We're in between sports seasons right now. The calm before the storm. Livin' in the lull.
I love it.
This past sports season was particularly crazy because both kids were playing sports. Different sports. At different venues. With different practice times. Usually the same game times, which meant we were dividing and conquering and never able to cheer on everybody.
That was a bit stressful to me. I want to be there for my kids, and while they understood, it was hard to know that I was missing moments that were important to them.
The best part of that rotten deal was knowing that they each had a great coach.
Everybody knows that coaches are important, and in our past few (admittedly limited) sports' experience we've had some great ones and ones who were less than stellar. This season, however, my husband picked up the coach's clipboard for the very first time.
And I got to see firsthand just how hard these coaches of short people really work.
He had great kids on his team and lots of parents who were willing to help out. They were kind and communicated and that is a huge plus.
But there are many things that a coach does that nobody else ever sees.
Nobody knows just how long he works to figure out the right pitch for each child.
Just how much time and thought and effort and strategy goes into creating a lineup that will be doubted and examined and then tweaked and recreated for the next game. How he just might even dream about it.
How nervous and anxious he'll be for the kids to do well and have fun and learn something from each game and practice. How he'll nearly make himself sick and be unable to eat because he wants the best for 'his' kids.
How excited he'll be when a player learns a new skill or reaches a new level of understanding. How he'll rehash each great play after the game, over and over, chattering excitedly, and then go over each mistake bit by bit to determine the best way to use it as a teaching experience for the kids.
How much time he spends emailing parents and ordering t-shirts and planning parties.
How this involves not only the coach but the whole family - as the spouse must rearrange family schedules, meal plans, laundry plans, and transportation arrangements - to have everything and everybody where they need to be on time.
How the family gives up other things to make time for all of this coaching and sports stuff.
Both kids had great coaches this season. Not only did they put in the time and work to teach the kids sportsmanlike conduct and athletic skills relevant to the sport, but they used kind words, communicated with the parents, and readily offered praise.
A great coach is invaluable.
Have you or your children been blessed to work with a really great coach? What made him/her stand out?
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