The Coach's Wife     March 2008 Newsletter
Book Heart 
 The perfect pick-me-up for coaches' wives.
 
Three in the Spring. Three in the Fall.
Amazon Gift Card

You Still Have a Chance to Enter!

WIN a $100 Amazon Gift Card !

gym rats
Also 2 copies of Gym Ratswill be given away.
To enter, Forward to a Friendto five friends by April 7. You are entered once  every time you send it to five friends!
 

You must use the forward links on this page-
the one above or at the bottom of this page.

The winners will be announced in the April newsletter.
 
Question of the Month for April

Do you have a fan who is mentally or physically challenged, and displays true-blue loyalty to your team? 
Tell us about this person so we can celebrate the joy they bring and add to our lives as coaches' wives.
Quick Links

Download the Coach's Wife's Prayer

See Carolyn's Spa for the Soul article in the National FCA Magazine

Invite Carolyn to Speak. Download
the Speaker Kit!

Visit the Store
Pray
today for our sisters in coaching whose lives are in transition:
  • for jobs
  • the selling of a house
  • the finding of a house
  • the finances to make it
Celebrate
 the Ressurection Hope this Easter March 23!

Tell
your friends and family in Austin, TX about
Austin Bible Fellowship
where our son Zac Allen serves as Pastor.
Greetings!
Coach Doyle and Marie Wilson

Thrown a Curve

by Marie Wilson 

 

"God, you threw me a curve!"  That was my response to the news that my husband had accepted an assistant coaching position with the University of Southern California June of 2007. Don't get me wrong, I was proud of my husband. Baseball is what we do. I followed him playing high school, college, and minor league ball. As a successful head coach of the community college in our hometown in Arizona, I knew the day might come when he'd be lured away to "get to the next level."

However, I did not envision living in Southern California! The land of smog, high cost, "plastic," and earthquakes. Are you kidding?

As I lamented over these things, I heard a voice saying within me, "Can't you trust me?"  You see, the curve only surprises the batter, it does not surprise the one throwing it! God threw that pitch my way because He knew that I could handle it.

After months of heartache and transition, I am seeing the beauty of SoCal.  The weather, the ocean, so much to do, new friends, and of course, USC baseball!

As a coach's wife, I have no idea what curves are being thrown your way; but I do know this, as you follow His lead, He will never forsake you! Psalm 31:3
 A Coaches' Wives Event to Debut at the Final Four Tournament
The Gathering
 
Please join me and other coaches' wives in San Antonio at The Marriott Rivercenter on Friday morning, April 4th, 9-11am, for The Gathering: Coaches' Wives Coming Together.  This debut coaches' wives event is part of the festivities sponsored by the ministry team of the National Association of Basketball Coaches at the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four.  The Gathering is being planned by coaches' wives for coaches' wives to promote connecting with one another to draw strength and encouragement from our common experience.  Chris Riley, wife of Pat (Miami Heat), and other seasoned coaches' wives will be sharing about the joys and struggles along their personal journey.  Hope to see you there!  For more information, go to http://thegathering.aia.com.
Loyalty and Trust
Your answers from the Question of the Month
 
In the last newsletter I asked about staff relations and harmony.

From West Texas:

I have learned after many years that staff relations can be different than what I had experienced earlier in our career!  Part of this whole picture is the men that my husband hires. He lets his interviewees know that we consider our staff a family so that they take that into consideration when they decide whether or not they want to accept the job.  As an example, this year, when we took pictures for our football program, we had a "coaching family" photo taken and then a photo of just the coaches' kids (all 21 of them!).  They are two of our most prized possessions, and are hanging on my husband's office wall. 
 
Anonymous said:

We have so much friction and division due to pettiness and gossip. I just stay to myself most of the time. Our child was a manager but it became an issue so we thought it best to bow out. I know things are different at different schools; this is our hometown and that makes it more complex.
 
Coach's Wife in a large city:

A principal who made no effort to establish communication and made quick judgements about the athletic program was trying to push my coach out the door.  I wanted to defend my man.  Instead, I listened to him talk while anxiety gripped my spirit.  I had to take a serious time-out and re-focus.  I prayed.  I had to be positive so that my coach could see something good each day he dreaded going to school.  I prayed some more.  A conference with the principal resulted in my coach being completely honest, yet respectful, regarding his thoughts and feelings. (oh yea, I prayed some more) Friday the principal called, "I appreciated your honesty...tear up that growth plan...let's start fresh...I'm sorry".  It was probably the roughest 6 weeks we've had, but together we got through it.
Hit a Home Run this Summer
March means Spring Training, and more time at the fieldhouse.
You are drowning and saying,"What about our Marriage?! "
Check your calendar and catch your coach in a weak moment to schedule a Coaches Marriage Camp for this summer. They are painlessly affordable. Here are the ones I know of around the country:
 
It's a GRAND SLAM Lineup for FCA Coaches' Camp
July 13-16 (Sun.-Wed.)
in the beautiful Texas Hill Country of Kerrville.
 
Neal Jeffrey-the Best!
Grant and Donell Teaff
Randy and Carolyn Allen
 
Ask your local FCA representative about camps in your area and scholarships and check out some of the FCA Coaches Camps
on their national website. There is even a cruise from Mississippi!
 
Coaches Outreach has 3 camps already filled, and these open:
  • Oklahoma July 11-13
  • Alabama, near Auburn June 27-29
 
Coaches Time Out offers six camps for college and high school coaches and wives:
  • South Florida June 6-8
  • Carolinas June 13-15
  • Central Florida June 20-22
  • Pacific Northwest July 11-13
  • Great Lakes July 18-20
  • St. Louis July 25-27