Small Moments, Big Impact: Meet Coach Grace 💛
Written by Juliette Lilla
The Family Connection That Started It All ✨
When Grace first became involved with Metro Stars Gymnastics about a year ago, she already knew she wanted to work with kids. With both of her older sisters working at Metro Stars, she had heard them talk about how much they loved teaching and spending time with their students. When the opportunity came for Grace to join them, it felt like the perfect fit.
“I already want to go into elementary education, so I just like being with kids,” Grace said. “The fact that both of my sisters worked there and they told me they loved it, it made me want to work there too. It will also help me in the future.”
Since starting at Metro Stars, Grace has found plenty of reasons to love her time in the gym. One of her favorite parts is simply seeing her students and watching how excited they get to see her.
“When they see me in the hallways walking to my class, they get so excited to come in,” she said. “It makes me happy.”
For Grace, those relationships are what make a good class so rewarding. Whether she has a full group of students or just a few, she loves finding ways to make them laugh and feel comfortable. Sometimes, it’s as simple as being a little silly with them and watching their faces light up.
Celebrating the Little Victories 🎉
Some of her favorite moments come when she gets to see her students grow. As the year went on, Grace watched students become better listeners, gain confidence, and accomplish skills they may have struggled with at first.
“When you get different kids in your classes it can change your mood,” Grace explained. “Bu when you get a couple kids who aren’t the best listeners, you teach them how to be better and makes me so happy because I think ‘Oh I did that!’”
Those small victories are a big part of what makes Grace excited to come to work. Seeing a student finally get a trick, watching them improve throughout the year, or simply having a great class can turn an ordinary day into a memorable one.
More Than Just a Part-Time Job
The support she receives from the people around her makes those moments even better. Grace describes Metro Stars as flexible, understanding, and fun. She appreciates the staff understanding both the challenges and excitement that comes with teaching.
“It’s not just, ‘That class was hard today’,” she said. “They also understand the good things like a kid getting a skill.”
That shared excitement is part of what makes Metro Stars such a positive place to work. Grace gets to celebrate her students’ accomplishments with coworkers who understand why those moments matter.
After around a year at Metro Stars, Grace has found that her favorite part of the job is still the people. It’s seeing her students walk into class excited, spending time with her coworkers, and being part of an environment where everyone can celebrate the little victories together.
“It’s just the kids, the environment, the coworkers, and everything about it!” Grace said.
For Grace, Metro Stars is more than a part-time job. It’s giving her the opportunity to do something she loves while gaining experience that will follow her into her future as an educator. Along the way, she’s discovered that some of the best parts of teaching aren’t always the biggest accomplishments, they’re the everyday moments when a student smiles, learns something new, or proudly walks into class ready to try again.