Jarrett left our home at 5:45 this morning. Day 1 of football practice starts today. Today starts his 15th year of coaching football and he was so excited to get started. Yesterday, we spent our last low key day together just hanging out, watching tv, cooking food we love and of course I had to bake some cookies. We even got to sit outside and watch the rain fall for awhile, it was perfect. And it will not happen again for many months.
From today through sometimes in December (hopefully), my husband, and many others will sacrifice time with their families for time with yours. They will stress, and plan and grind day in and day out to show up and help develop your children. They will love on them, support them and worry over them. They care enough about your children to sacrifice time with their own. Yours become one of theirs.
I say all that as a reminder. When the first loss comes, when your child doesn’t start, when the coach makes a call you don’t like. Remember the 5:45 leaving times and the 9 PM getting home times. Remember the time they spent on the road, on a bus, to help develop your children. The nights they lay in bed thinking of why that certain play wasn’t working correctly. The tears that fall as they are replaying a heartbreaking loss. Before you let the criticism fly so easily, try to remember the work. Try to operate with the principles of sportsmanship they are teaching your children. Sports teach so many great lessons.
I have always had a hard time listening to the criticism of coaches, now that I am married to one it is even harder to hear. At work, I will not entertain conversations that skew in a negative direction in regards to my coaches. People outside the arena don’t seem to understand the time, energy and effort it takes to develop young athletes. To all the coaches in the arena, thank you. Thank you for all you do to provide us with opportunities to watch the game we love. Thank you for both the thrilling moments and the heartbreaking defeats that keep us humble. Good luck to all of you starting football today and of course GO BUCKS!
