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EPISODE OF LABOR OF LOVE.TODAY WE ARE GONNA BE A GYMNASTICS COACH.
WE BEGAN THE PLANO ARAB BATS CLASS STANDING ALONGSIDE HEAD COACH JAMIE AND COACH CLAUDIA.
WELL, THE STUDENTS WERE PERFECTING THEIR FLIPS,
SHE LIKE JING OUT ON THE AIR A LITTLE BIT.
THE PROGRAM HAS A STORIED PASS STEMMING ALL THE WAY FROM THE EARLY SEVENTIES FILLED WITH AWARDS AND ACCOLADES ALONG THE WAY.
FOR COACH CLAUDIA, THE MAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN HER HOME SINCE SHE WAS A LITTLE GIRL.
CHECK OUT THIS FOOTAGE WE DUG UP FROM OUR ARCHIVES.
IT HELPS ME GET MORE STRENGTH AND CONFIDENCE.
THIS'S, KIND OF YOUR WHOLE LIFE? YEAH, PRETTY MUCH.
EVERY TIME WE GO TO THE PARK, I WOULD JUST, I WOULD LIKE RUN TO THE BARS, BE SWINGING, SWINGING, SWINGING, AND MY MOM'S LIKE, HMM, LIKE THAT'S PROBABLY, A LOT OF KIDS AREN'T DOING THAT SO MUCH.
SO THEY DECIDED TO PUT ME IN GYMNASTICS, AND THEY PUT ME IN HERE.
NOW SHE COACHES THE NEXT GENERATION SHARING THE LESSON.
GYMNASTICS IS SUCH A SPORT OF DISCIPLINE, LIKE I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN AS DISCIPLINED AS I WAS GROWING UP IF IT WEREN'T FOR GYMNASTICS.
CLAUDIA MAY NOT BE COMPETING ANYMORE, BUT COACHING BRINGS ITS OWN KIND OF PAYOFF.
IT'S SO REWARDING TO SEE THE GIRLS PROGRESS EVERY DAY.
IT'S EXCITING TO SEE THEM LIKE EXCITED WHEN THEY MAKE THESE SMALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
AS FOR WHERE A JOB LIKE THIS MAY LEAD, CLAUDIA SAYS THE ROADMAP IS WIDE OPEN.
IF YOU'VE COACHED HERE MULTIPLE YEARS, THAT COULD TAKE YOU WITH TEACHING, THAT COULD TAKE YOU WITH HEALTHCARE.
IF YOU WANNA WORK WITH KIDS, I THINK IT COULD REALLY TAKE YOU ANYWHERE.
FROM GYMNAST TO COACH AND NOW TO A FUTURE IN PHYSICAL THERAPY, SHE CREDITS THE AOB BATS PROGRAM FOR THE FOUNDATION.
I DEFINITELY OWE A LOT TO MY COACHES IN THIS PROGRAM.
IT'S NOT JUST A JOB, IT'S A LAUNCHPAD FOR THE KIDS, THE COACHES.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, JOIN US HERE AT TEAM PLANO.
THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS EPISODE OF LABOR OF LOVE.
WE'LL HAVE PLENTY MORE EPISODES TO COME.