I have almost completed my 5th year as a football coaches wife. To most five years doesn't seem like much but it really is a lot when you take into consideration all that has happened.
Since my husband started coaching 5 years ago we have: moved 4 times, changed schools 3 times, had our second child and met LOTS of amazing people along the way.
My husband closed his personal business of welding/ building metal buildings and houses to become a coach. HUGE pay cut and people thought we were nuts. They still might but he wasn't happy and he was always stressed. Coaching was something he had wanted to do for a long time but the money aspect scared him away. After much convincing and consideration he decided he wanted to do something with benefits, that he loved and was a little less stressful.
It was by far the BEST thing we have ever decided to do. I say we because when you have a coach for a husband your in it together from day one. He was already gone a lot working for himself so the time away from us wasn't terrible to get use to except we had a 1.5 yr old and he missed his daddy. Our first year we were with an amazing staff who taught us more than we could have ever imagined about this new lifestyle we had chosen.
Like I say since day one I have been involved in everything possible as far as his career goes. We attend other sporting events besides football, we invite kids over for dinner, Jason helps them to find summer jobs, the kids and I attend EVERY game rain, sleet or snow and so much more. It helps my husband to do his job so much better when he knows we are behind him every step of the way and we are in it with him,
I won't lie one bit when I say it hasn't always been butterflies and roses. There have been times when we wanted to throw in the towel and be done but then we realized any thing you do is going to have ups and downs you just have to roll with the punches.
One of the hardest things for me to adjust to was sitting in the stands hearing fans yell down right AWFUL things about my husband and the other coaches. I wanted more than anything to turn around and tell them off. I wanted to let them know that my husband sees their children more than his own and spends at least 18 out of 24 hours in the day focused on just football from June-November. I wanted to tell them maybe if you child would do what he is suppose to you wouldn't be yelling at my husband. But the fact is that won't get you anywhere and it's best to hold your tongue and not let them get to you. Let it go in one ear and out the other. And in the case that your husband didn't hear it its best not to bring it up.
People are going to praise you when you do well and slam you when you don't its all part of this crazy life we live in. After 5 years I can now say 95% of what I hear in the stands doesn't phase me at all. I have become pretty good at ignoring it. When family comes to the game they are usually blown away by at least one comment and most of the time I don't even hear it.
Another thing I have adjusted to is not having a husband from July-November and if you make the pay offs sometimes December. In July when camp starts I usually kiss Jason and tell him see ya in November or if we are really lucky December. People think it's crazy but its true. Once they start it doesn't stop. Camp, 7v7, two a days, then school starts and after school practices. Then Freshman and JV games on Thursdays, Varsity on Friday and Game planning Saturday and Sunday. My kids usually don't see Jason from Sunday evening if they are awake when he comes in until Friday after the game on the field. I see him a little more often because I try and stay up but usually its just in passing. Some people say I don't know how you do it but I really wouldn't have it any other way.
Then every year around February contract renewal time comes around and you wonder if your head coach is going to get renewed, look for another job, take you with them if they get another job or if your husband is going to be on the job hunt himself. It's a crazy stressful time of the year and it eats at me every year. Even after 5 years I still panic around this time and run all the scenarios though my head! It never does me any good and we always end up somewhere with a job! Glad we r past this point now!
We are so lucky to be in this profession really. We get to meet so many kids and really change some of their life's for the better. We stay in touch with several of our past players. Our boys have more big brothers than they can count and LOVE the time they get to spend with the team. It's a different type of lifestyle for sure especially in Texas where High school football is SERIOUS!
I could not be more blessed to be living this life I have been given!
***Just to be clear this post doesn't mean we or anyone else is leaving our current school or anything! Just a random post about being a coaches wife***
GO JACKETS!!!
