It’s become an annual question I’m asked: as both a coach’s wife and a player parent, how do I feel about holiday tournaments?
For years, my answer has come from those roles—talking about staying in shape, maintaining structure, building team chemistry, and keeping kids busy and supported during a long break. I share how former players often say their favorite memories are the bus rides, hotel stays, and time together.
All of those things are true, and they matter.
But if I’m being honest as a parent, part of me would also love slow mornings, movie marathons, Christmas lights, and catching up on laundry. What I’ve learned, though, is that the holidays look different in this season of life. Supporting our kids sometimes means trading cozy moments for loud gyms and early mornings. And while it’s not always easy, it’s often in these shared sacrifices—showing up, being present, and cheering them on—that the memories they carry forward are made.
I was once told in my early years of parenting, “Love what they love.” When you do, you discover so much joy—even when they fall in love with something you don’t fully understand. You find yourself wanting to be there: watching, cheering, and supporting them as they do what they love. I’ve also come to cherish the friendships formed in the stands with other parents, the team meal planning, and the shared conversations about parenting dilemmas—smelly socks, stubborn uniform stains, and whether they’ll still want to go to Winter Ball after a tough loss.
Every single moment spent watching my boys play has been one of my greatest joys. I want them to know that through every life transition—high school, college, marriage, and parenting—I will always be there, on the sidelines or at the end of the bench, cheering them on. I will never tire of supporting them. Every exhausting, glorious minute is worth it.
We still sneak in time for Christmas lights and movies, but those aren’t the moments they talk about as adults. What they remember is that I was always in the stands. They tell me they’re proud that no matter what, they always had a fan.
Long after the seasons end and life moves through its many transitions, our kids remember that someone believed in them enough to keep showing up. The late nights, packed schedules, and exhaustion fade, but the feeling of having a steady supporter—no matter the outcome—stays with them.
**This space is about supporting the women behind the sidelines. We’ve created a few favorite wear-on-repeat pieces inspired by this life, just in case you want to check them out!**