Well, yesterday the University of Houston Athletics Department posted an opening for the position of Athletic Ops/Game Mangement Coordinator... much to my excitement and surprise. This is the opportunity I had been waiting for... I could not wait to get home to apply for the position, which I did. Immediately upon arrival home there was an e-mail in my Inbox from my former boss, Mike Garrity, telling me that Tim Smith of Houston (the current Game Mgt. Coordinator) had e-mailed him to make sure I applied for the opening.
I waited all night for Perla to get home to share the news. The position paid in the range from $30,000-$40,800, with full benefits and TRS retirement. In my application I asked for $40,000 as my salary expectation. However, as the day wore on, I remembered the promises I had made to my wife concerning stability and happiness. I waited for her return (she went to Wal-Mart at 10 at night to buy a new set of clothes for her first day of school).
Finally, when we got around to talking we were both exhausted and I had lost my earlier excitement, told her and Madelyn that I was a top candidate for a position at UH, and... although she supports me fully, I could tell something was missing. She was not ecstatic with the news, yet not disappointed. She knows I worked hard to earn a future shot at such a position.
Perhaps the impending birth of our second child subconsciously caused her to fear the news. Regardless, we went to bed with plans of discussing it in the morning, but when I woke up this morning I knew there was only one thing I could do: I withdrew my application from Houston. I took my name out of the hat, so to speak.
See, collegiate athletics is very stressful. The reason the position at Houston is available is because a 52-year old Associate AD passed away after battling cancer. Another had a heart attack. The hours are long, the manual labor is high, and monotny is gruelsome. However, collegiate athletics is also very exciting and very rewarding.
It was a tough call. Yes, I am still addicted to running and pursuing my potential, but I had agreed to never put my career on hold to pursue running (plus, I am injured right now and hte last place I want to be is in a runnig store). But I had realized that managing businesses is what I am good at. I have made a lot of people a lot of money by implementing my business models and strategies. I am perhaps the most knowledgeable specialty running shoe expert in the business... one of the best at fitting. In other words, I am very good at what I do and it is starting to pay off in terms of what I am able to demand for my salary and life.
Plus, I had started the plan of one day owning my own (and multiple) business. I have been drafting a business plan, meeting with my financial advisor, and going over our options. Bottom line is that the potential of personal and financial growth is much larger in the private sector than in government jobs. I would have had to probably have taken a pay cut at UH, something I promised Perla I would never do again after my Houston to FIU move.
I am constantly learning about myself every day. I hope you are too. We entered into an agreement to purchase a very expensive house just recently, and a job change now would dash that dream. But what kept pounding in my head was that collegiate athletics (other than coaching) was not very appealing to me anymore. I could use my talents elsewhere. I have learned to love that I will be like my Dad: a hardworking, Monday through Saturday, businessman and bossman.
And I'm loving it. Press on...
