Understanding the Coaching Lifestyle

Sometimes I like to see the look of disbelief in people's faces when I give a brief synopsis of what our lives look like as a coaching family.

"You move HOW OFTEN?"

"I'm sure it's nice getting your husband back now that it's off-season."

"Don't you just want to settle down somewhere?"

"Where is your husband...but I thought football season was over?"

And my personal favorite:

"Can't he just ask off?"

It's not anyone's fault for not understanding this lifestyle. It's just something that is foreign to them. It's something they will never understand unless they live through it.

There are some things that normal, non-coaching families will just never understand. One of those things being a coach getting fired.

In the normal world, someone loses their job because of something they have done wrong. In the coaching world, you could lose your job because of not winning enough games. Some coaches who have had GREAT seasons have even gotten fired because they didn't take their team to the conference championship. It's a tough field to be in, that's for sure.

If you are a wife who has recently found yourself in this position with your family, I am deeply sorry. But fortunately (and unfortunately), you are not alone in your situation. As Coach Bum Phillips put it,

"There are two types of coaches, them that's fired and them that's gonna be fired."

While it is a sad reality, I think it's also encouraging to know that it is part of the process and most coaching families out there have lived through it and come out on top. There are so many families out there who understand exactly what you're going through and can encourage you through this time.

When we went through a situation like this last year with our head coach retiring and many of our friends being let go, I had the support of so many coach's wives who encouraged me to not worry and know that God will take care of us. It was hard. But it would have been so much harder without those other wives encouraging me. (Thankfully, we were able to leave on our own terms before getting fired, but it was a deep fear for several months before that point).

Our husbands getting fired and our families having to move to a new town is a part of our lifestyle. But because of that, there are so many other wives who understand and can encourage you along the way.

If you are lacking that support, you have it in me. If you would like even more support, join some Coach's Wives groups on Facebook. I have found so much support, laughter, and encouragement from the ladies in those groups.

Know you are not alone in this time and that God WILL provide for your family. You WILL come out on top and your family will thrive in your next situation! Hang in there. We got this, coach wives!