By Kim Chaffin, Founder & Author of Breaking the Huddle Education
A Moment That Made Me Think
During the heated matchup between UConn Huskies women’s basketball and South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball, I found myself watching more than just the game. Like so many others, I noticed Holly Rowe step in to talk with Geno Auriemma in the middle of the game while his team was down.
Then, the very next game, there she was again, speaking with Vic Schaefer in the middle of his game, with his team trailing as well.
It gave me that “this could go sideways fast” feeling.
I’ve Been in That Moment Too
After 17 years of coaching, I know those moments well. Mine were not happening in a Final Four game with millions watching, but they felt just as intense.
There were times I could have spit nails, pacing the sideline, replaying every decision, convinced that that game meant everything.
So, when I see a microphone placed in front of a coach while they are in the middle of competing and trying to claw their way back, I cannot help but think this could go a lot of different ways.
If I’m being honest, if a camera had been in my face in the middle of a game with my team down, I’m not sure I would have handled it with the kind of composure I’d like to think I would.
Questions Designed to Pull Emotion Out of You
I can go back to my 7th grade self, standing after a football game as the only girl quarterback, being asked, “What if the other team doesn’t accept you?”
I remember, to this day, that I was caught off guard. That question was meant to pull emotion out of me, and it did.
That is the world we live in. Big moments, big emotions, and questions asked at exactly the wrong time. But, what stands out to me is not the question. It is the response.
Is Composure Taught or Chosen?
I am drawn to the coaches and players who stay composed when they are losing, when the pressure is high, and when it would be easy to say something they might regret. That kind of composure is powerful. And, it makes me wonder, is that taught or is it chosen?
I was raised by parents and grandparents who modeled calm, steady behavior in a way I am incredibly grateful for. But, they did not grow up in sports, so the intensity and emotional weight of competition were new territory.
Somewhere along the way, I picked up the idea that being competitive meant I could react however I felt in the moment. That it was just who I was. But, I do not believe that anymore.
Being Yourself Means Choosing Your Response
I will always be competitive, but I do not want that to be a crutch in tough moments. Because being yourself is not about reacting without control.
At Breaking the Huddle Education, when we say, “Being yourself is your superpower,” we mean being the best version of yourself. The version that can feel everything and still choose how to respond. Because the hard questions do not only come from a reporter during a game. They show up in everyday life.
Why did you react like that?
Do you actually belong in this room?
Are you sure a woman is capable of this role?
They show up in moments where emotions rise and words matter. Those moments may not have cameras on them, but they matter just as much. And, the response matters even more.
This Is Exactly Why Breaking the Huddle Education Exists
This is exactly why Breaking the Huddle Education exists. The books may be centered around sports and competition, but the lessons go far beyond the game. Each story is intentionally paired with curriculum designed to help kids understand what they are feeling, recognize their triggers, and learn how to respond with confidence and control.
The goal is not just to prepare kids to play the game, but to prepare them for the moments that come with it.
Because as children begin to step into competitive environments, they are not just learning plays and positions. They are learning how to handle pressure, how to respond to adversity, and how to carry themselves when emotions run high.
Breaking the Huddle Education is built to equip them with those tools before those moments try to define them.
What If Kids Had These Tools Earlier?
What if kids had stories early on that helped them recognize those feelings?
What if they had tools to understand what was happening inside of them and how to respond with confidence and control?
That is the work. Because the game does not start on the court or on the field, and it does not start when the camera shows up.
It starts long before that, in what kids read, what they see, and what they believe about themselves.
The Moment Will Find Them
Because the truth is this: It is not the camera that defines the moment. It is what comes out of you when the moment finds you. And, those moments are not always loud.
They show up in a classroom, on a bus ride home, or in a conversation that hits harder than expected. There is no crowd, no headline, just a quick moment to respond…
We spend so much time preparing athletes for the game, but not nearly enough time preparing them to handle what they’re feeling simultaneously. That is where the real work begins. When everything is on the line, when emotions are high, and when the pressure is real, there is no time to think about who they want to be. There is only time to reveal who they already are. The truth is, pressure doesn’t create character… it exposes it.
