Dear Coach’s Wife…

Dear Coach’s wife,

You deserve a medal. You may or may not have known that your husband would spend countless hours away from home coaching when you got married. While he may be the person sitting on the sidelines with the players, you may be one of the most important players in that gym or on the field. You are doing a great job. It is not easy managing the household, children, and activities during your husband’s season. Keeping the family calendar, work schedule, and children’s school and athletic responsibilities streamlined puts you in the realm of having super powers. 

Your husband may spend more time with other people’s children than his own. Despite his best efforts, he may even have to miss some of your own children’s sporting events due to his game schedule. Those children who play for your husband are not only learning the rules of the game, they are learning teamwork, leadership, discipline, and how to manage pressure. These lessons can certainly be learned in the classroom, but the field and sports court provide a great opportunity for these lessons to be reinforced. The support that you are providing your husband is making a difference. 

While the games are being played, you are sacrificing your weekday evenings juggling babies, toddlers, young children, and crowded stands to find a seat watching kids who don’t belong to you play the sport your husband is so passionate about. You may not actually be able to watch the game unfold as you’re managing toddlers snacks, picking up toys, spilled popcorn, and overseeing your own team as you support your husband’s.

Your sacrifices to your personal life are many. You willingly sacrifice girls nights, evening Bible study groups, and weekday evenings so that you can support your husband’s team.

Occasionally, it can be a challenge when sitting in the stands. You might hear some criticism of your husband and his coaching decisions. You may even have to deflect potentially difficult comments from your impressionable young children.

But the rewards of being married to a coach far outweigh the challenges. When your children get to know the players and other coaches, they begin to have new, positive role models to encourage and support them. Children of coaches are fortunate because they get a front row seat to watch their daddy set an example of how discipline, hard work, and sacrifice can make the difference in the lives of athletes and all whom they influence.

It isn’t always an easy life, but it is so rewarding.

Signed,

One of your biggest fans – A fellow coach’s wife

 

Amy Foster
Amy is a lifelong Wichita-area resident, with the exception of her college and grad school years. Amy has worked as a pediatric physical therapist for a local non-profit organization during her 22 year career. She married Brett, a youth pastor turned special education teacher and coach, and can be seen supporting Andover Middle School with her two boys, aged 13 & 11, only 18 months apart! They keep her occupied in athletic activities . When she isn't busy momming, she likes to walk her dog in her neighborhood, and do embroidery by hand.

3 COMMENTS

  1. This is spot on! I’m a fellow coach’s wife from Newton for 6 years! The days are incredibly long, but it is so rewarding watching my husband do what he loves! Shout out to all of the coaching families; we’ve all got each other’s backs!?

  2. Great article! But I’d like to add the same goes for husband’s of coaches…goes both ways. I know lots of moms who coach sports for schools. Some couples are both coaches & have kids! My SIL coaches football in TX, & my daughter was also a HS basketball coach during 2 pregnancies.

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