Monday, October 24, 2011. It's a little overcast outside, a week following fall break and midterms. In a few weeks it will start getting dark early. A few weeks after that will be Thanksgiving, and then everyone will head home for a month. The rhythm of the off-season is unique, moving quickly but feeling like forever at the same time. It's during this down time that so much in a tennis program happens. This is the point where the coach relinquishes his control over a team and releases them to do whatever the see fit to do. I have come to view this time as extremely valuable. It is during this time that I'll learn the most about our team. I will learn how cohesive our team really is, how much they share in our team goals, how disciplined they are, and how driven to improve. This time is so valuable because there is no coach telling you to get out on the courts or in the gym. There is no official structure other than the structure created by the team itself. As a coach, it's difficult to sit on the sidelines, so I busy myself with every other aspect of the job (budgeting, scheduling, recruiting, planning, etc.). This time is valuable for me because it builds anticipation and enables me to prepare for every conceivable situation in the spring. Every off-season is different than the one before it, and I have been fortunate in that our work ethic, discipline, motivation, etc. has improved with each passing season. As I sit here in my office, my mind racing, my motivation off the charts, I feel comforted by the knowledge that I am not motivating my team, they are motivating me.