Educator of the Year

When people think of the word gymnast, they immediately imagine the broadcasted Olympians soaring through the air with a sleek easiness, performing skills that the average civilian would not dare to attempt.
“Can you do that?” they ask me when they’ve discovered I’m a gymnast myself.
“What are you, crazy?”  I say everytime. After all, for a gymnast I am clumsy. My skills are uncoordinated, crooked, and filled with flailing arms. Even my past coaches have considered spotting me synonymous with a safety hazard.
But Bob Pulkowski isn’t just any gymnastics coach. Tall and eco friendly, he’s like a Green Giant with scruff and he’s definitely not afraid of spotting some 5’4” girl.
When I became part of his team my sophomore year, I didn’t think high school gymnastics would help me become a better gymnast. And so the majority of my attempts at any event were half-hearted at best, but all the while Bob was there insisting that I try, that I try it differently. Bob always knows when to compromise and when to push. When he tells you to try a skill, you do - because he knows you are capable and you start to believe it. There really isn’t anything else in the world like a coach who believes in you.
But there is more to him than just coaching. He’s an educator - he’s always happy to talk about how his special education kids are. His voice is full of affection whenever they come into conversation and he really loves working with them. But he teaches us gymnasts, too. Sometimes Bob has even interrupted his coaching to to talk about philosophy, latin prefixes, and the benefits of compost.
Bob Pulkowski is a great coach and an amazing person. He connects with every gymnast and can tell when they need someone to talk to, when they need someone to laugh with. The reason that he’s going to be a great dad is because he’s already had plenty of practice.
And even though Bob has had dozens of gymnasts over the years and I’m just one of them, I know he’ll remember me. After all, how could he forget the girl who broke his finger?