25/05/2026
UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT with Emma Brennan, head coach of Seacliff Aerobic Gymnastics
10 things I’ve learned in 10 years of coaching
🤝 Working with people is a privilege. Let gratitude co-exist with all other emotions.
🙋♀️ Ask questions, ask for help, be grateful, and pay it forward.
💙 Do everything with authenticity. People participate in sport because there is something about it that they love, and so we may think that the sport is what connects us. But it’s not about the sport - it’s about what it makes us feel.
🌱 Know and acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses. We always have more to learn, but be confident in what you know too!
💬 Check in with people. If you think something isn’t okay, you may be right. Trust your gut, and be brave. You may be the only person who says anything, and you can guide someone in the right direction to feeling better. Isn’t this what coaching is after all?
💪 Hard things take practice. Your athletes work on hard things all the time, but to grow, you have to do hard things too. If you can feel it, you’re growing.
🌟 You're going to make mistakes. Always try your best, think things through, and seek advice, but remember that you are human and life is complicated, so you're going to make mistakes. Be confident in acknowledging when you’ve tried your best and it wasn’t enough. Sometimes learning hurts, but the most important thing is that you try to make it better for everyone next time.
🔄 Be not only willing to change, but excited to make changes!
🏡 It takes a village. This is about your athletes and about you. You cannot be everything for your athletes - they need a network of support to learn from and lean on. This goes for coaches too. We are all stronger, happier, and can give more when we’re connected.
✨ Have awe. Look up to people, tell people you appreciate them, and let yourself look through a lens of awe because this helps everyone flourish.
Seacliff Aerobic Gymnastics program sprouted from grounds of aspiration and love. Thank you everyone who has helped tend to our garden! 🌸
