was hooked.  Since then, in the past three years, Coach White has coached two cheer squads, two basketball teams, and three softball teams! Her current team is the Vandalia Girls All Star team. The girls just finished up their season taking 3rd place.

This week's Coach of the Week wrote, "To say that I am a busy person is an understatement, because in addition to coaching 3-4 teams a year, I also serve as the Treasurer for our local football/cheer organization, work full time, play in a co-ed softball league, go to school, and of course, I'm a wife and mother."

Coach White remembers growing up with coaches that made a huge impact on her life.  She uses them as her coaching inspiration and hopes to someday be that sort of inspiration to someone else.

"Some people think I'm crazy and tell me I need to slow down and take time for myself but what they don't understand is - that's just what I'm doing.  I love coaching. I love watching the kids grow and improve through the season - win or lose."