New York City dance coach Nekia Thomas-Wise was recently nominated by Fully Focused dancer, Tianna Brown for the 2009 Play It Forward contest. I had the opportunity to chat with coach Wise. 

Here's what she had to say about being nominated, about being a coach and mentor in New York City, and some of her most memorable experiences, including the reality that comes along with coaching girls who confront issues like teen pregnancy and drugs.

Congratulations on being nominated by Tianna Brown and placing 2nd in the Play It Forward contest!  First things first, how do you feel about being nominated by Tianna?

I was really surprised to find out that Tianna nominated me!  I don't really look at what I do with the girls as anything "worth" awarding. In fact, annually, I give the girls an awards ceremony during their recital where I praise their "good" work and reward it.  It felt really awesome to have that sort of role reversal.

You and your team, Brooklyn's Fully Focused recently won the grand prize for the 2009 Nike/YouthNoise Step It Up competition over the summer.  How was that experience for you and your dancers?

The Step it up Competition was an amazing experience!  Fully Focused has been in many competitions -and quite successful!  Step It Up however was the first competition that they've ever won that required them to take so much responsibility outside of dance.  I put lots of responsibility on the girls in terms of attendance, punctuality, and performing.  The Step It Up competition gave my girls purpose in being performers and change agents simultaneously.  It was a learning experience for them to be challenged to take their skill and use it to be even more productive in society!



[Fully Focused PSA for 2009 Step It Up competition]

How long have you been coaching dance?

I've been coaching dance for 10 years and through generations of girls coming and going, Tianna Brown has been under my wing the entire ten!

How did you get involved with coaching? Were you or are you a dancer as well?

I used to take modern dance classes at Brooklyn Academy of Music since age 7 or 8. I started dancing at neighborhood block parties in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn when I was about 13 and a non-profit talent show network, AllStars when I was 15.  Then, by age 20, I started to teach girls from the neighborhood dances for the block parties. 

One day as fall was approaching, I was coming home from college and I ran into one of the girls that had been in the block party dance (one of Tianna's old friends) and she said to me "Nikki, now that the block party is over, we don't have anything to do."  That totally resonated with me in a huge way because it was true.  After the rehearsals and the block party, they always sat in this area we called "THE SQUARE" in the middle of the project complex and just played spades, ate Chinese food, smoked cigarettes or weed, etc.  I was going to and from City College and my part-time tutoring job.  Some days when I left they were there and hours later they were there when I returned.  So, I knew about the AllStars and prepared them for competition that winter. From there, I committed myself to working with these girls all year round to give them something productive to do, Hip Hop Dance.  What better way to reach them?

What are some of your most memorable experiences as a coach? What are some of your most memorable performances with dancers?

Step It Up will forever be a memorable performance!  Attending the Up2Us conference and meeting people that were so passionate about coaching and young people was an inspiring experience.  It made me feel like I'm on a mission with intelligent, powerful people!


What are the most difficult challenges you've confronted as a dance coach?

Difficulties being the coach of an all girl group have been the challenges of being more influential over these girls than their boyfriends! Within the past year, I have lost 2 Fully Focused Dancers to teenage pregnancy.  Both 19 years old, one just had twins.  It's also hard to keep the other girls on a straight and narrow path and encourage them not to follow their fellow dancers who have made poor decisions.

What are some of the most rewarding experiences you've experienced as a coach?

Most rewarding are outcomes of the girls I've worked with through the years.  I've worked hard to take dance and teach real life responsibility.  I always tell them that Fully Focused has a cool fun component and the business component as well.  So, I have a girl from East New York who was in some gang when I got her, SFD (I don't know what the acronym stands for).  She is a freshman in Howard this year and just asked me for a letter of recommendation last night for her business club. Also, Tianna.  You guys already know her success story!

What are some of your favorite songs to perform to?

Favorite songs to perform to are almost all by Jay Z! However, Fully Focused tries thinks outside of the box in terms of mixing Broadway musicals with Hip Hop, etc.



[Jay-Z f/ Alicia Keys "Empire State of Mind"]

What do you think are some of the most important lessons a player or student can learn from her coach?

Students can learn a lot from coaches! They have the opportunity to see a bit of the future, even if it seems impossible.  I want my dancers to take advantage of having me in their lives to some extent.  I want them to use me for insight to structure, and planning life long things.  I hope I serve as a model and help them achieve their future goals. I come from where they come from.  When it's all said and done, I'm one of them!

What are some of the most important lessons a coach can learn from her players or students?

Coaches learn teachable moments from students; for life and for the sport.

How long do you intend on coaching dance?

I plan on coach forever!  I aspire to open up a studio in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn and service so many more young girls.  I'll have dance camp in the summer, classes throughout the year, and Hip Hop aerobics with moms. Then I plan on conducting workshops for moms too!  Tara, I have such a plan.  And, I'm training the current FF dancers to be the teachers at the studio to help them earn money!


Congrats Nekia, keep inspiring and continue to do great work in your community! Shout out to Tianna and the entire Fully Focused dance team. 

New York City youth rugby coach Lisa Lake was recently nominated as Coach of the Year by Play It Forward essay writer Willie Dominguez. In an Up2Us press release, Lake noted that “Coaches have a tremendous opportunity to not only help young people improve their game, but to help instill values – strength, commitment, perseverance – that are important in life as well.”

[Left: Play It Forward winner Willie Dominguez and NYC Rugby Coach Lisa Lake]

Here's what Lisa Lake has to say about her experience coaching youth rugby:

What's your background in coaching rugby?
I started playing when I was 33, and I was on the National Team. Then I began coaching with the Under 19 Rugby Program in 2006 through the New York Rugby Club. A lot of the kids in the program are from my high school, but we train kids from all over the city. Before we started the program, we didn't have a gym or any equipment. Most of the kids didn't have access to sports programs. I got tired of hearing the kids complain about not being able to play sports, so I started holding some rugby practices on the median strip on the highway. We have grown a lot since then. Now we have about 40 boys and 20 girls in the program. The majority of our kids are from public schools, and we have a lot of kids from the Bronx, Queens, and Manhattan.

What's the most difficult part of coaching?
It's like a second full-time job. I often put in as many hours coaching as I do teaching. I'm the coach for the boys team, and I have to make sure that the uniforms are washed, that the kids know where they're going, and that we have access to practice space. I'm also busy pushing these kids to go to colllege, and helping with college essays and homework. Playing rugby, coaching, and working all at the same time can be rough.

What's the most rewarding part?
Every kid who has graduated from our program has also graduated from high school, and about 85 percent are going to college. Most of our program graduates are still playing rugby. It's really good to see our kids getting into college and continuing to play.

Did you have a coach who made an impact on your life?
My high school basketball coach, Coach Brown, was a great guy. He was also my advisor and made sure that I stayed on track and gave my best, all of the time. He had a big influence on how I coach today.

I understand that you just went to Washington D.C. for the National Up2Us conference. What was that like?
It was so cool! The Up2Us folks ran great workshops and presented awards. We had the chance to hear about different people who are involved in really interesting programs. Every person there had the same thing in common: we all really want to create a supportive community for kids, to mentor them and help them along the way. It was pretty amazing.

My award was presented by Lillian Greene-Chamberlain, the first U.S. national champion in the 800m track and field event, and Nathaniel Mills, a 3-time Olympic speed skater who teaches inner city kids to skate in Washington, D.C.

I was so humbled by my nomination. To read everything that my players have written about me was an amazing experience. You don't often get to see the impact that you've had on all of your players, and I'm very thankful for it.

Anything else we should know?
We wouldn't be able to run the program without the support of our entire rugby club. Some people give time, some give money, some donate jerseys or shorts. I'm very appreciative that we have so much support for our program.

Also, if there are any kids out there who want to play rugby, we're always looking for players.

Thanks, Lisa. Your contributions to the rugby program are also very much appreciated. Learn more about Coach Lisa Lake in the Up2Us press release, and read Willie Dominguez' Play It Forward entry.

Over the past few weeks, we here at Play City have been gushing about some of our favorite coaches, and discussing the ways in which great coaches affect our lives. Simultaneously, some of our friends at Up2Us have been working with volunteers, partners, and politicians in Washington, D.C. to attain official recognition for National Coach Appreciation Week, held from September 13 - 19. As a result of much hard work and dedication, the House of Representatives unanimously approved the National Coach Appreciation Week Resolution last Monday, September 14th. This milestone for coaches also marks the beginning of Coach for America, a program that will recruit 10,000 college graduates to serve as coaches for kids across the nation. Coach for America will launch in 12 U.S. states, and will train young people to become coaches, educators, and community leaders for more than a million children and youth.

"With skyrocketing childhood obesity rates, and high school dropout rates and gang involvement on the rise, America's children and youth face challenges on many fronts," said Up2Us executive director Paul Caccamo. "Research demonstrates that youth involvement in sports produces positive outcomes - physically, socially, educationally. Coach for America will help to ensure that communities across the nation hit hard by budget cuts can retain sports and youth development programs, and help to recruit the next generation of coaches and inspire them to lead."

Now is the time to recognize the powerful impact that coaches have on the lives of young people. Today is the last day to Play It Forward for your coach. Take an hour today to think about how your coach changed your life. Write about your experience and enter the Play It Forward contest. You could win a $250 Eurosport Gift Certificate, and your nominated coach could be flown out to Washington, D.C. to be recognized as Coach of the Year at the National Up2Us Conference on October 22, 2009. 

Go ahead...Play It Forward. Your coach deserves it.

"Ummm...I think, I think I want to go...over there."

I pointed to an eddy of calm water tucked into a steep rock-covered bank. "Okay," said Rick, smiling at my brain-freeze-induced slow speech. He pushed my kayak toward the river's edge so that I could climb out of the water and recover from a mildy hypothermic, disorientated state. I stumbled onto the shore, chuckling and tugging my boat along behind me.

Rick had been helping with my hand roll practice in the early spring in New Hampshire. I don't remember if it was February or March or April, but I remember that it was freaking cold. The water wasn't much warmer than 32 degrees; my wetsuit, booties, gloves, and neoprene head cap could only do so much to maintain my body temperature. But my determination to master my hand roll was stronger than my desire for warmth and comfort. Rick was also willing to sacrifice his own warmth and comfort to stand by my side and flip my kayak upright on unsuccessful attempts. He knew that if he stuck with me, I would get it right. And I did.

[Before Picture: Me as a dorky but eager teenage kayaker learning how to barrel roll. This one was taken on a warm-weather day.]

Rick was my high school whitewater paddling coach and mentor. He taught me how to "read" rivers, navigate rapids, paddle more efficiently, and handle turbulent water with grace and style. But he taught me much more than how to maneuver a kayak. He taught me to respect the river. Rick led by example and picked up trash along the riverbanks. He ran community service river clean-up trips, and kept his students informed about the ecological state of the rivers we all love. He taught his students to appreciate the power and beauty of the river. He believed that it is our responsibility to ensure the availability of clean rivers for future generations.

Rick also helped me to develop my confidence on the water. As one of only a few girls in the White Mountain School whitewater program, I could've easily fallen into the all-too-common social trap of believing that the sport is "too tough" for women. The largely male-dominated activity of whitewater paddling is often dangerous and requires significant upper-body strength. But that didn't deter me, and Rick always displayed confidence in my abilities. He never blinked when I decided to paddle through the more technical rapids, rather, he would stand calmly on the riverbank with a throw rope just in case I got into a sticky situation. He never offered to carry my boat for me; he knew that I was perfectly capable of hauling my gear through rocky slopes and forested landscapes. It was Rick's coaching paired with my adrenaline addiction and stubborn determination that gave me the river name Trina "The Animal," and prompted my paddling instructors to award me as the "Most Fearless" paddler in our school. I developed strength and, not just courage, but fearlessness. During my time on the river, I also learned more about caring for the water and our environment, and I perfected the art of chucking snowballs at other "river rats" with the edge of my paddle blade (very important skill to have on the river in February/March - could save lives...maybe).

[After picture: Me as "The Animal," busting out a Class IV rapid on the Wells River in Vermont.] 

I'm so glad that Rick took the time to teach me the ways of the river. Here's to hoping that budding athletes find great coaches who know how to rock the river, cliff face, slope, court, field, track, ad infinitum.

And last but not least, I wanna hear your story. Did you have a coach who was awesome enough to do things like, say, stand waist-deep in ice water to help you learn your sport? Share it and you could win a $250 Eurosport gift card, and your coach could win a free trip to Washington, D.C. to be recognized as Coach of the Year at the National Up2Us Coach Appreciation Week Conference. Check out the Play It Forward contest.

This very morning marks the start of the "Play It Forward" campaign and competition - Booyah!! 

(As a Play City Blogger for Los Angeles, I've decided its my duty to use the word 'booyah' at least once in every entry).

As a small, gangly, and [i'll admit] uncoordinated kid, it took a Heisman-caliber coach to bring out my athletic abilites.  That miraculous coach would be: my Dad.  He coached me in softball and basketball and typical sports, but more singularly, he taught me how to rock climb.  Climbing has been a great place for me to make friends, become more independent, and appreciate nature ever since I first tied in to a rope.  I've spent two years (and counting) making a documentary about just how unique the American rock climbing subculture is - that's just how big of an impact it's been.    So I couldn't pass up this opportunity to thank my pops for showing me the ropes. (Literally). ;)

 

Coaches come in many different forms.  Play It Forward is all about showing love to the inspiring coaches who have done a stand-up job.  (The competition is a 250 word essay and photo; if you win, your coach gets flown to DC and you could score some cash, among other things! That's all it takes?  Awesome!  Seriously, I type at least 250 words a day on facebook updates alone...)

 The competition goes until September 21, 2009.  So if you have a coach figure that's positively impacted your life, Play It Forward, Baby!

 

 

 

ps - if you speak german, russian, or chinese, and that is NOT actually how you say "my coach" blame babelfish!