By Derrick Smith

Coaching high school student athletes can be tough sometimes, no matter what sport you coach. You are trying to guide your team to victory, but also looking to help them grow along the way. Enid High School pom coach, Brenna Dunham says that there is more to coaching than just the game. “It is a welcome challenge developing young athletes into well rounded people,” she said. “And also teaching them skills that will benefit them throughout the entirety of their lives. It isn’t always about the sport, but connecting those situations to real-life and how to use those situations to learn and grow from.”

Dunham, who is in her third season at the helm of the pom program, says that leading the program was not something she sought, but instead, it just happened. “Me becoming the coach happened naturally,” she said. “I had coached privately before and knew I wanted to coach through Enid Public Schools. There was a need and I was honored to be asked to fill that need.”

Dunham had some coaching influences when she was younger, but she says that there is one coach that had the greatest impact on her. “My dad is one of the best coaches I have ever had the pleasure of working with,” she said. “I had several great ones though. My dad expected greatness and you just rose to that expectation because he made you want to.”

Coaching high school students has its ups and downs, but Dunham says that there are moments that make it all worth it. Seeing them succeed after leaving high school is one thing that she enjoys seeing. But the coach also says that there are great moments while the students are still in high school. “It is always a great feeling when your athletes realize that the struggle and work was worth it,” she said. “Them seeing that the hard work and dedication has paid off is always rewarding.”