Coach's wife

[default]

My husband and I have been together 25 years and married 20.
He started coaching rec baseball when our son was 7 or 8 (he is almost 20 now) and then went on to asst. coach the travel baseball team for several years.
He has done the same with our daughter, she started rec at 5 years old and this is her 7th year of travel ball. He was coaching both kid's teams at one time and that got hectic!
We are not part of a big organzation but have had the same group of girls together for many years. Just like a lot of you out there, we are like a family now.
What helps me is that I love it as much as he does!
I handle the phone calls, paperwork, fees, scheduling, sponsor request/fundraising and anything other than the actual coaching.
He hates talking on the phone and all that other stuff - he just wants to play ball!
This way he doesn't have to worry about anything but the girls and the game.
I know it takes a lot of time away from other things but just remember - the time, support, confidence, fun, memories and love these coaches are giving these young ladies and their families, are priceless and will last a lifetime.
Also, with our youngest being almost 16 and our team being sophomores and juniors in High School, we know we are probably down to
1 - 2 years left and we are going to be lost!
Enjoy it - time goes so fast!!!
Total Chaos 16U
Coach's Wife

 

[default]

We have only been involved with travel ball for a few years. I am a manager/coach and my daughter plays for the team I manage/coach. I can say this, if it wasn't for the coaches wife (my wife) I would not continue to do this. When things are good or bad, win or lose she is always there being supportive and understanding. After hours of being yelled at on the phone and in parking lots during this last season about how poorly I managed someones daughter all the while trying to do the best for the team and continuing to neglect my own family she is still there for me. I have a great coaches wife. Travel softball and all the ups and downs that goes with it has actually strengthened our relationship.

 

[default]

Don't get me wrong I have been there for him and our dd. I love to see how excited he get's when the girls take something that he has taught them and uses it during a game, win or lose. I love the fact that he is dedicated to bettering our local organization, which has come a long way within a short amount of time. I too am one of those where the other 11 girls on the team becomes mine. However, when we can't even eat dinner together because he thinks he has to be at someone elses practice, I get upset. Or when I have to miss our sons game because my grandmother is in the hospital and our 6 year old son wants to know if I am not there who is going to watch his game, then I get upset. Believe me I am thrilled that he is envolved in our dd life, I just want him to manage a little better. I have told him, but when I do tell him he just roles his eyes and says I'll take care of it.

 

[default]

I wouldn't change a minute of the last 16 years having the opportunity to be with my 2 dds. One hung it up after her Sophomore year and my youngest has decided not to play after her Senior year, to just focus getting her education.
Some people have boats, cottages, or vacations. We have spent 16 years together with softball. My wife has been there for it all and has been supportive, but I'm pretty sure I'm done August 2nd. As much as I've love it, I'm ready for a break. Last night I sat at a fire in my back yard until a little after midnight, I think I came up with about 50 things I could find to do to fill my time. You know, I still really want to coach softball,...it's just all the other stuff you have to do that is time consuming. I think 80 to 85% of the time is not spent with the team. THAT I WILL NOT MISS !!

 

[default]

I wouldn't change a minute of the last 16 years having the opportunity to be with my 2 dds. One hung it up after her Sophomore year and my youngest has decided not to play after her Senior year, to just focus getting her education.
Some people have boats, cottages, or vacations. We have spent 16 years together with softball. My wife has been there for it all and has been supportive, but I'm pretty sure I'm done August 2nd. As much as I've love it, I'm ready for a break. Last night I sat at a fire in my back yard until a little after midnight, I think I came up with about 50 things I could find to do to fill my time. You know, I still really want to coach softball,...it's just all the other stuff you have to do that is time consuming. I think 80 to 85% of the time is not spent with the team. THAT I WILL NOT MISS !!

Come on Thunder college is no place to get an education! Its strictly a place to play softball!!

All kiding aside I have no doubt that if little Thunder decided she wanted to play college ball she would. She is a heck of a ballplayer and a sweet kid. She should thank god every single day for the rest of her life she got Mrs. Thunder's Genes :lmao:

 

[default]

As is indicated by several of the above posts, the tension can be resolved if both spouses are coaching the same team. In my case, when Ted went back into coaching after our DD was done with travel ball, I took a few years to improve my coaching knowledge through things like the National Fastpitch Coaches College, studying RVP, etc. etc. and I then asked him if he'd mind me joining his staff. I still have times when I'm feeling fastpitch burnout, but by and large it's been a great thing for our relationship. Gives us empty nesters lots of things to talk about, we get to share podcasts of Mike and Mike as well as Car Talk on our trips to tournaments, and we've even managed to work Casey the Wonder Dog into our fastpitch lives.

Let me be clear: if we weren't working hand in glove on coaching Ted's team, I know I would have a lot of frustration at the time that he spends on fastpitch. So I'm not suggesting that 10umom has no reason to be upset at the amount of time her husband spends on the sport. And I think it is REALLY hard when there are children in the mix.

 

[default]

Isn't anything in general more difficult when there's a wife in the mix? Lol. Just kidding ladies. Just trying to lighten the mood a bit. Lol

 

[default]

What a great thread. I realized that more than half of my conversations with my wife now are softball related. We started in October and are almost done but has been WAY more work and thought than I would have ever guessed. For the first time the other day I told my wife I am softballed out and dont want to see a field for a while but I know will miss it like a week later.

 

[default]

I really do appreciate all the support and comments. Let me just say that he has mentioned that he is going to take a 12u travel team along with our dd 10u team next year. I think I am going to have to smack him!!

 

[default]

I know I could not coach with out my wife's help. She is the one who sends out the team emails, books the hotel rooms for the team, sends in the entry fees, and at times has to help me on the field. With 2 dd's playing in different age groups some weekends we only see each other long enough to kiss good night. But the positive side is we are both commited to make sure our girls have the best experience possible and we have made some wonderful friends along the way. She is also right there with me when we have a night off, surfing the web to see if we can find a game to watch close to home. Our joke is there needs to be a 12 step program for softball adiction! 10umom, order him some softball training dvd's, at least you may keep him home for a few nights, just don't walk in front of the TV, LOL

 

[default]

WGman has a way with the ladies :lmao: he knows what they like to hear

 

[default]

WGman has a way with the ladies :lmao: he knows what they like to hear

Don't ya just love me??

 

[default]

10Umom, I am a coach's wife!!! And yes, it is very hard sometimes. I have had everything from uniform ordering to getting shunned by team parents at tournaments because of my husband's decisions. There are nights you just want "your" time to catch up and he's either talking or texting on the phone to one of his assistant coaches or talking to another coach and getting his team's status til 11:00pm! But you know what, I WOULDN'T TRADE IT FOR ANYTHING!!!!! Good luck!

 

[default]

I know I could not coach with out my wife's help. She is the one who sends out the team emails, books the hotel rooms for the team, sends in the entry fees, and at times has to help me on the field. With 2 dd's playing in different age groups some weekends we only see each other long enough to kiss good night. But the positive side is we are both commited to make sure our girls have the best experience possible and we have made some wonderful friends along the way. She is also right there with me when we have a night off, surfing the web to see if we can find a game to watch close to home. Our joke is there needs to be a 12 step program for softball adiction! 10umom, order him some softball training dvd's, at least you may keep him home for a few nights, just don't walk in front of the TV, LOL

Stingrays10u, there is one....http://www.game-ex.com/vb3/showthread.php?t=13445
(I'm going to catch some fuss for ressurecting this one...)

 

[default]

Stingrays10u, there is one....http://www.game-ex.com/vb3/showthread.php?t=13445
(I'm going to catch some fuss for ressurecting this one...)

What is wrong with you??

 

[default]

If you've been to www.ohioclassics.com you have seen that the web is maintained by "the coach's widow" she even has a Classics Jacket with that embroidered on it. I haven't had a daughter on any of my Ohio Classics teams and we have been at this for 14 years. I can tell you she hates, my phone, she hates when i forget to call, she hates that sometimes I get too involved with a player's life (but love's that I have the compassion to do so). She hates that the garage being a mess, the trophies that I throw away and haven't found a place to donate them too. She hates that when I call she doesn't even know what state I am in, she hates that I have found tournaments year round... but.

she did the if you can't beat them join em thing for a while and would go to nationals and she is at every tourny we ran over the years, drinking out of red cups as the sun sets and we are cleaning up, always with a broom or rake or clipboard in her other hand. She diligently updates our website with all of the photos parents send in each weekend cause she knows how much it means to the girls and grandparents that can't be at the game.

She loves to hear from parent's when they say nice things about me and our program, she loves the girls that have played for me over the years - even though many of them she never really gets to know. She loves the succeses they have as they move on from Classics - she loves that Classics probably saved my life a couple years ago - she loves that I love it. She knows I cherish and love her and I'm pretty sure she loves me too.

 

[default]

Les, thanks. I will have to start a Licking County Chapter.

David, that was great. We do this because we love the girls and the game but our favorite girl will always be the one we kiss good night!

 

[default]

I agree, if it was not for my wife to vent to when little Susie's parents call at 11pm I would go crazy. She has been there from the start and I can remember the look on her face when I told her that I was going to expand in teams for 2010. I would like to thank her in some way but so far the only thing I have come up with is holding a practice in her honor........lol....

 

[default]

I just want to give a shout out to all the coach's hubbys out there. My DH is very supportive. Like many of us women who just so happen to be a coach, we put extra effort into trying to maintain some type of "normal" this time of year; by making sure the clothes are clean..(which only happens when uniforms need to be clean and we throw extra clothes in with the load), housecleaning is "acceptable" (open to personal interpetation), and every blue moon a home cooked meal (hamburger helper, something from On-Corr, etc.) Regardless my DH never complains..well almost never, about the countless bologna sandwiches he eats for lunch AND dinner, and sorting through countless laundry baskets for something to wear. The end result is this...you never get this time back with your DD, making a memory that lasts a lifetime does!!!

 

[default]

OK My fellow coaches, I have read every post to this email. I know that I could not do any of the things that I do with the league, my rec team or my 10u allstar team with out my wife. She as been there to take care of our website, pics, email and making sure that everything gets done. I do love her and is happy that she is there right beside me to help me get everything done. I have moved one of my asst coaches up to take over the 12u team next year. I will stick with my rec. team and 10u team. I do listen to 10umom on advice but I do not give her credit that she is due. I love spending time with the dd and the team ( they are all my dd ). To all, thanks for the advice and support that you have given both of us.