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Friday, Sep. 04, 2009

The real housewives of Merced County football

Amy Valladao has her Friday night routine down during the football season.

As a coach's wife and a mother of three, multi-tasking is a skill she mastered long ago.

The evening starts by cooking a quick meal for her three young children.

After dinner, it's time to get everyone ready for the game.

Atwater jerseys and sweatshirts are slipped on, as Amy fills a backpack with snacks and toys.

After everyone is loaded in the car, it's time to head to the game.

It's a chance to see dad in action.

The Valladaos have done their best to make Atwater football games family events.

As Atwater head coach Bob Valladao patrols the sideline, Amy usually finds a spot near the top of the bleachers.

She tries to watch as much of the game as she can. However, she spends most of her time chasing her kids around the bleachers.

"I joke with Bob that if we decide to have another kid, he's going to have to hold one on the sideline," Amy said.

The football season can be fun and challenging for the coaches' wives.

Wives like Sandy Scheidt, Jill Stubbs, Leslie Swartwood and Stacy Betschart know it all too well.

They are the women behind the scenes.

Wives who know they won't see much of their husbands once the first pass is in the air.

Many of them work and then come home and take care of the kids while their husbands are still at practice or preparing for the next game.

"The hardest part is all the time it takes," said Jill Stubbs, who can count on just two hands how many games she's missed during her husband's career.

"Coaching is year round, 24-7. Weekends are gone during football season. But we've done this a long time. It's part of the routine."

Jill has the team sweatshirts to prove it.

She watched Dennis coach at Merced, Le Grand, Golden Valley and now Los Banos.

"We can walk around in almost anywhere in Northern California, and we'll cross paths with somebody he's coached or coached with," Jill said.

The wives look forward to the games on Friday night just as much as the most rabid fan.

Sandy Scheidt brought her oldest son, Sam, to his first game when he was two weeks old.

Sandy was a cheerleader at Dos Palos when she started dating Rob, who was a linebacker.

"Our kids love going to the games," Sandy said. "They have a blast. They love watching dad and dad's players."

Jon and Stacy Betschart had their first child a few weeks ago. I'm sure young Rex will make frequent appearances at GV games this year.

Many of the wives are involved in the program themselves, helping out with quarterback clubs or working snack bars.

"I got to watch my kids play," Leslie Swartwood said. "I'd rather work the concession stand and allow a parent to watch their kid play."

The Swartwoods feel coaching is a way to give back.

"Kevin cares about people," Leslie said. "A lot of people don't know the job is not just about coaching.

"Kevin's reward is when players come back and let him know how they're doing. It's neat when that happens."

It's the effect their husbands can have on teenagers that makes it easier to handle the long hours away from the family.

The sacrifices the wives make are worth it.

"We realize that we're sharing daddy during the football season," Amy said. "That's the tough part, but that's OK.

"What he does means more than just coaching football. He's changing kids' lives."

Shawn Jansen is a Sun-Star sports reporter. He can be reached at 385-2462 or via e-mail at sjansen@mercedsun-star.com.