My Husband, the Coach

Ok, pardon me if I step on my soap box to vent a moment:

Rod took on two sports this season to coach.

Three soccer seasons ago, Rod stepped into a pair of cleats to fill a roll as a volunteer coach because there was a need. Knowing he had never lead a team as a Head Coach before he spent countless hours searching, planning, anticipating, praying and investing into a group of children he has never met before. Each day, he got up early or went to bed late in addition to the demands our own family placed on him getting ready to lead a new group of tomorrows leaders today, as elementary school soccer players. With each win, he searched longer and harder, how to continue to teach and motivation "his" team and with each loss he mourned each goal scored and vowed to learn how to come back and teach "his" team how to loose graciously, learn from their defeat and how to regain control over their own destiny. For something that is strictly volunteer,Rod spent countless hours pouring and investing into the hearts and lives of kids.

Rod was born to be a coach.

This season, when the phone rang again, there was a need and Rod once again agreed to fulfill a role in a new sport although openly  admitting he had never head coached in this particular area. Ready for the challenge, Rod and I, rearranged our entire family schedule to welcome another group of children into our sports family for the season. I could outline the fancy foot work that one man must do to coach two different sports simultaneously however, if you have ever had to run two different children to two different sports as the same time you may have an understanding. Although being the coach, it is kinda like that scenario on steroids.

I have went to bed many nights only to wake up finding the Internet open to coaching philosophies, practice drills and the rule book laying on his chest as he has fallen asleep again investing in, praying for and  teaching other peoples children when they themselves have gone to sleep or have long forgotten about "Coach".

I love to see the kids run in from the fields, to high five my man as the sweat drips from their forehead and they lean in together for a "power talk". He knows their names, their favorite position, he looks for their weaknesses and strives to do what ever he can to make them better. On the field and off.

Through the seasons, I have sat along side amazing, dedicated parents who love their kids enough to teach them to respect their coach, in wins and losses, and understand what he does is volunteer and if they should have a problem with his coaching style respect themselves enough to ask him why.

I have seen Rod spend countless hours with parents,in addition to their children, explaining, motivating and empowering these people who came to him with a concern to be better parents and to take coaching personally as something they can to do bond with their children and create amazing memories. He does not have to do this, he does this because he loves the kids he coaches.

My husband is an AMAZING coach win, loose, or draw! The way he cares for kids he does not know other than a list he is handed at the beginning of a season, how he  motivates them and teaches them about the game  as well as life. I would put his character, integrity, passion up again any paid coach that there ever was or will be to come.

Rod has no idea he is the topic of my blog post, if anything he may be a little embarrassed to know that I have written about him in this manor. He does not do what he does for praise or acknowledgement, he does it because he has had amazing coaches along the way and he want to coach another generation of children to love themselves enough to love a sport and be great at it.Yet, he recognizes he is not perfect and just as he expects you to bring your child to practice to learn the art of the game, he expects much more of that from himself. Trust me, any coaches wife will tell you.

Greatness is not given out to athletic children who want to be a great baseball player or soccer star simply because they want it. It is worked at and strives for and must be met with a certain amount of dedication that a parent must step in and help his or her child to recognize when they would rather give up or give in. With this being said, what makes any parent, myself included, think that a great coach just appears one day when you bring your child to practice?

Further more, why does any parent think that he or she can sit in the stands or on the sidelines making a fuss over a volunteer position when they themselves have chosen not to step up or step in to help? I have had issues with coaches before, and I have had to ask myself if I thought I was truly helping Korb or hurting him by talking poorly about his coach ( especially in front of him), not going to the coach with my specific concerns or  not empowering Korbin to talk to his coach or stick up for himself? In addition to all of that, I did not want to look like a horses behind talking "trash" about someone who had given of themselves freely to coach my child and his team.

I am not defending my husband the coach, I am defending ALL volunteer coaches. Rod was born to be a coach, case closed. But some are not. But, does that give me the right to talk poorly about him or her, make fun of them, or just make life for the team as well as the coach generally miserable?? NOPE! Sorry! Kobin is watching and if he is not to disrespect authority, why would I do that on his behalf?? Make no mistake, I will not let anyone mistreat my son but is having him take his knocks and earn his position on the field on honestly being mistreated? Again, the answer is no.

I thought long & hard about writing this, because as much as I may or may not have a specific person in mind when I type this, I am more speaking about who my husband is and seeing volunteer coaching from my perspective. Which is this, simply stated:Grow up people!! I paid my money right along with you, but I have NEVER EVER complained about my child taking the bench or being taken outta the game. I just tell him to work hard, life is not fair and you have to strive to go after what you want. I am always on his side and in his corner, my child knows I am always his biggest fan BUT I will not cripple him by allowing him to whine, complain and think he can get whatever he wants without working for it!!! If you have a problem with the coach, ask him or her!!! Do what you expect your kids to do, have respect. Clap for each player, do not allow your kids to make fun of others and ENJOY it!! You will never pass this way again and wouldn't you rather leave the field at the end of the year knowing that you and your child handled everything in a manor you can be proud of because make so mistake, if you are acting like a horses behind that is what everyone will begin to think of you and it will come back to haunt you (or your kid) in the future.

I am stepping off of my soap box now...

~Kristy~