When Janira first joined Girls on the Run in 2016, she was new to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and looking for a way to connect with students and fellow teachers. Her story is the first in our new 30 Voices series, which will spotlight the people behind 30 years of Girls on the Run Greater Charlotte — coaches, volunteers, alumnae, parents, and board members — sharing their experiences and the impact they’ve made along the way. A colleague invited her to coach, and she “never looked back.” What started as a way to meet people quickly became a passion — one that has spanned 20 seasons and touched hundreds of girls’ lives.

The Heart of Coaching
For Janira, the joy of coaching comes from the girls themselves. “I have so many younger girls tell me how they can’t wait to get to third grade to be a part of Girls on the Run,” she says. Watching them cheer each other on and cross the finish line, she says, is “probably the biggest dose of serotonin.” She adds, “I never get there for the first girl, but I stay and watch every single one of our girls cross. To see all the emotions on their faces as they cross is unforgettable.”

Over the years, Janira has collected countless memorable moments: chats with girls during practice, witnessing a non-native speaker gain confidence and make friends, seeing a girl who had been made fun of cross the finish line, and watching her own daughter grow through the program. “It’s so hard to pick just one moment out of all the seasons,” she says.

Coaching Her Daughter
Janira’s daughter Emma has also been part of Girls on the Run and coaching her brought unique perspectives. “Thankfully Emma has had me as a soccer coach before, and she’s never just been known as Ms. Reza’s daughter, so it wasn’t any different,” Janira explains. “We have a really great and communicative relationship — one that I think is because of what I have learned about talking to girls through Girls on the Run.”

When conflicts arose, Janira trusted other coaches to handle situations involving her daughter, allowing her to step back and observe the impact of the program. “Seeing how much it impacted Emma made me want to continue to be a part of this program,” she says. “To see the confidence, it creates in girls and how they handle their own conflicts with the strategies learned in GOTR just continued to prove to me that this is so worth it.”

Reflections on 20 Seasons
If 2016 Janira could see herself today, she believes her younger self would be proud that she “is still getting girls excited about Girls on the Run and continues to make time for something that fills her heart.”

The program has also shaped Janira in profound ways. “It’s become one of the biggest parts of my identity. At our school, Ms. Reza is synonymous with GOTR,” she shares. “I’ve been able to take the strategies taught in coaching courses and deal with kids in a completely different way. I’m way more patient with my own kids and with other people, especially adults. I reflect on my friendships and other relationships — am I bringing people into my circle that I want there, and am I being the person I want others to be for me?”

Why Girls on the Run Matters
Janira sums it up simply: “Girls on the Run is special because it changes the way girls see themselves, and that changes everything.”

To anyone thinking about coaching, her advice is straightforward: “Do it. There are so many resources, the team at Charlotte is phenomenal and will go above and beyond. You’re never going to regret showing up for a kid.”

Then & Now

Twenty seasons later, Janira’s story is a testament to the lasting impact of coaches who show up, season after season, for the girls who depend on them and for the community they help build.