College athletes know exactly what your kid is going through and can help them implement their goals in a helpful and constructive way. Empathy is an important aspect to coaching, but unfortunately, it isn’t emphasized enough. So many coaches, clubs, and training programs have talented staff, but have trouble relating to the individual struggles that every champion must go through on their journey through athletics. College athletes, who use their passion for teaching, serve as invaluable mentors and role models. Young athletes can look up to their coach and see themselves in him or her. In a similar way, these young coaches can look down on these kids and see themselves too. College athletes not only have the maturity and experience to teach at an extremely high level, but they haven’t forgotten where they came from. What feels like just a blink of an eye, these athletes were in middle school, then high school, then BOOM! They are competing at some of the highest levels in college sports. They vividly remember the process of getting there and know how to be a mentor for others along the same path they already took. This understanding and empathy that these coaches have is simply unmatched, and the individual connections that are built could last a lifetime.