Coaches Coaching and police work

[ccreighton99]

Im currently the head coach of a trampoline and tumble program in nsw australia. Im seriously considering moving to qld and starting police academy. But i dont want to give up coaching cold turky. I know there is no way ill ever get a head coach job elsewhere ( im qualified enough but im 22) but i feel like i cant give up this part of who i am. Looking for advice or success stories TIA.

 

[coachmolly]

I don't know anything about police work where you are (or anywhere, really), but I can commiserate as I'm in much the same position.
Part-time coach at a very low paying program and I can't find a full time position with hours that work well with gym. Currently I'm doing 2 part-time jobs, chances of landing a full-time coaching job here are pretty small, and I can't keep getting by doing what I'm doing. So I'm in a place where I seriously need to look into finding a job with security and benefits, which will mean giving up what I love. There is always the chance that when you get through academy and land a job you will be able to coordinate schedules so you can work an evening or two a week.
Sorry I can't be more help, but I do understand.

 

[ccreighton99]

Its just such a hard choice. I am a full time coach 36 to 46 hours a week but my hourly rate isnt enough to give financial stability to my kids and wife. And of the nights of the week im only home 2 of them to put them to sleep. I have some seriouse thinking to do. Thank you for your input

 

[Aussie_coach]

Once you get through the Police academy you will find yourself working shifts here as a junior,pilcice officer yiu will not be able to continue to coach.

You could get coaching work formthe hours you can while you are at the academy, but for a club to hire you in a head coach position when you won't be able to continue is not going to work for most programs.

There is plenty of part time coaching work available in QLD, especially is you are qualified to coach one of the smaller gymsports time T and T.

 

[GymnastCoachJudge]

My boss (HC) is a police officer- our gymnastics academy is very successful even with his schedule. He is incredibly busy doing both, you will need to prepare for that. He also isn't coaching full-time. But it is do-able.

 

[ccreighton99]

That is reasuring to hear. I know i cant coach full time but id still like to work with gymnasts at least twice a week. Or maybe once and do a class once a week or something. Gymnastics has been my full time life since 15. Its a big step away from a supportive and loving community into what i know is another close nit comunity bit that doesnt seem to be making it any easier. Thank you for your input

 

[MyrtleWarbler]

I work FT and my husband is a cop. A lot will depend on the schedule your department does. 12-hr shifts? More days but only 8's? Switching between days and nights? (Ugh torture. Hubby is all days now that he's on a motorcycle). I've still managed to coach off and on our entire lives together. It got harder as kids came along. Now easier again as they are getting older and the older one has started Team. The challenge was his shift work. Days of the week alternated every two weeks. So I couldn't say "I'll coach X day of the week consistently" because every other X day of the week he would be working till 7 pm. With a couple very young kids that just didn't work. So I was just a sub/floater for a while. Back to a regular but limited gig now, helping team again. My point is that you may have to back off for a while until you see what the new career is like (and here academy is full time residential except weekends so no side job during that would have been possible!). But if it's in your blood you find a way back. I can't seem to stay away myself. [emoji4]

 

[Jeannie6]

Hi

I'm 55 years old and the mother of 6. I have been coaching off and on since I was 14. I competed back then and helped with preschool back then to help defray costs.
I went to college, got married (and divorced and remarried).
I've retired from this sport about 5 times and I keep coming home. It's in my blood. If I'm away too long, I have a need to just "test the water". As soon as I set foot back in the gym, I'm hooked.
Do what you need to do, I'm sure you will find your way back home when the time is right.
Good luck [emoji4]

 

[gymisforeveryone]

Hi

I'm 55 years old and the mother of 6. I have been coaching off and on since I was 14. I competed back then and helped with preschool back then to help defray costs.
I went to college, got married (and divorced and remarried).
I've retired from this sport about 5 times and I keep coming home. It's in my blood. If I'm away too long, I have a need to just "test the water". As soon as I set foot back in the gym, I'm hooked.
Do what you need to do, I'm sure you will find your way back home when the time is right.
Good luck [emoji4]

I loved this! I'm 24 but I already feel that I've coached forever (well more than 10 years actually). I'm an university student and I'm about to graduate in a year. I'm now working in a pharmacy for my internship period and now I'm for the first time facing the fact that working full time and coaching 16 hours a week is a hard puzzle to play. This week I'm working every day from 11am to 7pm so it's basically impossible to coach before or after the working hours. I'm at the same time very sad to miss out but also happy to have time to rest and do other things. I have to get used to the idea of some day giving up coaching.

Now that I've worked full time and coached as much I've possibly could I'm feeling like I have zero social life. Last week I had a nice little mental breakdown and just cried for a long time at night after coaching because I was so exhausted and felt like I had million things to do and I couldn't decide where to start. It was end of the spring season week so I had to do tons of preparation for summer, for our final meet and do hours of unpaid office work for the club. I didn't know if I should do the dishes and laundry and leave the gymnastics chores undone or do the opposite. I have no time to visit my parents or enjoy the summer, go to the beach or see my friends. I don't want to live like that. But I don't want to live without gymnastics either. It has always been a big part of me.