Life of a Coach

Frank, Scotty, and I only had a few days to settle into our new home, and then Frank had to get busy with his coaching duties.

Our home was in town, which was great.  If you stood on our front porch facing the road, there was a church across the street.  On the right side of our home was a Daycare, and on the left side of our home was another house which happened to be our landlord’s house. The only immediate problem that we faced was we had to remind Scotty that the trees in our front yard were not his very own personal tinkling toilets.  I thanked Frank daily for teaching him that.  Not!

Scotty and I continued to set up our home while Frank and the Head Coach checked all of the equipment at the fieldhouse.  Also, they took care of the grass at the football field, which had to be watered and mowed.  The week of the first football game, the two of them marked all of the yard lines on the football field.

Finally, the day of the first football game rolled in. Frank was so excited as he left for school that morning after we all had breakfast together.  Scotty was excited too and asked me at least a thousand times during the day if it was time to go to the football game.  I decided that we would go early to the football stadium so Scotty could see his Dad a few moments before the game.  Frank took Scotty by the hand and out onto the football field with him while the players were warming up.  Scotty looked up at his Dad with so much love and admiration.  I stood at the gate, watching my two favorite dimpled-faced guys.  Watching them together was the most beautiful heart touching experience, and my heart was so full of love for them that my eyes began to water.

After a while, Frank brought Scotty back to me, hugged me, told me he loved me and kissed me then he waved goodbye as he turned to go back onto the football.  Scotty and I climbed the steps that led up into the stadium then we found some great seats a few rows up in the stands on the 50-yard line.  Since we were early, we had our pick of places to sit.

Anyone who has ever lived in a small town knows that most of them in Texas take their football very seriously. Well, Hubbard fit this scenario and might even have upped it a notch up.  I will let you decide.
The stands began to fill up pretty quickly.  I had not met very many people in Hubbard yet because of unpacking and taking care of Scotty. Most of the people that I had met worked at the grocery store, but I had also become acquainted with the head coach’s wife, who was a sweet lady. Of course, everybody in Hubbard knew who we were, that’s just a given when you move into a small town, especially if your husband is a new coach there.

As the stadium filled,  people said hello or nodded to Scotty and me as they passed by us, which made me feel very comfortable. One man who sat down behind Scotty and I introduced himself to us, and he seemed nice, well that is at least until the game started. Oh, my goodness! He started screaming and yelling with everything. Some of the awful words he chose to use were undoubtedly not for our three-year-old son, Scotty’s ears, so I covered Scotty’s ears with my hands.

Suddenly, the man tapped me on my shoulder, and when I turned to face him, he told me, “Your husband is an idiot! That defensive play was awful! He doesn’t know his head from his butt!”

I could feel my face beginning to burn then turn red, and knew that “Nancy Lou” was rising in me with a furry that made me ready to jump on him like “Ugly on an Ape” with no holds barred, but instead I took a deep breath then turned around before saying anything.  Much to my displeasure, the man kept this up for the whole game, but I never turned around again. Scotty did not get to hear much of the game, because I had my hands over his ears, although my ears had steam coming out of them.

Finally, the game ended and Hubbard won the game. Scotty and I went down on the field to congratulate the players and coaches then the two of us went to the house. After I put Scotty to bed and waited for Frank to come home, while sitting in our living room, my thoughts had me still simmering. I had not experienced this kind of thing in La Pryor. Everyone there had been very kind to all of us. Was this going to be what it was like to be “A Coach’s Wife”?

When Frank came home, he was so excited about the game that I did not mention what happened in the stands. We talked some about the game then we went to bed. Once Frank was sound asleep, I put my cheek on his back then softly hugged him.

The alarm went off early the next morning because the coaches and players were meeting at the fieldhouse to watch and go over the film of the football game. I got up and made coffee then fixed Frank a big breakfast while he showered, but did not mention the man.

The next week Hubbard had another home game. Scotty and I repeated our routine from the game the week before and even sat in the same seats. I was thinking to myself that this would be a better game and that surely the man would not repeat his rudeness. Soon the man approached us, said hello, smiled then sat down right behind Scotty and me.  All was going well until the game began then the man started ranting and raving again. Quickly I covered Scotty’s ears then I felt the man tap me on the shoulder, but I just ignored him and did not turn around.  Again he tapped my shoulder then said, “Frank’s wife, do you know what an idiot your husband is?  That had to be the stupidest play I have ever seen!”

Did this man not realize that our son was sitting beside me while he yelled awful things about his Dad? Well, now, I do not have to tell you how red my face got or about the anger that welled up inside of me but did not turn to look at him. Quickly, I picked up Scotty and put him in my lap so that I could hold my hands tighter over his ears. Leaving was not the answer to this man’s rudeness, but later tonight Frank and I would have a little talk, for sure, enough was enough. When Frank got home that night, I told him the man’s name, what he had been saying to me in the stands, and that my next move would probably be to slap his face in front of God and all the people in the bleachers.

Much to my surprise, Frank smiled then he pulled me close to him as he said, “Nancy Lou that guy is the head coach’s brother-in-law, he was a great football player while he was in high school here, and his son is on the team as one of my defensive linemen.  The man is all hot air and mouth on Friday nights in the stands, but Saturday morning, he comes to the fieldhouse with doughnuts for all of us and as we watch the film he pats me on the back telling me what a fine job I am doing.  Think about what I have told you, and I know you will come up with a solution.”

Needless to say, I was thinking about it, but most likely, the solution that was on my mind was going to get me a pair of handcuffs and a trip in a police car. Of course, I smiled at Frank then told him not to worry, but I did place my cheek on his back and hugged him softly while he slept again that night.

The next football game was out of town, and I had a new plan. Scotty and I followed our same routine except we waited until the stands were mostly full then I picked another spot on the 30-yard line. As we set down, I could see the man sitting on the 50-yard line, which made me extremely happy. Scotty would get to sit next to me and hear the football game.

All was going great, and then I saw the man moving through the stands coming our way. Good grief! After asking some friendly people to slide down some, the man sat down right behind us. All that I could think about was how I was going to explain what was fixing to happen to this man to Frank and Scotty.

Nearly immediately, the man started his ranting and raving. I placed Scotty in my lap, then covered his ears with my hands. All was good until he tapped my shoulder, but this time instead of sitting there ignoring him, I placed Scotty on the seat beside me then stood and faced the man. As I looked him squarely in the eyes, then told him, “Sir, Hubbard pays my husband about a penny an hour extra to coach, and as long as he is happy with that I am delighted. My son and I came here to watch this game and to see his Daddy and my husband coach. We “did not,” and I repeat “did not” come here to listen to your insults about his Daddy or my husband. I would appreciate it if you would save your insults for the morning meetings that you take doughnuts to.”

With that said, I turned around, sat back down, picked up Scotty, and placed him back on my lap. Much to my surprise, the man was silent for the rest of the game. When Frank came home that night, Nancy Lou was fast asleep in our bed, but before falling asleep had said prayers to God, thanking Him that she was not wearing handcuffs.

The next morning as I fixed Frank’s breakfast, a smile was on my face. There was no need to mention what had happened at the game to Frank, so I did not. As far as I was concerned, the problem was solved.

When Frank came home later, he walked through the house calling out my name until he found me putting away clothes in our bedroom. When he walked in I turned to see what he needed, then he said, “Nancy Lou, I love you. You impressed your buddy up in the stands last night. He told me that he has never been, so nicely put in his place. I am so proud of you. I did say to him that he got lucky with the “spitfire” that is in you and actually, I thought he would end up with a black eye. Also, I told him not to press his luck with me and me defending you because this job doesn’t mean anything to me compared to you .”

All I could say was, “I love you, Frank.” but all the while I was thinking, how could I possibly love him any more than at that moment, although knowing every second that passed my love would grow deeper and deeper for Frank.  It never mattered to me what people thought or said to me, but when it came to Frank and Scotty, nobody was allowed to say a bad word to me about them.

The rest of the season the man would be very respectful of Scotty and me at the games.  He even bought popcorn and snacks for Scotty.  Believe it or not, the man became one of our best friends while we were in Hubbard.

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