This story initially appeared on Behind the Whistle, the official blog of the IWLCA, and is being republished with permission from the organization. Jackie Neary is the head coach at Cabrini University.

Danie Caro asked me to come up with something to write for the IWLCA blog. I really had no idea what to write about, so I figured I would take this opportunity to write about some of the people who have influenced me during my nearly 30 years as a coach.

These people are not only my former coaches or colleagues, but they have become much more. They have become friends who I can to lean on for advice, not only about coaching, but also life and navigating the twists and turns that you will face through time.

In addition, I should remind you to always ask for advice, no matter how small or big it is. You never know how impactful someone can be to you in that moment.

Besides my parents, the biggest influences in my life have been my amazing teachers and, most importantly, my coaches! I am on the other side of 50, and have about 30 years of coaching experience, but I still have no problem reaching out to my pool of amazing women and men who have helped shape me into the coach I am today!

Tina Sloan Green, Sue Stahl and Gwen Cheeseman Alexander were my lacrosse and field hockey coaches at Temple University, and they have always been larger than life to me. They taught me so many life lessons at such an impressionable age and time of my life, lessons that I continue to teach my players and hope they will pass on to their players and daughters.

In the 80s, Temple took chances on young women that other schools may have not recruited. Many of my teammates, including me, were first generation, and playing lacrosse and field hockey was the vehicle for all of us to get a college degree. I am forever grateful for these trailblazers in coaching to have taught me so much more than the game of lacrosse.

Tina always said, “The best place to raise your children is on the sideline.” I took that literally … if you ask any official, they will tell you that during the majority of my early years coaching, there was always one of my four kids on my sideline during games. Even in recent years, they have played for me; my daughter Jackie first and now Shea!

During our national championship run in 1984, Tina was about nine months pregnant running up and down the sideline. Sue Stahl always had her boys at our practices. During my college career, I was exposed to these amazing women working and raising their families and being successful at both! That demonstrated to me, you can have it all!!!

Some of the more contemporary coaches that I love to talk with and consider them my mentors include Kerry Whitaker (Penn), Carol Cantele (Gettysburg), Susan Stuart-Elliott (Colorado College), Sharon Pfluger (TCNJ) and Robin Selbst (TCNJ).

This small pool of greats jumped to mind because they have always been there for me. It could be anything from a pick-me-up when I was battling cancer, to being there for me in the middle of a challenging season and professionally hitting some hurdles, or even something as simple as having lunch to talk strategy or the nice distraction of talking about motherhood.

My big male mentor is the legendary former athletic director and men’s basketball coach from Cabrini, John Dzik. He gave me the opportunity to coach at Cabrini and showed me by his example that coaching is a labor of love! He is still someone with whom I speak on a regular basis.

Last but definitely not least is my friend Marge Watson (former head coach at Ursinus). There is no other woman, other than my mom, who holds such a big place in my heart. Marge has coached, officiated, raised a family and continues to give back to the sport. She loves the game and always reminds me that, “It’s you and the game.”

For me, coaching is not only the Xs & Os … it has always been about the people. I love my players, my alumnae, my coaching colleagues and all of the relationships that happen over time while doing something we love.

To the coaches I have mentioned and the hundreds of others I have met during my career, I would like to say, “Thank you!”

Thank you for the encouragement, the friendship and the leadership that you have not only provided me, but also other coaches and players. Your words continue to influence generations of players and coaches who will lead our game into the future.