"Eight feet," said the meet official. "Coach, that's a personal record! Let's go!" shouted the athlete. This typical interaction between athlete and coach at a track meet took an unexpected twist. The coach and athlete were not from the same school, and their camaraderie unfolded during a high-stakes district championship.

At the start of my second year as head track coach, the staff and I believed we had a great chance to win the district championship. With the talent on our team and the fierce competition throughout the district, the coaching staff anticipated a closely contested event that would probably be decided between us and our bitter rivals.

The previous year, I noticed no school had entered an athlete to compete in the pole vault. Determined to seize an advantage, I assigned one of our best young coaches to explore the intricacies of the pole vault, intending to have at least two athletes ready for the district championship.

Our dedicated coach surpassed expectations, diligently learning the nuances of the pole vault. However, during the district championship, I discovered we were just one school with a pole vault scheme. Most schools entered some poor inexperienced vaulters in hopes of securing a few extra points.

Although disappointed by losing our edge, I still hoped to earn valuable points in the pole vault. To no one's surprise, our outstanding young coach was coaching his heart out. It was shocking that our pole vault coach was not just coaching our athletes; he offered guidance to every vaulter, regardless of their school. While none of the athletes were true vaulters, they competed with the selfless guidance of this extraordinary coach, driven by a desire to help their respective schools.

The anticipated tightly contested championship never materialized as our school emerged victorious without needing the pole vault points. However, the meet's outcome took a backseat to our pole vault coach's remarkable display of kindness.

During that district championship, this young coach showed us the value of kindness. Merriam-Webster defines kindness as being of a sympathetic or helpful nature, and it manifests in acts of compassion and support.

Imagine the moral courage it must have taken for this coach to act as he did. His actions that day could have cost us the championship, but he believed showing unmitigated kindness to every athlete competing in the pole vault was the greater good.

As a coach, I grappled with balancing kindness and love with the toughness required for high-level competition. President Franklin D. Roosevelt once offered valuable insight stating, "Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the figure of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough."

My ultimate mission was to shape exceptional young men and women through athletics. The late Reverend Billy Graham once said, "A coach will impact more people in a year than the average person will in their lifetime."

Kindness benefits not only others but also ourselves. Scientific studies have proven that acts of kindness release oxytocin, commonly known as the love hormone. This hormone helps regulate mood, lowers stress levels, and increases empathy, self-esteem, and compassion.

Moreover, kindness has positive physical effects, such as lowering blood pressure, reducing cortisol (the stress hormone), and relieving aches and pains. These benefits can be derived from acts of kindness towards others or ourselves. Even witnessing a kind act can have a profound impact.

The lesson taught by this young coach extends far beyond the pole vault pit. He exemplified the importance of standing up for what is right and the power of kindness. It would have been much easier for him to focus solely on coaching our athletes and disregarding others. However, he chose a different path, and everyone involved, including coaches, athletes, and witnesses, benefited from his selfless acts of kindness.