Never did I  think I would end up married to a high school football coach.  I’ve always been very “in my own head” and creative, not at all competitive and only slightly (and I mean marginally) athletic at best.  Some people call me artsy.  I grew up playing few sports and spending most of my time imagining and pretending.  I love to paint, write, and tell stories.  Being married to The Coach is an enigma to me, and many of our friends and folks we meet.

How did I end up in this entertaining world of serious high school football?  In my earlier life, I carefully plotted how things would turn out; what I would do and who I would develop into, but God had very different plans for me.  I envisioned myself becoming a famous writer or painter, married to another creative type traveling the world, climbing the highest mountains and walking with the Dalai Lama.  I instead fell in love with a burly bear of a man who loves coaching football like it is pure lifeblood to him.  Of course, he loves me more than he loves football…..I question this, especially during football season.

The Coach works tirelessly (and I mean all the freakin time) to make his program the best high school football program in the state of North Carolina.   He LOVES his job.  He was born to be a coach.  I found out quickly about his dream to become a head coach on our first date.  This focused passion is one reason I fell in love with him.  His certain goal appealed to me since I was, and still am most of the time, pretty flighty and uncertain about exactly where I’m headed.  I live open to the possibilities of life.  The Coach understands the goal and makes adjustments from year to year with his team.  He doesn’t just want his players to win, although that tends to be a very good thing when it happens.  He and his coaching staff work relentlessly (you have to be relentless to be successful with high school football) to build strong young men who become people of character with goals, and love in their hearts.  At least that’s what they work for.  Winning 3 state championships in a row is a nice bonus…..we are currently working toward number 4!

When we began this journey together over 17 years ago, I never dreamed we would be the people we are today.  Life has been tumultuous at times, as great lives usually are, but we have a wonderful support system, and an enlarged faith in God.  I’m not going to be all “preachy” in this little blog because I am not any kind of perfect.  I’m just working my way through this little trip as The Coach’s wife.  Most days I’m trying to keep my head above the water line.  I’m not going to pretend this life is easy.  In fact, I’m going to share just how hard it truly is at times.  There are no easy roads to victory-whether it’s football, marriage, family,  career or personal goals.  Hard work, dedication, and the ability to constantly reevaluate where you stand and where you are headed are essential.  My trek with The Coach has taught me more about myself than I  thought I needed to know.  The strength I have had to develop as his wife is greater than any strength I ever wanted for myself, and it continues to grow.