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Every year for the last ten years I've spent November to March hunkered down for the grind of a basketball season. For the last eight years, I've had the joy of coaching JV boys basketball while also serving as a varsity assistant for my alma mater, Richland Center.

The basketball gymnasium, whether it be during practice or games, has served as an escape from reality and place of peace for me as long as I can remember.

However, the season is a long one.

Like many coaches around the state, hundreds of hours are put into the season, many of those unseen. Outside of the practices and games, hours are spent on film breakdown, scout, youth involvement, and other tasks surrounding the program.

I'm using this platform, as any other coach would in my position, to say thank you to the person who supports my love for this sport and the athletes in it, at the expense of many date nights, meals together, and undistracted evenings.

On top of coaching this season, I also took on a larger role covering boys basketball for WisSports. Something I relished in the opportunity, but also understood the time commitment it would carry. Most nights for the past five months I've snuck into bed well past midnight after a late night of watching games from around the state. Whether it be Potosi vs River Ridge or De Pere vs Ashwaubenon, I wanted to see as many games as possible.

All this basketball was happening at the same time my fiancée and I were planning a wedding for early this April. As you can imagine, the bulk of that preparation was handled by my lovely bride-to-be.

So often coaches sacrifice family time during the years for a different team on the hardwood. Date nights, late night kisses to their children, and many other moments are substituted with bus rides, film breakdown, and daydreaming a new BLOB to install for the upcoming week's games.

The gravity of that missed time did not hit me until this season began to wear down. So much focus was put into making sure I was covering the sport well enough, producing content worth your time, while also covering my P's and Q's of coaching, that it was hard to look past what was right in front of my face.

So I'd like to thank you all for following along this year. I think I speak for all the coaches when I say thank you to the loved ones for letting us follow our passion.

Most importantly for me, thank you to the love of my life Becca for holding down the fort, shouldering a bulk of our big day plans, and standing beside me while I coach, cover, officiate, and play a game that was the first love of my life.

P.S. As a word of advice for coaches out there, don't plan your wedding for three weeks after the conclusion of the season!