One of three business name and logo options for what is now known as Whisper Running.
Whisper Running began as a blank slate for coaching runners. While I had coached runners at the college level for 13 years, I had no idea what age demographic Whisper would serve when it was initially formed. In fact, in the infancy of business development, Whisper Athletics was one of the business name options. Young or old, I’d work with who showed up.
Upon offering training similar to how sessions are offered now, a handful of runners attended - a few youth, and one lady in her 30’s named Niki. After a few months, both Niki and I saw the writing on the wall in that Whisper was forming into a youth running organization. I continued offering cross-training for adults at a local CrossFit gym for a few friends, Niki included, but after some time, Whisper grew into what it has become, which required more time here, and less time there.
I have been blessed to meet some incredible families, many of whom have stuck around for a long time. Attending graduations, flying to see or run with athletes of the past, seeing runners off to college, all have provided endless wonderful memories.
While having worked specifically with youth runners since the days of Ethan, now over 12 years, the societal focus on emotional wellness has elevated for the betterment of all. Reading the pages of What Made Maddy Run, listening to Heather Holly-Freitag stress the incessant academic demands that college admissions requires, and watching my own children worry over their academic and professional futures is something that was foreign to me as an ill-prepared young adult. In 2025, parents must be fully awake and in-tune, beyond the basics of physical nourishment, juggling pediatric appointments, schooling options, club sports, access to privilege’s that would have blown the minds of parents just a few decades earlier.
Through my limited lens, times have changed.
Defined by Psychology Today, “Perfectionism is a trait that makes life an endless report card on accomplishments or looks…It involves an unrelenting need to meet impossible standards and a fear of failure that can be debilitating.” I don’t know about you, but I, for one, did not look forward to my report card arriving in the mail. Academia was not my strength, but rather, the social construct that came with public schooling. Perfectionism riddles through our society, now more than ever. Literally, now more than ever, as I feel this sense of perfection in the form of a time-crunch to (finally) send the April Newsletter. Newsflash: neither this post, nor this newsletter will be perfect. Thankfully.
Connecting the topics of Perfectionism with Youth Running, I can’t help but wonder about the effects of youth club participation. Aiming to ensure healthy interpretations of success, failure, or unfulfilled goals is an important part of the sport-life process, and a necessary experience for emotional growth assuming a level of self-awareness is present. Knowing when and how to push or encourage an athlete, knowing when to ease strain or stress, and knowing how to make adjustments when things are not going as planned, are all important skills for those in positions of leadership, for the betterment of individual and team performance.
Imperfection is not only okay, it’s human. Skinned knees, bumps and bruises, nobody is immune. The pressures on the next generation is something adults cannot imagine, no matter how hard they try. Aiming to be present, forgiving, supportive, and encouraging, or as a superior once said, “a guide by your side,” is an optimal model to embrace.