Praying Through the Highs and Lows of Coaching

Writing this prayer was hard.

Not because I didn’t believe in it — I do with my whole heart — but because we’ve had to live through some really tough seasons to get to the words on that page.

We’ve had the full spectrum of coaching experiences in our family.
Coaches who built up. Coaches who tore down.
And moments when I honestly couldn’t pray for the coaches… because I was too hurt by how they were treating my kids.

Let me start with the good.

My daughters had some incredible coaches. Women and men who challenged them, pushed them, and showed up for them in big and small ways — even outside of volleyball. Coaches like Hope, Beth, Wellington, Liv, and Ali helped shape my girls into strong, resilient women.
They were tough — and yes, sometimes it took tears and frustration to get through those early practices — but the love behind the tough lessons was undeniable. And now, those same coaches are still in their lives, cheering them on long after the season ended.

But the boys’ journey was different.
Harder.

They started strong, with coaches early on who cared and believed in them. But as they moved up, things shifted.

Titus’s junior year was especially hard. He worked so hard to earn the QB1 spot — and he did. But for reasons we still don’t fully understand, the decision was made to start someone else. He was told the decision came from the offensive coordinator — that it was out of the head coach’s hands. But later, during film review, the OC privately showed Titus the actual text messages from the head coach, clearly stating that the other player would be starting. The message was clear: the head coach had made the call, but didn’t want to take responsibility for it. That moment was more than disappointing — it was disorienting. As parents, we could see the toll it took on Titus. Being passed over is one thing; being misled is another.

That season tested all of us — not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.

And I’ll admit it — I know I’m biased. I’m their mom. But when other parents — parents of teammates — start asking you why your son isn’t playing, it’s hard not to believe what you already see. It adds another layer of frustration and confusion that’s difficult to shake.

Simeon’s path had its own challenges. He didn’t always shine at practice, but when it was game time, he showed up. Still, the labels came. The missed opportunities followed.

And as a mom, I just wanted someone — anyone — to see them the way I did. To believe in them the way others had believed in my girls.

My deepest prayer was always the same:
That my boys would have a coach who saw them — not just as athletes, but as young men. That someone would take the time to know them, invest in them, and help guide them toward their future.

Some of that prayer has been answered.
And some… is still unfolding.

But here’s what I’ve learned through it all — and what I hope my kids have learned too:

Coaches, good or bad, play a powerful role in shaping who our kids become.
How our children respond — with humility, maturity, and discernment — matters just as much as the coaching itself.

That’s why I wrote the prayer “Working With Coaches.”
Not because every coach is perfect. But because our kids will encounter all kinds — encouraging, challenging, inspiring, frustrating — and each one is a chance to grow.

This prayer isn’t just for the athletes.
It’s for us, the moms, too — when we’re sitting in the stands, holding our breath, praying through clenched teeth, and trusting God with what we can’t control.

And if I’m honest, it’s also a prayer that brought me to my knees.
There were times I had to ask God for forgiveness — for the thoughts I had when things weren’t going the way we felt they should. For the judgment. The frustration. The anger.
I had to surrender my version of how it was supposed to go — and ask God to show me what He was doing instead.

Because He sees.
He knows.
And He’s shaping something bigger than a roster spot.

📖 Find this prayer and more in Prayers from the Sidelines
💬 Want to share your own coaching story or just need prayer? Connect with me on Instagram @TheSportsMomma.