Former college coaches - how did you get out?

Great post. :-)

I spend nearly 15 years in D1 coaching and am now out. Nearly every coach thinks about leaving the profession. Since I've been out I've been surprised at the number of coaches at major programs who've told me they want out or have at least considered it. There is no point in this profession that ends that feeling. No one should think being at a top program changes that, it might help though.

It is stressful to be a coach and think about "what would I do" if I got out or got kicked out. When I was still in I read something about creating an escape plan. What I could do if I got out. I made that plan and it was incredible how much that reduced my stress level. I realized success in coaching wasn't dictating my survival and I had a way out if needed. Once you realize coaching isn't anything more than coaching it becomes a lot more fun.

A few years later I took that out. I still work hard, I do make more money and but most importantly I'm still happy.

I think a lot of coaches discount the skills they have. What we do in coaching at the higher levels translates into a lot of jobs. The key is learning how to sell that to an employer. College coaches have great business skills if they stop and break down their actual duties.

Would you be able to share how you went about setting up your escape plan and in what industry?

Thank you.

Igy

I coached D1 for 2 years and D3 for 14. I loved my job. I was M/W CC/Track. I had kids (I am female) about 7 years into my career. I knew I wanted to coach while I was young because the sacrifice is too great as your kids grow. I got out a few years ago and am currently teaching high school. I love what I do and the best part is that I get paid much more than I was making as a D3 HC and I work less. I get to attend my children's school and sport events and no longer have to ask my husband to pick up the slack when I am gone all weekend for a meet.

Coaching is so rewarding and I absolutely loved what I did. However, I did not want my own children to take second fiddle to the student-athletes I was coaching. When that started to happen, I knew it was time to go. I think about every Halloween I missed being at Conference CC meets and every Easter or Spring Break I missed for track..you don't get those back. My kids became more precious than my job. I walked away and what I miss the most is being called coach. However, I have already turned down coaching jobs at the HS level for the same reason. It is more important to be available to my own kids for the next few years. I want to share in their memories of sport and not just tell them stories about my time as an athlete and a coach.

I know I have a gift for coaching but now I just use it in my classroom instead. I have a life. I don't have to chase recruits. I don't travel. I am present for my family. I am far less stressed. I wouldn't change a thing. I also accomplished all I wanted to in coaching before I walked away--that made the decision much easier. I have no regrets. It doesn't mean I still don't miss it--I have amazing memories and friendships from coaching. It will always be part of who I am but being a mom and wife is the most important part of this stage of my life.

rojo, are you saying a person over 50 has no chance of getting hired for a coaching position?

coach of the college wrote:

Would you be able to share how you went about setting up your escape plan and in what industry?

A good first step is to review job boards and see what interests you. You'll likely see there are a lot of jobs out there and the options aren't so limited. There are a lot of running industry jobs too. With a few things in mind create a non-coaching resume and cover letter as an exercise. Use this to figure out how you'd sell yourself as a non-coach. It teaches you how to sell your skill sets, rather than just your stats. It also helps you figure out what you're actually good at, not just how many kids you've helped run fast.

Another important thing to recognize is you're likely a good sales person. You likely also have a good work ethic. You likely are organized, understand people management, know how to communicate, know how to budget money, and understand computer skills. You're likely loyal and also understand have to work as a team. Seems like obvious skills, but not everyone has them. You might think you are average, but that is just because you're comparing yourself to people in a hyper competitive environment like coaching. You're likely the type of person employers want, you just may not have the traditional resume. Just find a way to sell your strengths from coaching.

Since I got hired at my current role my boss has hired two other former coaches because he realized what kind of skill set we brought to the table and that we work a lot harder than the typical person. We don't think 9-5 is a workday. We think bottom line and success. I work more than my co-workers, but I still don't travel constantly or make late night recruit calls. So its a win-win for me and my employer.

I second looking for a sales job in an arena that you are passionate about.

Former Columbia/brown coach Craig lake is a great example. She is passionate about real estate, appears to be a bulldog negotiator, and is attractive and professional. She is killing it as a real estate agent in Boston and making more in a year than in a decade of coaching.

I would hire her, or someone like her, in a minute to sell my house.

If you fit this profile and if you can live with the variability of your income from month to month, a career in sales can be lucrative and rewarding. There is a feeling of satisfaction closing a deal that will appeal to your personality.

As for getting that first break in your chosen field think about why you would take a dogged walkon to your squad - an analogous argument is often a winning one.

I would appreciate an chance to communicate with you further about opportunities that you mentioned. Would you mind touching base with me at

. Thank you.

boomer... wrote:

rojo, are you saying a person over 50 has no chance of getting hired for a coaching position?

I coached at Power 5 conferences across the country getting my first opportunity as a 19 year old and then spent the next 24 years pursuing my craft. I loved the travel, recruiting, worked with a number of kids that won conference honors, NCAA All Americans, Team Championships then got a call into the Associate AD's office at it was over. 44 years old, married, two kids and living in a part of the country we were not crazy about. Since then, I have continued to apply for college coaching jobs at NAIA, NCAA and NJCAA schools and have never even gotten a phone interview. I took a high school AD job to make ends meet. I re-structured my resume and applied for entry level college administration jobs and began to reach out to college AD's to network. 6 years later....nothing.

While I continue in this current position, I still strive to find a position that fulfills the competition, planning, organizing and team building - and ultimately the successes - that I so greatly loved as a track and field coach.

This. Do not have children if you plan on coaching collegiately long term & want to be a part of their lives.

For you coaches, what's the divorce rate among college track coaches for reasons stated in this thread. Higher than regular population?

Where did you coach? Your situation is similar to mine

For the love of God, please tell me you have someone at your company to proof-read anything you write. Your written English is shockingly bad. I'd never use you as a recruiter based on this alone.

Dude, what's your problem?

The OP and others who have contributed are genuinely curious or trying to help with their own experiences. Does it really matter if there grammar isn't perfect on a Let'sRun message board?

I imagine the OP is trying to figure things out and improve their life, more importantly, probably trying to provide for their loved ones, and you are preventing that, because of an issue of grammar? What kind of small-minded and inconsiderate person are you?

To the genuine and sincere coaches on here who are trying to help. Thank you.

For the less enlightened individuals. Grab a spoon.

I think that fellow is being facetious. There is very clearly nothing wrong with the quoted poster's English.

Good thread.. I used to think I wanted to coach in college until I talked to a guy that was starting in it. Totally pushed me in another direction. Also, it's interesting that the college coaches have lots of the same problems high level athletes encounter when their time is over.

I'd never thought about it, but I read an interview with a guy that had made the Oly team in the steeple, run the circuit etc.. but when he was done he looks up and he's almost 30 and had never had a job, retirement plan, etc.. He was 10 years "behind" his peers.

I can see how college coaches could be in an even worse situation.

Really, what about the freshman you recruited last year.. How do you tell them you are leaving. Who is going to coach the women next year..

Easy, you say "I'm leaving because xyz" and people deal. When coaches sign recruits they're not bound to stay at that institution, people change jobs, it happens, move on.

Any recruit who chooses a college based solely on the coach is choosing poorly, there's never a guarantee, and they'd be better off factoring in the program as a whole, the school itself, location, etc. Anything could happen, injury, fired coach, whatever, to take the coach out of the equation. And a coach who plans to leave would be doing their team a disservice by simply not recruiting so as to not "disappoint" any incoming recruits that he or she signed. If they did that, they would leave a team high and dry with no incoming talent.

by the way, freshman is singular. Were you just referring to one person?