West Springfield High School Newspaper

The Oracle

West Springfield High School Newspaper

The Oracle

West Springfield High School Newspaper

The Oracle

Former Crew chief rows back to her roots

Former+Crew+chief+rows+back+to+her+roots

Nine years ago, Elizabeth Weiderhold graduated from WS, and after already having been a long-term substitute teacher, she has returned to her former high school for a position outside of the classroom. After working as a long-term English teacher sub here and completing her student teaching at Langley, Weiderhold acquired a journalism and English teaching position at Robinson.

But Weiderhold’s lessons extend well beyond the classroom. This spring, she assumed the title of assistant coach for the Spartan Women’s Crew team.

“I love this place. It’s my home; I have lots of great memories here and some not so great memories here,” said Weiderhold. “Most importantly, I love my students. They are the light of my life and that’s why I’m back.”

Along with being a dedicated Oracle staff member in high school, Weiderhold was a hard-core rower and was even a team captain for two years. Although both activities were very time consuming, she thoroughly enjoyed them and couldn’t resist applying for the job when a coaching position opened up.

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“As a coach, I was looking to build relationships with the team I was part of as a rower and I wanted to give them the same awesome WS experience that I had when I rowed,” said Weiderhold. “I also wanted to be with the coaches again, who I rowed with in high school.”

Weiderhold has a very strong presence on the team. She possesses a special talent that enables her to thoroughly motivate the team members and encourage them to do better. Senior Elaine Stewart, who is a team captain, has experienced the effect Weiderhold has first-hand.

“She’s a very positive force in that she’s always making sure that people know that they’re doing everything correctly and working hard,” said Stewart. “She coached me at the Ergathon in February during the last two minutes and it was truly amazing. My dad even said she could come over for a free car wash.”

Another one of her goals as a coach is to help current high school students with their own issues and support them. During and since high school, Weiderhold has successfully battled depression.

“She really listens to us and takes the time to ask if we’re OK and that we’re doing all right with grades,” said Stewart.

Weiderhold has proven to be not just a sport’s coach but a friend and is making more of a difference than just with split times. Her efforts to individually care for people has made her indispensable to the well-being of the team, showing that mental fitness is just as important to doing a sport as physical fitness.

“She finds what is personal to somebody and addresses it,” said Stewart. “She makes sure she’s reached out to everybody to make sure everybody’s doing alright.”

To have someone to confide in is extremely important for any student and Weiderhold has experienced those struggles herself. Her goal is to help integrate mind and fitness on the team.

“I know a lot of my students struggle and I worry about what kind of role models they have, the support that they have, and that people are looking out for them. Because I care—deeply and immensely—about the state of my students. It would crush me if they were not feeling well because I know how that feels. It’s the worst,” said Weiderhold.

Weiderhold has also overcome a personal obstacle since high school, which is being able to talk about her depression openly. Society still largely treats depression as something to hide.

“I now refuse to not be open about my mental illness; that is a part of me and it’s about time that somebody spoke about suffering this way,” said Weiderhold. “It should not have to be a private battle.”

In the short time Weiderhold has been a coach, her presence on the crew team has grown to be respected and cherished for all those she talks to, although she is missed in the classrooms here. Being able to teach at WS again is her next goal.

“Being a coach at WS is a good gradual step to the next big bowl, which will be to take over [teacher Brooke] Nelson’s journalism advising position. I want to show her that she created a monster,” said Weiderhold.

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