The Summer Bridge – A Letter to My Champions

Chapter 13: The Summer Bridge – A Letter to My Champions

(From the Becoming Champions Consistently Journal)

There’s a moment at the end of every school year that always catches me off guard. It’s not the final bell or the high-fives in the hallway. It’s the quiet realization that I’ve run out of time.

No more whistle blows.

No more Champion Motto.

No more “breathe in, breathe out—focus now, you’ve got this.”

So this chapter is for every child I coached, every family that trusted me, and every young champion standing on the edge of summer wondering, “What now?”

The answer is simple: now is when the work really matters.

Attitude is Everything

Your attitude is your steering wheel. It won’t always change the weather, but it will change the way you drive through the storm.

Choose to wake up with joy. Choose to say thank you before you complain. Choose to see every obstacle this summer as an invitation—not a limitation.

You learned in PE that your energy affects the whole team. Bring good energy. Be the spark.

Effort is the Equalizer

You don’t have to be the biggest, fastest, or most talented. You just have to bring your best. Always.

I told you in class: effort is a decision. It’s not about trophies. It’s about showing up on the days when you’d rather stay home, doing one more rep when nobody’s watching, and finishing strong when it’s easier to quit.

This summer, whether it’s chores, camps, sports, or helping your family—go all in.

Kindness is Strength

I told you that real toughness is being kind when it’s hard.

Hold the door. Say good morning. Share the ball. Speak life.

Being a good teammate is more important than being the best player. And the way you treat people when you win—or lose—will follow you long after the score is forgotten.

Gratitude is a Superpower

Even on tough days, look around and say, “Thank you.”

Be grateful for the sun, the meals, your legs that run, your hands that catch, your family, your coaches, your life. Don’t waste time wishing for more. Use what you’ve got.

Gratitude is the doorway to joy. Walk through it every day.

Discipline, Focus, and Self-Control

This is the summer to practice what we called the invisible reps.

Can you stay calm when your siblings push your buttons?

Can you finish your responsibilities before playing video games?

Can you focus on the task at hand even when distractions pull at you?

You’ve already trained for this. You’ve already practiced mindfulness, breathing, and resetting after mistakes. Those were never just PE skills. They were life skills.

Discipline is doing what’s right—even when it’s hard.

Focus is choosing what matters most—and staying there.

Self-control is not letting the world decide who you are.

You are not ruled by impulse. You are led by purpose.

And finally, remember this…

You are not too young to live like a champion.

Champions are made every day in small choices—at the kitchen table, in the backyard, during tough conversations, and quiet moments when no one sees.

I may not be there with you this summer, but every time you pause to breathe…

Every time you hear my voice in your head saying, “No whining. No complaining. No excuses.”

Every time you choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong—

Know this:

I see you. I believe in you. And I am proud of who you’re becoming.

Now go live it out.

– Coach Castillo