First Game!! Kids are EXCITED!!

The Day is Here!! Our First Game!!

Score-book Filled out(note not really needed for T-Ball but still nice to have) emails sent out...Ready to Play Ball......

well WE were ready to play ball...but alas Mother Nature had other plans for us. :(

T-Ball Game CANCELLED...:( due to Rain.

May in Michigan, you never know what the weather is going to be like....Time to make phone calls (TIP: Email is a lot easier, try your best to obtain email addresses for ALL your parents, also social media is a great tool as well a Facebook Group is a great way to get information to all your parents, share pictures, talk about practice ideas and more).

Email sent about the game being cancelled, my little guy is bummed, I hear but Mom you are the Coach you can tell us to play....breaks my heart. </3 Sorry little man not my call this time.

Lesson for the Day...Don't count on the game being played until you are on the field and even then the weather can ruin your plans....

On to the next game :) and work to reschedule the first!!

~Coach Angie~

The Day is HERE!! Picture Day!! Let's Get this Rolling!!

Excitement!! I get to meet my Kids, Their Parents, put faces to the list of names and emails I have!! Yep I am ready!! 

Well I thought I was....I needed our UNIFORMS....kinda important for our Team right...

I had BIG PLANS to get there early, get our uniforms ready, get all set up..things to go perfect...well plans are made to be broken...got to remember this... ;) always be prepared to work on the fly!! 

I was there..yeah not as early as I wanted to be. I have to get our uniforms, so I seek out our Director and grab our uniforms. **First mistake** COUNT the uniforms before you go to the Team. I grab the hats and shirts and head on over to where the pictures are being taken. 

I get my kids in order and start handing out uniforms, I quickly realize I am one short....stomach drops. First day in front of our kids and I am already making a mistake...QUICK Recover...

Think...what to do...what to do..call the Director maybe its still in the box......calling.....asking...yep no such luck....time for Recovery plan B....extra Coach's shirt..a little big but oh well I will wear that, have my son wear My Shirt(again a little to big) have our kid(I feel HORRIBLE) wear my son's shirt so everyone is in uniform. YES that will work right!! 

Recovery plan B works. Get the kids in order for our pictures...(try not to look like a fool because I don't know all the kids names to faces yet). How to do this...have them line up...yep sounds good! GREAT the kids are listening to me!! Liking how this is going right now!! 

GREAT Photographer!! She had great direction for the kids and was seasoned in this situation!! Kids are listening to the Photographer...keep my cool things are moving forward!! :D

Team Picture and Individual Pictures Complete!! 

Next Step...meet the Parents...

yeah this did SOOOO not go as planned...the weather was cold, the kids were, well being 5 and 6 year olds :) parents scattered followed by kids...next team is on there way in, gotta move out. 

Talk to the remaining parents, wrangle my kid...what do I do I had so much to say...Idea Strikes...YES! Follow Up Email...not the best but a great way to recap!! 

Get home, get settled, send my email....a little wordy but the general theme is Positive!! Recapped what went on told them about our first game, filled in some details and closed the email.

All in all not a bad way to end the day! Pictures are done...Parents are emailed(also sent and email about the missing jersey to the Director and corresponding Mom) All Bases Covered.

Next Step GAME DAY!! :)

~Coach Angie~

Day One: Pins and Needles

So I got my Coach's Email, Date for our Meeting is set and fast approaching...The day has arrived!!

I am wondering so many things have so many ideas and I am wondering on top of wondering,

What do I need..
Where do I start...
How many kids will be on the team....
Will they like me.....
Will the parents be ok with a Woman Coaching their kids......
Will I be a GOOD COACH???

Feelings of doubt, anticipation, worry, confidence, more worry, more doubt...but mostly excitement!!

I have always LOVED being on a Field or Court and here is just another reason to do so!!

First thing I need to do is get SUPPLIES....yep I went overboard...a tad...lol...but I always say better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!! :) My Son says "my mom is always prepared." Yep I try to be!!

Pens, Pencils, Paper, Questions and More Questions...(in retrospect I most likely overwhelmed our Director, he most likely went home saying who is this chick?!??! LOL)

I went in with clear direction, I knew what I wanted to say, what I needed to get out of the meeting and what time of energy I wanted to convey. Pretty sure I went over the top and was THAT Coach...but ahhhh no worries..."I got this" lol

I made sure to ask about the rules, where we will be playing, my responsibilities, what is expected of a Coach via this organization, do I need to obtain a sponsor for my team, where are we playing and when do we start.

Yep I was chomping at the bit to get going! I wanted to be out on that field getting these kids ready to go..but first...I had to meet them and when would I do that....well Picture Day it is!!  :)

Sent out the email, made a few phone calls and well this sounds like a great stopping point to me! :)

To Be Continued!!

~Coach Angie~

Not just for Dad's

Yep I said it Coaching is not just for Dads, even if you do have a Son!

Now don't get me wrong there are some AMAZING Dads who Coach their kids on the field/court I am friends with quite a few. A Mom or Woman in this field is not generally seen unless its softball or volleyball. The Mom is traditionally one to sit on the sidelines and cheer for their kids, to take care of the things kids need, which is just as equally important! Please don't get me wrong that is an Amazing Role for any person to hold especially a Mom! Moms(including myself) are great at details and being an involved Mom in any role is an amazing and fulfilling position!!

If you know me you know I don't generally don't follow the traditional roles in life. :) I have been against the grain as long as I can remember, it suits me. :) I grew up a Tom-boy and I am still one to this day! I grew up playing football, basketball, baseball, roller hockey and any other sport we could come up with, with my older brother and his friends. To my other brother I was most likely a tad bit of a pain in the hind quarters, the little girl following him around, the one he took flack from his friends about, but he still took me with him! I am not sure if it was because they needed an extra person but I would like to think he liked me being there!! (Love Ya Big Brother) ;)

Back to business;

(We are a little bit into the T-Ball Season so we will work to get caught up, because there is no better place to start than the beginning.) :)

Some of you may be thinking, "Well where is your Son's Dad? Why isn't he Coaching?" Well let me answer that for you, he is right next to me! Cheering our Son on and supporting us both!! He is in the Assistant Coach Role :) and with his work schedule that is what worked best! It takes quite a strong man to watch your wife/fiance/girlfriend be the Coach for your Son's T-Ball Team and that he is! He is very comfortable with my assertiveness and actually says its one of the reason he fell in love with me. :) I saw that there was a position available we discussed it at home and I sent the email saying, Yep I would LOVE to Coach!!

I got an email in return that gave me info on when our Coach's Meeting was and I was ready...well I thougth I was...

That sounds like a good place to stop for this post.

To Be Continued :)

~Coach Angie~

Here We Go!! Batter Up!!

Thanks for reading!!!

Not sure what brought you here but I hope it will not be your last time reading!! :)

This is my first year Coaching but I don't foresee it being my last!! I love kids and sports, I have played sports all my life and have always loved being around kids. So I thought what the heck I know the basics lets run with this. So that's what I did!!

I feel wholeheartedly that Sports are a GREAT outlet for kids. It not only keeps them active and gives them somethings to look forward to but it also teaches them SO MUCH! They learn first and foremost about the sport, they learn compassion, trust, teamwork, ethics, good sportsmanship and that Family is not only at home!

I was very lucky to always have AMAZING Coaches who made the game fun no matter what! I had a great group of Teammates as well! I hope that the kids I have the opportunity to Coach can say the same one day, that is one of my main goals!

So sit down and start reading :) I will hopefully be able to write here after every game, I will tell you all about my ups and downs in this Coaching Position, I will give you all the tips I have found to work along the way as well as the ones that didn't...lol.

I hope this blog will grow and evolve into a great place for not only myself but others!! Who knows maybe it will inspire another Mom to get out there with their kids as well. I can't reach anyone by myself though, I need you to do that!! If you are looking for some laughs, frustrating moments, ever changing attitudes, missteps, trials and errors you have come to the right place!! Please leave me a few comments if you would like and I will do my VERY Best to respond!!!

So here we go!!