The hardest part of coaching
By TYLER SMITH
ISL Editor
The hardest part of the season for a coach isn’t the day you lose your final game. It’s the day after when there is no practice.
The team and coaching staff become like a second family during those months. You get in a routine of seeing each other every day, and being a big part of each other’s lives. There are a lot of highs and lows in a season, but one thing remains the same: You go through all of it, together. It’s a special combination of hard work, time spent, and memories made that you can’t really put into words. And when it’s over, it hits you hard- especially when you have to say goodbye to a special group of seniors.
For lack of a better analogy, I’ve always compared the emotions of the end of a season to how a break-up or broken friendship from the past used to feel. You get so used to spending time with, thinking about, stressing over, and planning ahead with that group of people and with the sport itself… but when it’s over, it’s an abrupt halt, and there’s a finality to it that you can’t change.
I think most people know that coaching requires a lot of hours. But what they may not consider, is the amount of time spent thinking and planning. It dominates your thoughts. After a game, my mind immediately shifts to the next opponent and the next practice. What can we do to improve (blank)? What defense should we run against (blank)? How can we get (blank)’s confidence back up this week? So again, when the season comes to an end, you immediately miss your team… but you also have to re-shift your mind. Thankfully, that’s a healthy thing. A year-round season wouldn’t be good for anybody. But it’s still a major adjustment to make when there’s no longer a “next opponent” to face.
Here’s the good news: The struggle of the ending shows how great the journey really was. The late Billy Graham once said: “A coach will impact more people in one year than the average person will in an entire lifetime.” I know there are lots of jobs and opportunities that impact many lives, but I’m grateful for the opportunity coaching brings. The goal isn’t just winning and losing games. The goal is impacting people. My college coach (shout-out to Coach Clark!) always told us: “You’ll remember the people much more than the games. It will always be about the relationships you built.” I took that to heart, and believe it even more now as a coach. It’s the beauty of sports- the life lessons you learn, the character you build, and the lifelong memories and friendships you make along the way.
Tell a former coach you appreciate them. Give them a call and share a memory of your playing days. Share this story with them. If you or your kids are still involved in sports- Reflect on how much time the coaches are spending for the team. And enjoy every moment. It goes by extremely fast.
The end of a season is tough. But it’s all worth it. To the seniors and others who are moving on: Go be great in whatever comes next. Take what you’ve learned. Be confident. And always know that who you are is way more important than what you’ve played.
And to those who will still be playing or coaching next year: Rest up. Recharge. Spend more time with family. And let’s do it all again.
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