I've been a college coach for 6 years now. I started as an NAIA head coach, had some success. Now I'm an assistant at a mid major coaching Middle Distance and Cross Country.
I think my wife hates my job. She would never say so directly because of how much I like it, but I feel certain that she wishes I did something else. I don't spend a lot of time at home. I travel. We have a baby under 1. Obviously the pay is not great. She's expressed that all those things deeply frustrate her. We talked about how leaving college coaching temporarily and trying to return after our son got a bit older and we've had some stability would also be bad for her because it's like temporary happiness for her.
The idea of possibly having to move every couple of years to advance my career or when a head coach is let go or to find a head coaching gig myself is also a negative for her.
Her friends think I should do something else. Her dad thinks I should do something else. But I love it. I love coaching so much. It feels like something that gives me purpose and it's fun and I can't imagine working another job and being a fraction of as happy as I am at this one.
For context, I'm not really prepared to successfully do anything else. I double majored in two liberal arts degrees, masters in English. I don't have the drive of a salesman, or the motor of any like entrepreneur, hustler type. More than likely my career prospects outside of this are HS teacher.
I'm lost and could use some words from people who've been in my shoes. I don't want to have a miserable family, but also I don't want to regret giving up on the career that I'm excited to go to everyday. I don't think that comes around very often.