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? …
To the newlywed wife, He’s gone a lot. He’s watching film while he’s home. This isn’t what you thought your first year as a married couple would be like. It’s called football “season” for a reason. He’ll be home soon. Hold tight. It’s just a season. To the new mommy wife, I know it …
Retired. The word itself conjures up images of books being read, lazy afternoons, lunches with girl-friends, or peaceful walks on a beach. It speaks in deeply rested breathes and an overwhelming joy that “every day is now Saturday”. Or does it… Though I have stepped back from my career, I haven’t stepped away from my …
When I comment on posts about feeding my husband’s wide receivers at the house, I think some of us envision a 21st-century version of Mrs. Cleaver standing at the edge of her kitchen, with a fresh coif, pearls around her neck without a shine or shadow on her face, holding a platter of meat delicately …
We all know that men and women “speak different languages” but coaches, well…they take it to a new level. Hopefully, this glossary will help you understand “coach speak” a bit better. Coach Speak Decoded When Coach says: Practice will be done at 5:30. Translated: You won’t see him till 7:00 or after. 5:30 means they …
One thing that we’ve learned through the years on Friday Night Wives is that every coaching family represented is striving to do their best to support their spouses. We’ve also discovered that outside observers often have grandiose ideas of what actually goes on under the roofs of a coach’s home. If you’re wondering why your …
Sometimes, your heart just knows when something isn’t right. After a troubling couple of years and struggling both at home and with his career, I asked my coach this question one emotional night… if he could do anything in the world, what would it be? His reply? Coach at the college level. And his response …
