Hi, my name is Coach Phillips. There I said it.
How did this happen? Am I seriously coaching a track team? Is this like the biggest joke you’ve ever heard? Yes. Yes it is.
I was supposed to just be ‘helping’ my husband coach high jump, but at some point in some weird turn of events I got the title Head Coach. It makes me feel like I should be vomiting rainbows and fairy dust, it’s that unbelievable.
The first eight hundred times the kids called me Coach I totally ignored them, “Coach? Coach Phillips? Uh, hey Coach? COACH?!” I didn’t mean to ignore them, I just thought they were talking to an actual coach and that most certainly would NOT BE ME! So, half of the team refers to me as Mrs. Phillips and about three of them call me Coach and the rest of the team just tries not to make eye contact with me.
Yesterday, I was in such a grumpy mood. I had a headache and my butt was so freaking sore from the day before when I did four million squats that I was not in the mood to deal with other human life forms. This is a great thing for a coach….if you are in pain, you can inflict pain. I had several boys that decided to run off course and few more that couldn’t stop talking while I was giving instructions……so I made them, “DROP AND GIVE ME TWENTY!” It was like the spirit of a past drill sergeant came into my body. You know what? Those boys dropped and gave me twenty. And when I said, “Is there anyone else that needs to join them?” One of the kids that I love said, “ME!ME!ME!” and because I was in no joking mood, he found himself dropping to the ground doing push-ups as well.
I discovered I have power. MIGHTY POWER over these kids and I can use it or abuse it.
If I was smart I would use my powers to better my life and make them clean out my van or my bathrooms or worse, sort through my little boys’ clothes to see which are clean and which smell like urine. Poor kids, they don’t know what’s coming next.
I have to admit I am enjoying this crazy new adventure. I really love all the kids on my team from the sweet little girls that look like a gentle breeze could break them in half to the gigantic boys that stand behind me so I can shield them from the cold Kansas wind saying, “I gotcher back Coach, I gothcher back.” I love that they ask me if this is okay or that is okay and when they come to report an injury or tell me they will be late or that they don’t think they can do something, but will try if I really want them to.
Who knew coaching could make my heart grow? Who knew forty kids could make me enjoy being involved in a sport? Who knew?
Need a Chicken Doctor?
Contact 
I coached youth basketball for 7 years. It was one of the most frustrating, time consuming, happy, rewarding, heart growing experiences of my life. *Smiling at the memory. Contented sigh*
April you are awesome! The kids are enjoying you so much and you are a great coach. They are lucky to have you!
Logged on to pay bills…Wandered over to see what Coach Phillips had to say…Glad I did.
Somehow, paying bills just doesn’t make me smile like you do!
Power? Yes, I remember that power.I was a preschool teacher and then the director, “The Principal”. My husband was with me one day at school when we walked into a room of four year olds. He was very impressed with my Power as several children were on the tables and all I did was come into the room and they quickly got down into chairs without me saying a word. It was my very presence! I’m 4ft 11″, I stuck with teaching preschoolers since they are the only ones shorter than me. Go April!
Kathy b
You rock, Coach! And you still have time to order the team to do a bathroom scrubbing exercise….
Use the bathroom cleaning instead of pushups! Bless you for stepping up and coaching! Those kids are so lucky!
To truly wield your great power, you must perfect your evil laugh. Bawahhaahahaha. It works best if you rub your hands together while throwing you head back.
May the Lord bless and keep you.
“She had not yet decided whether to use her power for good or for evil.”
This is great, my family because good friends with the boys track coach, my oldest is still in contact 5 years later. Make the bond with the kids, enjoy. Mary
When you get through with them can you send them down here to help me get started on my garden? Thanks in advance.
Yes – and wax your car and paint your fence – go Coach Miyagi (sp?)!
Too much fun – they’re lucky to have you.
Makes all those small/defeated/catastropy-ridden-team-makes-good movies worthwhile doesn’t it.
Wow. You’re making me want to coach a sport.
It takes 40 kids to make you love a sport? Good grief. There may be hope for me yet. And power. Power is good. Perhaps I need to take up coaching to love sports, power and get my bathrooms clean!
Seriously, glad you’re loving it! Now drop and give me ten!
I just read Gena’s message….I love Anne Taintor…perfect line.
You make me wanna have the power to tell someone to drop and give me twenty! Maybe I should try it on my friends..
oooohhhh! Did they give you a whistle? How about a megaphone? Now THAT would be power! Have a great time coach!
This reminds me of “olden” days (yeah, like ya wanna hear that) when I had a group of church kids under my wing for several years as their counselor. April, these kids will remember you 50 years later like mine do. You’re pretty awesome!
I love the whistle and megaphone idea – wonder if it’ll work on my grandkids when I take care of them – they’re a tad young for the ‘drop and give me 20′ route
Good for you for taking on the challenge.
Sounds like a great adventure for you! Have fun!
I love you. I know I’ve said it before but you are fantastic. However, even my love and admiration has it’s limits, I’m not dropping and giving you twenty no matter what!
I coached JV volleyball for 4 years. I failed to answer to “Coach” the first year and the whistle was too loud for my ears
It was fun and I enjoyed every sweaty day. Great memories.