Get a Life

Balance--the issue every SID must face. Every coach, every athlete or anyone associated with game management must face this nemesis squarely in the mirror. A balanced life? Is that possible with the time constraints of athletics? Hmm...

I quit counting how many hours a week I was working and how much I was getting paid back when I had my first high school coaching job in the early 90s. Why do grown adults who are fairly intelligent lock themselves into the kind of schedule that athletics demands? I've asked myself that many times. And, now that I am over 50, I ask myself that constantly.

Our family life all the years I was coaching and working in athletics revolved around my job. How awful is it to say that? My husband is a stellar man--easy-going guy that loves to volunteer to work at football and basketball games. Is that a blessing? You bet. At least I get to see him once in a while.

Luckily everyone in my family loves sports. I think it grew on my husband some, but my kids had no chance. They are still sports fans, even though they are fully grown adults. I have played sports in some form ever since I was a kid. My brother was an accomplished high school and college jock--I played in college as well. So what is it about sport that takes over our lives?

I am competitive--just ask my kids. I love to compete and I love to watch people compete. I think it's a curse, personally. Who wants to play Apples to Apples with someone that needs to win? I see driving as a competition--I am always surveying the landscape to position myself in the best lanes for my trip across town. My husband and I like to cross swords about the best routes to get places.

Someone once told me I needed to get a life (referring to my schedule). But, I have a life and I like it. There are many Sundays I wake up after a football/volleyball/basketball home weekend and wish I could sleep all day, but that's all part of it.

As long as it's Thanksgiving, I want to say that I am thankful for a family that accommodates my preoccupation with sports. On this turkey day, the TV will be going at our place. As my daughter said on her Facebook page, Feast Week is one of the best of the year...and she wasn't talking about the turkey.

On the Other Side

It's been . almost a month since I have posted anything on my blog. A month that was filled with moving adventures, flu, a website launch and way too many home events. Whew...

So what is the prognosis once the site is launched? Basically, that it has created more work than we ever had before. But, I hope we knew that going in--or did we? When you choose to dive into the social media pool, all of a sudden you are swimming in the deep end. You have to stay alert, you have to be timely, you have to be quick, but don't hurry. All this trying to beat so and so to post a video or get a news item up on Twitter. We never seemed to feel that much pressure before.

The social media pool is filled with expert swimmers and enthusiastic novices. Once you dive in, you better be one or the other, or you may just sink to the bottom and be forgotten. Now, we are swimming to win the race. Before I think we were just leisurely treading water or swimming with the pack. Now, it's an out and out race. And the rules are different...

The next adjustment is learning the rules, training to get in shape, moving up on the ladder, and getting in the game. It's a whole new pool we're in now. Better get the water wings off--it's time to swim with the big boys.