LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Bob Pulkowski was nominated by an anonymous student.

"I have done gymnastics my whole life but never enjoyed the coaches. Gymnastics is a physical sport, and a key component is pushing yourself. Growing up, I had multiple coaches who were demanding and hurtful, both mentally and physically. I ended up quitting after almost ten years. A year after quitting, I decided to join Arrowhead Gymnastics after a few friends encouraged me to," said the student.

"On the first day of practice, Bob made it evident that we should take the team seriously, but also, this team sport should be enjoyable. Bob did not flat-out say that we should have fun; instead, he filled our group with joy, which made all the new individuals feel comfortable and welcome," said the student. "Regardless of skill level and previous experience, Bob treats everyone equally. He gets to know every individual and can quickly make everyone laugh."

"Every day during our team meeting, we discuss new upcoming events/announcements. In this meeting, Bob makes everyone start practice with a smile. An example of this was when it was Thanksgiving time; he gave us the details on how he makes the best dishes. The relatability he gives us–creates a strong foundation for a team," said the student.

"Bob also gives everyone an equal opportunity to compete. Instead of listing who made it into certain spots, he allows everyone to compete. Bob treats Varsity players the same as exhibition players, which includes time spent with them. He gives equal attention to everyone," said the student.

"As well as treating us equally, he also makes the team feel comfortable showing their personalities. He shows his unique personality while not caring what others think of him. We admire this and therefore show who we are without being embarrassed," said the student.

"Previously, there was no excuse for missing practice in club gymnastics. That's not the case with Bob. While the gymnasts should try and attend as many practices as possible, family and school always come first. Even when you are not feeling prepared enough to compete in a meet, Bob will always excuse it and will never push you to feel uncomfortable. He will always encourage but will never force," said the student.

"Being able to be on first-name terms with him says enough about our team's relationship with him. Thank you, Bob, for making the Arrowhead Gymnastics team the positive environment it is," said the student.