Keeping up with yourself

[coachaj623]

Coaches,

How do you keep things up with yourself during the season? Such as working out, balancing your children playing sports, the wife/gf of course and anything else you are a part of.

Last season was pretty hard on me trying to manage so many things. Just seemed like I didnt have enough time for some things. This season I wanted to try and have more of a balanced life during the season.

[fantom]

Some may find this controversial but I'll say it anyway: Your kids will live if you don't see every game that they play. I'll even take it further, I think that it's healthier for kids' maturation to understand that they're playing for themselves, not for you.

[orion320]

First of all I don't look at football as work, I look at is as a hobby and I love every minute of preparation, practice, games, and even breaking down film. It does take a lot out of you but time management is essential. Luckily our HC gives us Sundays off for "Family Days."

For the wife. I told her before we got married that I will always be a football coach and that every year from August 1 until Thanksgiving....I'm Busy. Luckily she is very supportive of this.

I do not have children but I am the only classroom teacher on our staff and typically teach 4 different classes during football so the most difficult part for me is lesson planning and grading. I get in a routine where if I know if I have to breakdown film that night to not assign any homework to be graded.

During football I don't work out, practice is my workout. I run around, demonstrate drills, etc. I actually typically lose 10 - 15 lbs during football but then gain it back during basketball.

[lions23]

I try to keep my prep period as a strictly classroom time. It's real easy to turn on the film but I try not to. I plan MTW and grade Th F.

My cooperating teacher was a very ambitious lady with kids and a successful husband while I student taught. She taught me to have my planning for the next week done by Thursday night. That way you never take them home over the weekend. What little time we have can be devoted to our family. My life is easier and my wife is happier when I keep to this.

I work during my lunch instead of socializing. It's down time for me or I can watch a few snaps on film.

Thursday short practice so I stay at school and get work done. Tie up loose ends in classroom or if it is later in season I have a bunch of our next weeks opponents film evacuee of common opponents. I might start game planning for following week.

When we aren't traveling I pick up my boy on Friday after school. I bring him back to school. We pick up something to eat. It's our special time once a week. Then I put some Disney you tube up on the smart board and finish anything last minute before the game-usually get copies made for next week or enter grades. Something mindless. Then I review my game plan. We are lucky to have a retired guy doing all our equipment so we don't need help with that. I know some places you are pretty busy with equipment after school on Fridays.

Saturdays I watch a bit of underclass game and do a quick injury check. Usually home by noon. The rest of the day is for family.

I get on the film Saturday night when everybody is in bed or early sundAy morning.

My family comes over for nfl game. When it's over I game plan and film until our Sunday evening staff meeting.

I walk the dog and have a pull up push up bar at home. I just try to get thirty minutes of exercise one way or another.

The key for me is to try to keep football at school and have set times that I spend with the people I love most. I'm not perfect and my wife says I have a hard time being present even during those times. She is probably right I am always game planning in my head. It's hard for me to turn off. This year I am going to try and do something for my wife on Wednesday nights. The hay is in the barn at that point and I hope I can be more present.

When I was single I was a real grinder. I still am but I try to grind at school as much as possible. I am better at watching film and understanding schemes so I don't need to labor over the film of our opponent. Hudl does a ton of the work for us now too.

[coachphillip]

BLB posted this a while back and I saved it in my phone:

As 2013 said, this is common experience for head coaches.


Delegate as much as you can.

Eliminate "busy work" that really isn't productive.

Cut back on time spent in meetings.

Find time-ways to "debrief" after games.

Be home for dinner and at all family activities possible.

Make Saturday night "Date Night" for you and wife.

Leave your work (including grading papers) at school.

Try to find time to exercise even if minimally.


If that doesn't work, take an assistant's job at Sub-Varsity level to keep yourself in the game and for the camaraderie. Consider coaching Middle School or youth Football where seasons are usually shorter and don't require weekend or Off-Season work.