If you did not know, I coach high school volleyball. Last night, in the second round of state playoffs one of our key players went down with a potential broken ankle. With a team as small as ours, having a player go down like that is a nightmare. We moved girls around and had girls that hardly ever play have to go in, but we just could not get in a groove and we lost.
One of my friends texted me last night telling me she was sorry about our season ending. But that text was followed by another text that read, “what is it like to coach high school girls?”
I have been thinking about that question all day long. It is funny because last night in the locker room my girls joked that they would become part of a blog one day…. It happened sooner that I thought.
I am probably one of the youngest coaches you will run into on the high school level. I would never claim to be an expert and half the time I have no idea what I am doing. But after a torn labrum removed all scholarship offers, I knew I loved that game too much to walk away. So I started coaching, and it has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me.
So here it goes.
What is it like to coach high school girls?
It is exhausting.
It is late nights leaving the gyms.
It is early mornings trying to find your “charger volleyball t-shirt.”
It is drama. There is always drama.
It is a Sunday night email with a schedule for the week.
It is telling your friends no for the millionth time that you can’t do dinner Saturday night.
It is giving up all of your social life.
It is trying to lead by example which sometimes means running 15 suicides with your players.
It is wearing gym clothes every day to class because you go straight to practice afterwards.
It is putting in stats at 1 a.m. because you know you will forget if you wait until the next day.
It is practice.
Practice.
And more practice.
It is parents that aren’t always going to agree with you.
It is learning to have patience, a lot of patience.
It is tough love.
Majority of the time it is asking yourself “am I making a difference?”
But also…
It is giggling because they think you did not see them just say a cuss word.
It is dance parties.
It is lip sync battles.
It is a group message that never stops.
It is a lot of cheering.
It is twelve girls calling you “mom.”
It is “can you help me pick out an outfit?”
It is boy advice.
It is selfies, lots of selfies.
It is a chance…
A chance to show up.
A chance to prove to them that someone has their back.
A chance to show them that they are not alone.
A chance to point them in the right direction.
A chance to remind them they have what it takes.
A chance to be an example.
A chance to understand them.
A chance to be a person to call in the middle of the night if needed.
A chance to listen.
And sometimes…
It is “can we start meeting together? I want to get serious about this Jesus thing.”
It is “I know you listen.”
It is “thank you for everything.”
It is “this was the best season of my life.”
It is “please stay one more year.”
It is “we are so lucky to have you.”
What is it like to coach high school girls?
It is worth it.
Every second.
