“Thanks, mom.”

If you were an athlete at one time or still are, you have said the above mentioned phrase more times that you can count or remember. Our mothers have played an integral and indescribable role in our lives on and off the playing field.

With Mother’s Day being celebrated this Sunday, some of our local coaches have recalled the role their mother played in their athletic endeavors, and also how either they or their spouse has played a major role in their children’s careers.

“My mom was always supportive of me throughout my playing and coaching career,” said Northampton head field hockey and girls’ lacrosse coach Carrie Saul, remembering her mother, Karen Martnick. “Northampton had just started a field hockey team when I was a rising eighth grader.

“A friend of mine was going to try it, and asked me to try it, too. My mom was nervous to allow it because of how hard the ball was, but she still signed me up to play. That was a great decision. My mom was always cheering from the sidelines as I played in high school, college, and then became a coach. She believed in me and provided sound advice when I needed it.”

Today, Saul has followed in her footsteps.

“Now, I am fortunate enough to have two daughters who equally have passion for field hockey,” she added. “I am on the sidelines for every one of their games, both scholastic and club. I always have told them to be strong, as they will be under the scrutiny of being the ‘coach’s daughter.’

“They work hard, and I’m truly blessed. Even though they are totally different, they both have a common love that we can all share.”

Catasauqua head baseball and Liberty head golf coach Steve Bradley noted the role his mother, Barbara, played in his and his sibling’s lives.

“I was the fourth of five kids, and my mom would pitch to us in the backyard,” said Bradley. “She was a strong disciplinarian, and she always expected us to do our best in whatever we did. We grew up on an acre and a half, and we did everything there.

“Mom did everything with us – push mowed the front yard, trimmed around every flower bed, caught with us, cooked dinner every night and had our laundry done every week. She instilled a work ethic in all of us kids. Heck, she even made all of the cabinets in our house, did stained class, and always decorated every holiday and birthday. Never missed one. She was an artist.

“She recently fought through two strokes in back-to-back years, and pulled through making it back home from six months in a rehab facility at age 90. She and my father have been married for 70 years and have no plans of slowing down. They’re still living in the house we grew up in and still taking care of an acre and a half.”

Bradley’s wife, Lorrie, had a similar path with her children, Zack and Kenzie.

“She always was our kids’ biggest cheerleader and critique,” said Bradley about his wife. “She made sure to support Zack and Kenzie and even coached Kenzie in youth softball. She was an avid wrestling fan and even announced when Zack wrestled.”

Whitehall head softball coach Jeff Vivian has fond memories of his mother Vivian.

“She came to the US from Montreal when she met my dad,” said Vivian. “They met when my mom was hitchhiking across the Plattsburg Bridge in New York. She was ultra competitive, and always wanted to win, even when I played her in board games like scrabble, trivia pursuit, and even cards.

“I remember being 10 and playing scrabble with her and my older brother. I spelled a word, and she challenged it because she knew I misspelled it. I wasn’t allowed to correct it, had to remove it, and lost my turn. She told me “that it teaches you to get things right before you put them down.” I never forgot that lesson.

“But in trivial pursuit, she could never beat me. When I was at work, she would study the questions and answers, hoping to remember the answers when we played. It was comical, but sheer competitiveness and hatred of losing was always on display.”

Vivian noted his mom was always there.

“She was my biggest fan, but also my biggest critic,” he said. “She would go over what I did right, what I did wrong, and where I needed to improve. Every baseball game, even in college when we had a scoreboard, she would take out a piece of paper and keep score, so she knew the time, play, and aspects of the game. She really was a driver in my life.”

Vivian’s wife, Kristie, has been an encouraging force for daughters, Abigail and Aubrey.

“She took a supportive role when they got into sports,” stressed Vivian. “She was always at their games, it didn’t matter the distance. She was always their biggest fan, cheering them on, and encouraging them not to back down and play harder. She always had a positive push for them, and you could see them really develop their relationship. It was fun to watch.

“That continued into high school, and she became the head of the booster club for soccer. She organized their off-field events just to keep a positive experience for their high school careers.

Catasauqua head boys’ basketball coach Eric Snyder recalled how his mother, Janice or “Nin,” made him and siblings, Mark and Anne Marie, become involved.

“She was very sports oriented,” he stated. “She always had us involved in playing as many different sports as possible. She loved tennis and volleyball as well baseball, basketball, and football. She loved to swim.

“She made us take tennis, swimming, and piano lessons. She pushed us to try anything and everything, at least to give it a shot. She and my dad were at everything we played. When people talk about role models being athletes and actresses, my role models were my parents. They pushed and encouraged us and forced us even if we didn’t like it. We’re glad they made us do things. They were our parents, not our friends.”

Snyder’s wife, Tina, has played a key role in the development of sons Andrew and James.

“Even though she never really played or coached, she totally immersed herself into athletics and the sports that Andrew and James loved,” said Snyder about his wife. “She learned about football, baseball, basketball, and other sports they would play like tennis, volleyball and taking swimming lessons.

“I never saw such a wonderful person like my wife, who learned so much, became so involved, became extremely knowledgeable in sports.

“When Andrew and James grew older, she became not only more involved, but also learned how to get involved and behave as a parent. I haven’t seen anything like how she had grown into a sports fan.

“She is a wonderful mother who never butted in and got overly involved and learned how to listen to criticism of Andrew, James and myself. She never got into an argument and showed extreme patience and tolerance throughout our marriage.

“She was an ideal mother.”

For Catty cross country coach Kyle Rusnock, he remembers how his mom was always there no matter what the situation.

“I want to start by saying moms are the best,” he said. “My mom was always there supporting me in all of my sports growing up, wrestling, football or baseball. My mom was always there in the victories and the losses, ups and downs in everything. It made training hard and trying your best enjoyable to make her proud. After winning the state title in wrestling, it was one of the best feelings to put the gold medal around my mom’s neck and thank her for everything she did for me.

“As a parent of athletes of my two boys Gavin and Logan, my wife Kelly is like a superhero mom. She does everything to make sure they are ready for their games if it be ice hockey, baseball, wrestling or football. She is the mesh that holds it all together and makes sure the boys can focus on their game. I admire the love and support she gives to them. We now realize how nervous our parents probably were when we were competing.

“There have been times I chuckle when Kelly has closed her eyes or left the building because the game was on the line. It shows how much love and care she has for our boys. As I mentioned before, moms are the best and their love and support should be cherished.

“Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there.”