When you consider PCA reaching 8.6 million youth athletes, it’s easy to lose sight of how we impact an individual student-athlete. But Linda Epner reminded us when she took the podium at PCA-Houston’s Dugout Dialogue fundraiser -- featuring PCA National Advisory Board Member and Houston Astros Manager AJ Hinch -- to explain her daughter Eden’s PCA experience.

When Eden turned three, she was too shy to say her name and age when it was her turn to wear the glittery birthday crown. I had rushed to record this moment with my huge, Sony camcorder and my heart sank. Fast forward to Eden as a high school senior, when she addressed a crowd of 500 in Palo Alto at PCA's National Youth Sports Award Banquet.

I was not present. What was the key to this transformation from shy toddler to confident teen? The answer is definitely NOT her sports-challenged mom! The answer is in fact: Sports and Positive Coaching!

Eden at a very young age was exposed to every imaginable sport by her Stanford alum and sports-fanatic dad, Danny. Danny played with her, coached her and told her "Just play hard, have fun, and don't worry about the scoreboard!"

When she arrived at St. John's School, Coach Angie Kensinger did the same. Eden played multiple varsity sports for "the love of the game." Angie introduced her to PCA.

PCA is an incredible organization. It doesn't just "talk the talk", "it walks the walk." Tina Syer, Ben Rose, and PCA Believed in Eden, listened to her ideas, and gave her the opportunity to work to make them happen. Eden served on PCA's National Student-Athlete Advisory Board during high school. The experience was transformative.

Sports and PCA taught Eden life's most important lessons, giving her the confidence and leadership skills to succeed.

Perhaps, then, it is no surprise that Eden is now at Johns Hopkins, a Dean's List Division 1 Student- Athlete, playing lacrosse for the winningest coach in Hopkins history, Head Coach Janine Tucker. Coach Tucker truly embodies PCA's coaching tenets; so much so that she herself has joined PCA's National Advisory Board this year!

The neat thing about PCA is Eden's story is hardly unusual. It is the story of millions of youth impacted by PCA. PCA invests in the very best our country has to offer: Our Kids! The short- and long-term returns on this investment, I submit, are priceless. I hope you will join me in supporting PCA.