Megan Meyer

Responsibilities

During my internship, my primary responsibilities focused on assisting with the planning, coaching, and supervision of strength and conditioning sessions for youth athletes. I worked with coaches to help lead warm-ups, demonstrate exercises, and ensure proper technique and safety during workouts. I helped modify activities to be age-appropriate, engaging, and fun while still focusing on the basic movements. In addition, I assisted with setting up and breaking down equipment, cleaning the facility, and doing small chores; such as taking out he trash or folding towels.

Accomplishments

I think my greatest accomplishment during your internship was developing the ability to effectively coach and connect with youth athletes in a way that balance structure, motivation, and fun. Over the course of my internship, I was able to become more confident and vocal as a coach, learning how to direct groups while still creating a positive and enjoyable training environment. I was also able to build relationships with the athletes, learning their names, and creating an environment where they felt comfortable working hard.

Learning experience

One of the most important lessons I learned is that effective coaching goes beyond knowing exercises or programming workouts; it requires strong communication and the ability to connect with athletes. I learned how important it is to be clear, confident, and energetic when giving instructions, especially when working with younger athletes who need constant guidance and motivation. Another major lesson I learned was how important it is to adapt training to the age and maturity level of the athletes. What works for older athletes does not always work for middle or elementary school kids, so a big thing I learned at Goldfinch was how to modify exercises, turn drills into games, and prioritize fun while still teaching proper movement.

What advice would you give?

The advice I would give to future students would be to not be afraid to ask questions. No matter how dumb you think your question is, always ask, or ask for clarification if something does not make sense. Asking questions shows that you care about learning and improving, not that you are unprepared. During my internship there was a lot of information to take in, and no one expects you to know everything right away. Coaches would much rather answer a question than have something done incorrectly or unsafely. I also think asking questions makes you look more interested and makes you want to know more.