My days vary from hard labor to thumb twiddling. Depending on the breakage that happens to the equipment over the week, dictates how much effort I put in to work. Work today was a bit all over the place.
I went in to the office during the morning and addressed issues dealt with registration, programs, classes, staffing, and any emails sent to me about the junior team that I coach (mostly from parents). Weirdly enough, responding to everyone's issues with registration, programs, classes, and concerns takes up to and hour or two. You would be amazed at how confused people become when you start doing things online or how badly they want you to hold their hand through everything.
The parent emails probably take the longest though. Dealing with parents that trust you with their kids are very intimidating. They have concerns, questions, and mostly importantly - things to offer. As adults they have connections and networks that can help with fundraising and transportation when we are traveling to and from out of state races. Assuring that I appeal to them and make them feel welcomed with their offers is hard work, especially since I am so young but in such a high authority with regards to their kids.
After responding to concerns and questions, I am then in charge of upkeep around the office and facilities. Getting gas for the safety boats that we use and addressing any damage to the equipment takes between 30 minutes to two hours - again, depending on how much damage has accumulated since the last time I came in (every Tuesday & Thursday).
I'm done with my "office" shift at 1pm and then I get a break for two and half hours before I go back. This time, however, I don't go to the office and instead go straight to the facilities where my team meats Monday through Friday from 4 to 6pm to practice. I coach high school kids ages 13 to 18 on a competitive rowing team on Tempe Town Lake and I would not trade the job for anything in the world. I have 21 athletes, co-ed, and they are all amazing in their own way.
Coaching requires me to come up with a practice plan, boat line-ups, inform my staff of what will be happening that day during practice, what athletes they will be taking, and what the main goals/accomplishments are for the day. In two hours we have to accomplish a lot, and the flu that went around really struck my team hard so we've had a lot of absences.
Once practice is over I have to wait around and make sure all of the kids get picked up and then I can leave.
Its kind of a busy day, but its not that bad when you enjoy it.
Alison- Wow! What a day you seem to have! I would agree that responding to questions and concerns along with other daily paperwork around the office is more time consuming and tedious then people realize. Dealing with parents is never easy, especially when they have concerns and you must address them with the utmost sensitivity. I am glad to hear that the second part of your day with your rowing team in fulfilling and fun. That would be a hard job to coach 21 athletes, but very fun at the same time! Keep up the good work!
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