They say if you hang out with someone enough you start to pick up some of their mannerisms. Maybe it’s a saying or a hand gesture, it could be anything really. Then when you marry someone, you can become the same person if you’re lucky enough to be married that long.
I am a perfect example of that. Being married to my Coach changed me. There are things I would have never imagined I would care about, do, or say until I became a coach’s wife. A few years ago I would have been embarrassed to admit these things, but let’s say this is my “coming out” about my coaching wife quirks.
Here are some things I have learned about myself as a coach’s wife.
My wardrobe has changed.
I think all of us can relate to this. The majority of my attire says our school name on it or is our school colors. Our kids'? The same way. If you see us out and about with something that doesn’t say “Beddingfield” on it, we are probably dressed up for something. The downside? If we lose an in-county rivalry game we have to avoid that “other” side of town with our gear on. I can’t have an all out brawl in the grocery store defending my team’s loss in front of the kids. But let us win the game and I’ll go grocery shopping in a bear head (our mascot) and not think twice about it. I never knew I could be so passionate about a team or school. Don’t get me wrong, I played sports in high school but never did I get excited about defending my teams “honor”.
I love the sight of a perfectly manicured ball field.
Who knew? The rye grass on the baseball field has just started to turn green, and every day I ride by the field and think to myself, “Man, what a field! That Coach is killing it this year.” This is coming from a woman who has zero flowers planted in her yard. Don’t get me wrong, Coach has our yard looking great but it’s nothing compared to what that man can do to a ballfield. Not to mention I actually called it “rye grass.” Who am I? Before I became a coach’s wife, I knew nothing about grass except it was green. Now I am calling it by a specific name, judging the height of the grass and making suggestions on stripe designs.
I am yelling at the TV during ball games.
Sure, I watched football growing up with my Dad, but only because that’s what was on TV in the living room. I knew just enough to be dangerous. But all a sudden I am yelling “OFFSIDES” or “THROW THE FLAG REF” at the TV. I am arguing with my husband about if it really was pass inference and how great of a job Luke Kuechly is doing this year. Ok, so the last part might be because of how good Luke is looking this year, not his playing ability, but I am who I am.
I am participating in bowl sheets.
Not only am I participating, but my husband is even asking me to make the sheets. I actually care about bowl games and research what’s going on with each team to know who has the better shot. I know things like who is hurt, who is sitting because of draft eligibility, who is coaching/not coaching, things that could affect the team. Mainly, I just want to beat my husband because we usually bet the loser takes the winner out to eat anywhere they want to go.
I spend my anniversary weekend watching the Heisman Awards.
Every year we go on a trip for our anniversary. We were married December 8, which was during the “split” of duck season; another season we have in our house (insert eye roll). Well, it so happens that every weekend we go on our trip, the Heisman award ceremony is on TV. So guess what we watch? WHO AM I? Did I think 10 years ago, before I knew my husband, this was something I had to look forward to? Something I would have an opinion on? And on my anniversary? Please!
I dance in the car with my husband to referee signals.
It started one day when my Coach started to do the “delay of game countdown” signal to the beat of the music on the radio. This is when you extend your arm straight out to your right and bend your elbow bringing your hand towards your chest and back out again. We have extended this dance to contain face-mask calls (grasping your hand in front of your face and pulling down), targeting call (fist toward the side of the heard movement) and any other call you can do while sitting in the car. We have started to get our three-year-old involved. It’s amazing, and I laugh until I cry most of the time.
I never knew when I started this journey I would change so much. Or maybe Coach just brought out things in me that were there all along. God obviously knew what He was doing when He brought this Coach into my life, and I could not be happier.
So here it is, my coming out. I love blue and yellow, fresh cut grass, ballgames on tv, bowl sheets, Heisman awards, and dancing in my car like a fool!