Being a football coach is a consuming job. Depending on the level you or your husband coaches, it can take as much time as you’re willing to give it. From recruiting in the spring to the daily practices of the fall and the highs and lows of game day, it can be a wearing job. But it can also be rewarding as you impact the lives of young athletes and help prepare them for life off the field. While the daily life of a football coach changes with the season, one thing remains the same: There’s always something to be done to prepare for the next victory.
Preseason
In the weeks leading up to the official start of practices, your team will host its preseason training camp. During training camp, a football coach’s daily life starts early and finishes late. He gets up for morning workouts with his team and then heads in to meet with his coaching staff to discuss player development, upcoming season strategies and the plans for the afternoon. After meetings and lunch, the coaches return to their team for afternoon drills and workouts. Before heading home, the coaches reconvene to discuss the afternoon’s progress and make plans for the next day.
Season
When the football season rolls around, the daily life of a football coach gets even busier. With the amount of pressure they feel to win, they spend hours meeting with players, analyzing game films, developing game plans, brainstorming with coaches and creating practice schedules. Coaches get up early to go to the office and either stay after practice to meet and plan or return home for dinner and more strategizing from their home office. If they’re up for it, most coaches squeeze in workouts of their own over lunch breaks.
Game Days
Whenever there’s a game on the schedule, the day takes on a different nature. The daily routine will be determined by the time the game starts and ends. Instead of attending practice, the coach will attend pregame meals, meet with his coaches and team, coach the game and then do post-game interviews. After the press and players have gone, the coaches meet to dissect the game, watch film clips and discuss how to adjust the upcoming practices according to the day’s results.
Offseason
Depending on who you ask, there may or may not truly be any offseason. Based on a coach’s work schedule, there is barely a difference in the amount of time they spend at the office and on the job. In the absence of games, however, football coaches -- specifically at the college level -- shift their concentration to recruiting. During the offseason, they may have a varied daily schedule as they spend much of their time on the road talking to prospective players and parents and trying to secure talent for the upcoming season. They also use their time making personnel changes in their staff and interviewing candidates to fill vacancies.
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Writer Bio
After graduating from the University of Kansas with a bachelor's degree in sports information, Jill Lee served for 10 years as a magazine editor for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). Also a published author, Lee now works as a professional writer and editor focusing on fitness, sports and careers.