One minute left on the clock, and we are down by one point. Kendall Teichmer is pacing the sideline. “Arizona! Arizona!” she yells. We quickly get into our play called Arizona. The ball moves around. Someone shoots—score! Now there are 30 seconds left, and we are up by one. “BUZZZZZ!” The buzzer sounds. We win!
We run into the locker room, cheering and laughing. A few seconds later, Kendall walks in with a huge smile on her face. She is cheering for us just as loudly as we are. That moment shows exactly who she is—not just a coach, but our biggest supporter.
Kendall is the seventh-grade girls varsity basketball coach. She has been coaching since 2022. She loves helping girls enjoy the game. “I chose to coach seventh-grade basketball because I really enjoyed getting girls to enjoy the game,” she said. “I just get to be your champion and get you to really love the game of basketball.” That is what makes her special. She cares about how we grow and how we feel about the sport.
Basketball has always been part of Kendall’s life. When she was little, her dad was the Lewiston girls’ head basketball coach. She spent a lot of time in the gym watching practices and games. “I just grew up around the game, loving it,” she said. Watching her dad and his players inspired her to play basketball too.
In high school, Kendall didn’t only play basketball. She also played volleyball, tennis, and cross country. Tennis helped her learn how important it is to stay mentally strong. You have to stay calm and focused, even when things get tough. She now teaches us to do the same thing during games.
Kendall says one of the biggest lessons she has learned from coaching is to put the players first. “Sometimes you need to swallow your ego,” she said. She explained that if we lose, she has to accept it and help us learn from it. After a bad game, she doesn’t focus only on mistakes. She reminds us of the good things we did and tells us we can use the loss as motivation.
Her players really appreciate her. Payton Reed said, “She’s always there for us, and she helps us through everything, not just in a game.” Ava said, “She’s a great coach, and she sacrifices a lot of time for us.”
Next year, Kendall has a simple goal for the team. She wants each of us to improve and love basketball even more. Winning is exciting, but for Kendall, helping us grow and enjoy the game matters most.
Kendall Teichmer is more than just a coach. She is our leader, our supporter, and our champion.