Coach B as been my track coach for three years now. Through those three years, he has been one of the most influential and helpful people in my life. In late October of 2016, my mother was diagnosed with stage four gastric cancer. My mother had always been my biggest track supporter and we shared the same passion for the sport. Coach B gave me all of the time I needed along with all of the support I needed. During one of our indoor track meets, I couldn’t bring myself to compete as I was just overwhelmed with sadness. When my coach realized this, he came over and said “You know why you have to run here today. You know you have to run for her. So go do it.” And I did. I had always struggled with not being good enough on the track, and Bigelow always pushed me to be the best athlete I could be. With all of my training behind me, I knew that it was my time to shine. I never would have dreamed of winning this race, but on December 3rd of 2016, 20 days before my mother would pass away, I won the 55m dash. Without the support of my coach, it’s doubtful that I would still be competing in track. And even after this point, with all of the hardship I have faced, my coach has been there for me every step of the way. Enabling me to become the person I am today.