In our home, we’re in that crazy season between the disappointment of a football season that ended faster than we hoped it would and the beginning of a hopeful basketball season. The man I’m married to is one of those guys who chose the career path of a small school. He starts in August with …
I looked up from my phone as the car made one last slow turn to find myself at Fredericksburg High School’s football stadium. It’s the third stadium we have seen on this trip having turned off the highway twice to “check out the facilities.” Romance, ladies, with a capital R.
Outside observers might look at my husband’s resume and assume he has difficulty finding jobs, so he’s compromising to stay part of the game. The truth is, climbing the coaching ranks made him and our family miserable. Thankfully, he was is willing to follow his calling rather than society’s expectations. Ordell’s choices have allowed our …
We love our husbands. No doubt about that. Still, some things can irritate and push our buttons, and when you are married to a coach, there seem to be even more buttons to push. For example, he says he will be home by 6:00 and walks in at 7:15 like it’s 6:00, and he didn’t …
Now that I’m a veteran wife, I get asked a lot, “What advice would you give your younger self or anyone just starting out in this lifestyle?” My response for a while was, “It will all be worth it. All the hellos, goodbyes, moves, and hard times will make you better.” But, I’ve realized that …
It’s no secret that being a coach’s wife isn’t always easy. Loneliness and anxiety can easily take over, and boy, has it taken me over before. There are times when I take the final exit to my husband’s school that I feel like my chest is being squeezed so tightly I can’t breathe. Just the …
I only went to two football games this season, and still, I almost lost my dang mind. Allow me to explain. If you know me personally or have read through my past entries, you know that I moved from a city with over a million residents to a country town coming in with a whopping …
Dear Coach, Mid-season is upon us, and we are in the thick of it. The excitement that kick-started the season back in June is fading. The spark of competition from August is dimming, and long hours have evolved into even longer days. This is the grind. The mid-season grind and Coach, it is tough. At …
My oldest child greeted me so sweetly this morning. “When are you going to do laundry? I’m running out of clothes that fit.” This is one of my favorite questions, along with, “Did you get more milk at the store?” My children seem to believe I have an internal monitor that lets me know when …
While winter break doesn’t always mean your calendar is empty, it is still a time to relax and recharge! This time is crucial to coaching couples to regroup and strengthen our relationships for the coming year. Intentional time as a couple is always important but often neglected. Now is the time to make a plan …
When a coach takes a new job, the headlines always read how a new coach takes over a new program. The average fan, even the most avid fan, reads that literally. They instantly assume the program will change under new leadership. However, being a coaching family, when I see the headline about a new coach …
Life is like a rollercoaster, constantly going from the highs to the lows and back up again. But there’s something about this coaching lifestyle that makes it more apparent. Maybe it’s because it makes the highs higher and the lows lower or maybe it adds more frequent hills and valleys. One of the only certainties …
There once was a coach’s wife, Who balanced sippy cups, diapers, and a stroller in one hand, While cheering in the stands, With songs being played by the band. Oh no, a child needs to pee, While children run around wild and free. A coach’s wife chases her kids, While trying to find cup lids. …
In college, Ordell confidently sought opportunities to gain college coaching experience. At the same time, I struggled to find my footing as I juggled jobs with Young Life student staff, personal training, and teaching swimming lessons. I couldn’t figure out how to combine everything I was enjoyed doing and sleep! He knew his calling because …
Dating at any age can be brutal. It is a roller coaster of ups, downs, diagonals, sudden stops, backward moves, and loop-to-loops. In my 20’s I could buckle up and muscle through the ride and see that thing through to the bitter end; even when I knew I should have bailed a few twists and …
My husband has been an Offensive Line Coach for 11 years and was an Offensive Lineman all through High School and College. The other day he said something that had me thinking about life going into the season. As he was working through the new offense out loud, he asked me, “What’s a Lineman’s most …
When I want to irritate my coach, I ask him to emote verbally with questions like…”Why did you marry me?” Occasionally, when he has grown bored with a crass retort, he will reply with, “Why did you marry me?” Without a pause, I can answer, “the strength of your character…” And exactly twenty-three years and …
There are so many things to juggle in this coaching life; it can sometimes feel like you are in a circus. When I went to coaching school over the summer, I walked in with my husband, and I was in awe of all the booths, people selling various services, and equipment. I looked at him …
It’s the same story, a different day. You and your coach have discussed this during pillow talk, but it becomes real when the local news pushes it out. The head coach gets fired, and you already know deep down that it will be your reality soon. That’s just how it goes. For us, it has …
When it comes to celebrating a coaching milestone, many coaches’ wives are left wondering how to honor a milestone without going overboard. How do you celebrate these occasions? Are gifts expected? What are the appropriate milestones? First head coaching position, 50th or 100th win? Do we celebrate retirement or is this a time to mourn? …
