ICU Nurse By Day, Cheer Coach By Night: Linda Loeffler

ICU Nurse By Day, Cheer Coach By Night: Linda Loeffler

Linda Loeffler is a pediatric ICU nurse by day and a cheerleading coach by night!

Feb 3, 2017 by Emily Schmidt
ICU Nurse By Day, Cheer Coach By Night: Linda Loeffler
Both my daughters and the girls from my team inspire me to be better every day.
Linda Loeffler has dedicated her life to constantly giving back to people. When she isn't in the gym coaching the Junior High Cheerleaders from St. Agnes and Sacred Heart (SASH), you can find her in scrubs as a nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Lehigh Valley Hospital.

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Tell us about your day job:

I am a nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Lehigh Valley Hospital. It is a very busy ICU that cares for the sickest children in the greater Lehigh Valley area as well as being a level 1 pediatric trauma center and burn center. Our typical patients could be anything from a sick baby with bronchiolitis, to a new onset diabetic or other medical condition, to child involved in any kind of trauma, burns or abuse. Every day is a different day. Many days are sad because for most of these families it's the worst thing that has ever happened to their child. My job is to fight hard for these kids and their families to provide the finest care possible as to achieve the best outcome possible for them and their families.

Tell us about where you coach and what:
I coach is the SASH Knights cheerleading team. They are an amazing group of middle school girls who love cheerleading and their team. The dedication from them and their families to our team is extraordinary. They love and support each other in a way that makes me so proud to be their coach. This will be our 4th year attending High School Nationals. The team has made incredible improvements each year. Our first year we didn't make finals, 2nd year we got 9th, last year we earn 3rd place, and this year we are going for gold!

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How did you get into coaching:

I was a cheerleader growing up. I coached for a short time when I was in my early 20's and stopped when I got married and started a family. I started coaching the SASH team with my daughter, Grace when she was in 9th grade. At the time my other daughters were on the team and we were hoping to improve the quality of the team and make it a team the whole community could be proud of. I'm now in my 14th year of coaching SASH. The first 4 years Grace and I coached together until she went to college and the last 10 has been with my second daughter Emily. Both my daughters and the girls from my team inspire me to be better every day.

Tell us about transitioning from your day job to coaching? How are they different?
Like cheerleading, my job is very stressful but very rewarding, but in a different way. Both challenge me to be my best every day. At work, a child's life is in my hands. Every detail matters to the child and to their families. In coaching, cheerleading is one of the most important things in the lives of the girls on the team. Every detail matters to them, so we can put the best routine possible on the mat. Success in even the small details brings incredible joy and gives me so much encouragement to continue.

What do your co-workers think about your cheerleading job?
Most times they think I'm crazy! And that may be true, especially when it gets close to Nationals time. They know the stress we have in our job and think why you would add more? But the reality is that even though at times it can be stressful, seeing the girls succeed, watching them encourage each other, seeing them grow in physical and mental strength, as well as growing in confidence in themselves brings turns the stress into determination.

How can you apply what you do in your day job to your coaching job and vice-versa?
For both it's all in the desire to be your best. Giving everything you have, and when you think you have nothing more to give, then give a little more. It's the small details and things that you do when that no one else sees that makes all the difference.

DAY VS. NIGHT
What do you wear to work?
DAY: Scrubs
NIGHT: Navy Knights gear

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What kind of people do you work with at each job?
DAY: Every kind of kid you could imagine from very wealthy to very poor, kids with ideal loving homes to kids living on the street with no one to care for them. Each one is amazing and very special.
NIGHT: Kids from our team for the most part have similar back grounds, each with their individual struggles in areas but all have incredible families that love and support them and our team. I am very blessed. Each one is amazing and very special.

What are your goals at each job?
DAY: To provide superior care to the kids and families I care for to achieve the best possible outcome for the situation they are facing.
NIGHT: To provide an experience for the team they will always remember and cherish. To help the kids realize that they are capable of so much more than they thought possible through hard work and dedication. Our goal for each member of the team is to be the best version of themselves but not just for them. Accomplish this goal for each other, because together then we can be the best possible team! (Winning Nationals would be good, too. ;)).

What do you primarily do at each job?
DAY: Provide nursing care for critically sick kids.
NIGHT: Provide coaching with my daughter to incredibly dedicated kids.

What is the most rewarding part of each job?
DAY: When I've been providing care for a child who was so unstable we were not sure if they would survive and they turn the corner and start to improve.
NIGHT: Seeing the kids struggle for something so difficult, not give up, and then succeed.

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