Making a commitment.

I love coaching. Over the past couple of seasons, I have straddled the fence with coaching and officiating, but you truly can not do both effectively. I enjoy being able to pop in and out of practices, show a couple of things, and not be responsible for being at every minute of every practice. Once Summer arrives, I can more thoroughly enjoy the push of making every practice with our national teams without feeling burnt out. I often act in supporting rolls with our National teams doing plenty of behind the scenes work.
     This past season I tried to make the firm switch from coaching to officiating. I still helped train with our national teams, popped in on Middle school practices, but when it came to competition times, I was rarely in the corners. I spent this last year inside the circles. I gained a ton of experience this past year, upgraded my rankings with USA wrestling, and enjoyed doing it. With all this said, I was still straddling the fence in my mind.
     Over the Summer I talked to a couple of coaches about positions at there schools, and even interviewed for one of them. I did not get the jobs due to displaced teachers filling the positions I was up for. In the mean time, I have been contacted by the head official for USA Preseason Nationals, and asked to officiate at the end of October. I just about have myself totally convinced to make the commitment to officiating, and do my coaching as a hobby. I still coach Girl's Soccer, and I am expending more energy in that direction.
I have been studying my rule book, and casebook, and look forward to officiating some folkstyle. My GHSA group, MAWOA starts training next month, and I look forward to seeing everyone at the meetings, and putting my thumbs away for a little while. I will be attending the GWCA meeting and rules clinic on the 25th at Parkview.
     If you are wrestling at Lithia Springs this weekend, I will be giving a Freestyle rules clinic and the girls will have an opportunity to wrestle some freestyle matches. I am sure we can find time to fit in some boys matches as well.
     Lets get the ball rolling.