Being a coach dad in several rec sports .....rec and school soccer included.....proved to be interesting and enjoyable. I was blessed with two sons who were roughly two years apart and accordingly played on different age bracket rec soccer teams. Beginning with my third rec soccer team, my two sons......being young in the formation of soccer in those early years......played on my instructional soccer team and did well, and naturally my wife and I enjoyed having them together both because of convenience and the joy of watching them win their first tournament at such a young age.

After that first pleasurable year of playing and winning together, they remained separated for roughly 6-7 rec soccer years of being on different age bracket teams. As it worked out, I was able to coach the younger boy's rec soccer teams for about 4-6 consecutive winning years; my older son played on usually less fortunate teams during that same span. As both sons grew older....near their teens.....they both played on different teams uncoached by this coach dad and had very successful rec soccer teams coached by different fine men.

Starting soccer play in their teens, my sons played on successful older age teams as I had the blessed opportunity to work with both teams either as head coach for one team and assist the other team. If memory sustains my thoughts, I served as rec soccer commissioner during those last few years while I coached and assisted coaching another son's team.

During the last 3-4 years of my coaching rec soccer and being rec commissioner, my wife noticed my time at home and with her was being more stretched and harried.......not even mentioning the stress that I may have secretly felt. Having realized that fact, this coach dad by the end of the season made plans to be just a dad and not a coach...at least in rec soccer..!


Coaching soccer has been this dad's joy...and blessing..!! Add two fine young men who have done well athletically...educationally...spiritually....and are themselves now dad; this dad is grateful for the time I've had and for an understanding and giving wife.