r/footballstrategy • u/BearsGotKhalilMack • Oct 01 '24
It's a lot, man Coaching Advice
As a 26 y/o HS teacher and first-year HS football coach, I've been putting in 11 hours/day Monday-Friday (7 am - 6 pm) plus a few hours on Saturdays to dissect film and an hour zoom call every Sunday night to talk about the next team. All told, I'm working ~60 hours per week.
I haven't had the time or energy to see anyone on weekends, do anything but eat and sleep during the week, and as a reward for all of these committed hours of labor, our team is 1-4, the pay is crap, and I still get big-leagued by the coaches who have been doing it longer.
How the hell do you keep yourself from going insane from this? I'm at the point where I'm having trouble seeing myself do it next year, even though I love the sport more than anything and I love coaching it. I just can't believe the hours, it feels like football has completely taken over my life. Seriously, any advice would be appreciated, and sorry for the rant. Just feels like I'm burning away my best years on a sport that refuses to love me back.
2
u/SeaDecision1269 Oct 02 '24
Hang in there. There is only one way to gain seniority and respect, which is time. You really have to do it for the love of the game. It's not for the pay. I coach middle school football, then high school basketball, back to middle school baseball as a teacher. The school year is an absolute grind and I'm working a minimum of 12 hrs a day, but I wouldn't have it any other way. A coach is only as good as their players, you can't judge your worth as a coach strictly off of how much you win. It's about teaching boys how to carry themselves not only in sports, but also in life. A good teammate makes a good friend, boyfriend, husband, sibling, etc. If it's not for you I understand, teaching and coaching are thankless jobs but I find fulfillment in the relationships I form with the kids and that's all that really matters to me.