College football coaches are currently working their way through the summer camp sessions being held on their campuses. But, I can attest to the fact that most of them also have their mind drifting off to what awaits them coming up in the next week or two.
Most staffs are given 3-4 weeks off following camp sessions. Coaches covet this opportunity to spend appreciable time away from the office connecting with family and friends and doing things that time just does not allow at any other time of the year. I'm old enough to remember coaching college football before cell phones were invented. We had to check in with the office a couple of times a week by phone, we had to call our position players once per week and before we closed our eyes at night, many a coach like me prayed that we didn't get a wake-up call in early morning hours with bad news about some player issue that developed back on campus.
But, it's much worse now. Most coaches have two phones--a personal phone and their work phone. First, recruiting never stops, so coaches are always on duty, 24/7, for recruiting purposes--texting, tweeting, phone calls and more. Communication with their position players never stops--following up on an academic issue that popped up, following up on a report from the strength & conditioning coach about an issue at a workout, or just checking in with players to let them know they are still on the coach's mind is constant. Many a coach's wife or a child can be heard, "But I thought you were on vacation."
If a coach can truly put his phone away for several consecutive hours before worrying about what might have popped up on it, he has a chance to be in the moment and enjoy the people and activities around him. I know my wife will confirm this, and she will get almost all other coaches' wives to also agree, that within 3-4 days of vacation ending and having to return to work, the coach will have a hard time being as relaxed and present as he was just days ago. Without trying he will begin to get into the preseason mind-set, gearing up for his return to action.
Men, do your best to enjoy your time. Put your phones away for a while and be there for your loved ones. These opportunities are too precious to not be able to make the very most of them.
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