Powerful Balance
Coach is a state champion basketball coach, a national champion power lifter, and has 7 children: How does he do it all??
FINDING BALANCE AS A HIGH SCHOOL COACH–Marc Davidson, Blackhawk Christian High School, Fort Wayne, IN
It seems that everyone is trying to find balance– that delicate balance of success at home, and success at work. I struggle to find the perfect balance on a day to day basis; I’m sure this is a struggle for many coaches. Author & speaker Jon Gordon views this dynamic between home and work as being more about rhythm than balance. Gordon points out that there is a rhythm to life, and a season for everything- and we must plan accordingly.
For all of us, there is a time to work and a time to rest. For a coach, there is a time to go out scouting, and a time to go out with your spouse. There is a time to breakdown game film, and a time to be with your children. There is a time to plan tomorrow’s practice, and a time to help your spouse around the house.
This dynamic of home/work can be a “both/and”, instead of an “either/or”. Our challenge as coaches, is to find the rhythm which enables us to be successful on all fronts. I believe that having a “team” approach with your spouse, along with some creative and strategic planning, are a couple keys to success.
Having a “team” approach with your spouse is critical for any coach who is married. I’ve been a head coach for 17 years, and my wife and I know that from November through March, things are a little crazy. So we plan for how we will effectively manage the rhythm of a basketball season. During those in-season months, we have to get more creative and strategic with our family time. For example, our in-season “dates” for the past six years (and likely for many more years to come) have been driving to our sons’ college basketball games on Wednesday or Thursday nights. Our team approach has helped us to see this as a chance to really connect with each other, and we have grown to cherish these times.
For coaches who have children, that presents another challenge. And again, a team approach with your spouse, along with creative and strategic planning during the season, are critical. This past season for example, my 3rd grade son came to nearly all of our varsity practices. This was a simple way for me and my son to connect every day. I’ve also found it helpful to “unplug” when I’m home– put the phone down, put the computer down, and be intentional about connecting with my wife and kids.
and were poised to make another deep run this year.
(Photo courtesy Parkview Sports Medicine)
25 years of marriage, and 17 years as a head coach, and my wife and I certainly don’t have this all figured out– we are still learning how to dance to the rhythm, so to speak. Legendary Coach John Wooden defines competitive greatness as “being at your best when your best is needed”. Let’s face it, as coaches— our best is needed! Our wives need our best, our children need our best, our players & teams need our best. While we may never find that perfect home/work balance— with a team approach and some creative planning, we can hopefully create a flow and rhythm to our lives which will help us be at our best on all fronts.
Marc Davidson is the varsity basketball coach at Blackhawk Christian School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He and his wife Lisa have been married for 25 years. God has blessed them with 7 children: Wesley-23, William-21, Frankie-19, Marcus-17, Jimmy-15, Isaiah-9, Jaela-9.
Feel for the Game 