Holly Springs swim coach recognized for work with young athletes

HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. (WTVD) -- As the eldest of five children, Jasmine Brown is no stranger to organized chaos. That lived experience has certainly informed her coaching.

"I just think my ability to relate to the kids and switch up, so that they understand how to go about the stroke or whatever the case is," Brown said. "Really understanding the technique but also kind of giving them that intensity that they need for swimming. That go-out-there-and-get-it mentality."

Brown, the swim coach at Holly Springs High School, is one of eight coaches statewide who was recently honored by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association for making a positive difference in their athletes' lives.

"In swimming, we wake up at four o'clock in the morning to go to practice. It's them showing up every day, wanting to get better and not groaning because it's a hard practice but they're actually excited about it," Brown said. "Once we get to that point, I'm like, all right, we're in our sweet spot now, here we go."

Linette Nixon has a freshman son at Holly Springs who's been coached by Brown for several years now. She nominated her for the award.

"Sometimes kids his age need someone who truly believes in them, Nixon said. "And I think she's one of those coaches. She kind of motivates him, and everyone."

Nixon said that though she gets a sense of extra pride since Brown is coaching at the school she attended, she's convinced that Brown would be every bit as invested elsewhere.

"She can get just about anything out of anybody just by her patience and her calm way of motivating them," Nixon said.

Beyond coaching swimming, Brown is also passionate about teaching financial literacy to teenagers, even publishing a book on the subject. It's meant to facilitate kids having discussions about money management with their parents and deals with baseline concepts.

"Definitely not understanding credit but also understanding that money does not grow on trees," Brown said. "You know, understanding the value of $1 because a lot of times as teenagers they're not spending their own money. And once they start spending their own money, they're spending way too fast."

The kids she coaches have obviously benefited greatly from her tutelage but there's a huge payoff for Brown as well.

"That look on their face when they realize they got their sectional cut or their state cut or they qualified for regionals or whatever the case is... now they look at me and we get to share that 'Yeah! Got it!' So, then I get really excited, that's definitely the most rewarding part," she said.