Meet Jay, our September Girl Hero. A longtime Girls on the Run coach, runner, dad and active member of his community, Jay knows the power of simply showing up for others. Whether he’s encouraging a fellow runner, cheering on his kids from the sidelines or coaching a team of GOTR girls, he believes even the smallest words of encouragement can make a meaningful difference.

Jay first discovered Girls on the Run through Black Men Run, a local running group, when they supported the Girls on the Run 5K. It was his first experience with the organization, and the joy he saw on the faces of girls and their families as they crossed the finish line stayed with him. When his children’s school brought Girls on the Run programming to their site the following year, the timing felt meant to be to join as a coach.

Several seasons later, it’s the girls themselves who keep Jay coming back. Seeing them show up, work hard, challenge themselves and return year after year has made coaching an experience he continues to value.

As a male coach in a program centered on empowering girls, Jay doesn’t take his role lightly. “It means the world to me to be accepted and welcomed into their space, and I don’t take it for granted that I need to earn that every season.”

Inspired by his own experiences as a runner, Jay hopes the girls he coaches learn to be encouragers in their own communities and recognize the difference a few words of positivity can make.

“The running community is full of cheerleaders, people that are excited for you and want to see you succeed even if they don’t necessarily know you. That random ‘good job’ or ‘you got this’ goes a long way.”

And while Jay has spent years encouraging GOTR girls, they’ve had an impact on him, too. They’ve taught him to ask for feedback, listen and adjust when his approach isn’t connecting. Those lessons have helped him become a better soccer and basketball coach for his daughter’s teams—and, as Jay says, even a better parent, too.

Now, his GOTR journey is coming full circle. This season, Jay’s daughter will experience Girls on the Run for the first time! After years of investing in the growth of girls in his community, he’s excited to watch his own daughter experience the program he has spent so many seasons helping bring to life.

And for anyone considering becoming a Girls on the Run coach, Jay’s advice is simple: “Take the leap! It can be intimidating, but the reward is contributing to the growth and development of the next generation of female leaders."