The Sisterhood of the Coaches' Wives
It's time for the excitement and anxiety to start creeping in.
It's time to kiss our husbands goodbye and say, "See you in December!"
It's time to become a pseudo-single mom.
It's football season in Texas.
As coaches' wives, we know the truth: football season never really ends. Those famed lights darken; the games stop, but off-season becomes spring football becomes 7-on-7 becomes summer conditioning camp becomes August.
And here we are.
Another August.
We are ready.
We are hopeful.
We are undefeated.
Everyone is undefeated in August.
People think they know our world because they love Texas high school football. They see us sitting in the stands on Friday nights proudly wearing our team colors--some of us bedazzled (I don't bedazzle). They watched Friday Night Lights and think we are all Tami Taylor, who made it look so easy. (We all secretly worship her for it.)
But I am not Tami Taylor. No one is.
Most of us corral kids while we watch the game with laser focus. (These are the same kids who don't understand why they can't run down and hug Daddy during the game.) What people don't see are the nerves that simmer underneath our calm resolve because we know the stakes.
We know the hours--the 7 day work weeks.
We know the stories--those boys become our adopted sons.
We know the sacrifices--our entire family makes them for the sake of a Friday night victory.
What people don't know is that this is the longest we've been in the same place as our husbands all week. We aren't sitting together at dinner like a typical couple on a date night, but the game is like watching a movie--our husbands are the directors; their players are the actors.
We cringe when they cringe.
We celebrate when they celebrate.
We are part of the glorious game.
My fellow Coaches' Wives: It's August, and we are ready for another football season. Even though we sit on opposite sides of the field, we are the same.
We are a sisterhood.
We love this crazy game.
We put our families' livelihoods in the hands of teenage boys.
We sacrifice so much.
We think our husbands are the best coaches in the world.
We want our team to WIN.
We wouldn't trade these fall Friday nights for anything.
When the season gets long and you wonder why you signed up for this crazy life, remember that it takes a strong woman to be a coach's wife. We might not be as glamorous as Tami Taylor, but I think we are better.
Our husbands aren't the only heroes underneath those Friday Night Lights.
We got this.
Bring on the season.
I love this! I'm a coaches wife here in Texas as well! I could not have said all of this in the great way you have. Have a great season!
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Thank you! Good luck to you, too!
ReplyDeletePeople don't understand our job as Coach's wives, it's either very easy or very hard. You have to be committed, you have to want it and above all else you have to realize that your own family will have to sacrifice time with daddy just so he can do that one thing in his life he loves... Coaching Texas HS football! Hugs to you, see you at the games!
ReplyDeletePerfectly said. Love this. Football is here. While I'm excited, I also dread it. But..... You gotta love it! Best of luck this season.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! As a fellow coach's wife I get it! "We're all undefeated in August" - perfect!
ReplyDeleteCoach's kids are on the team, too. Rollercoaster ride for all. August we are all undefeated. We anxiously look ahead but hate the time Dad will be gone. Mama's not as easy going and Daddy's is hardly home.
ReplyDeleteGeez, don't forget their kids. They miss their Dad's dieting the season and their Mama's are a bit cantankerous, too.
ReplyDeleteDuring the season. Lol.
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