College football fans are watching their teams practice and hoping the new recruits will be game-changers a few months from now. For them, it's the lull before the fall.

For the team coaches though, there is no lull. As usual, they're working seven days a week, heading out the door at 6 a.m. and coming home long after the wife and kids have gone to bed, says Kathy (Currey) Kronick, author of Mrs. Coach: Life in Major College Football (www.mrscoach14yrs.com).

"During spring ball games, they're not home, so their wives are doing everything but playing football," says Kronick, whose book recounts her years married to Coach Dave Currey. "And they'll do that, too, if necessary."

The life of a football coach's wife is notoriously demanding, so much so that in 1989, the American Football Coaches Wives Association was created to provide "camaraderie, support, information and service." They share a subculture unlike any other in the United States and, while it can be exciting and rewarding, it comes with many sacrifices.

"His career and the team are the No. 1 priority, no ifs, ands or buts about it. In that regard, it's a lot like military spouses, but with college coaches, the family lives in the public eye," Kronick says.

"The wives take care of everything at home, everything, because their husbands are at work day and night, seven days a week. Many wives also work - most coaches don't make a lot of money. The wives are also expected to attend games, fundraisers and recruiting dinners. Every couple of years, unless they're really, really lucky, they're single-handedly packing up the household to move the family across the country because their team lost and their husband got fired."

In 2008, three researchers interviewed nearly 300 college football coaches' wives to learn more about their lives. Their findings, Kronick says, paint a portrait of what fans never see when they are cheering - or jeering - the team.

• Wives pray for wins. Every loss can mean the coach gets fired. "So you not only have the stress of being suddenly jobless, but if he's fortunate to find another job, you'll likely be packing up the house and kids - without him, he's gone on ahead - to move to a new city and a new state," Kronick says. She moved 27 times during her marriage to Currey. Moving so frequently can be an adventure as families explore different parts of the country, but it's also hard to leave a place where you've made friends and grown comfortable.

• July is for weddings, funerals and making babies. College football coaches are off for the month of July, so that's when families plan important events. Some couples celebrate their wedding anniversaries in July - whether or not that's when the couple got married, Kronick says.

• Families must always be aware of the media. "You have to mind your p's and q's," Kronick says. "The media is always looking for something - they want to know the secrets. You also have to be very careful not to do anything that will make your school or team look bad." All the attention can be fun when the team is on a winning streak but, as Kronick points out, it's hard for kids at school when everyone's blaming their dad for the team's poor performance."

• Most coaches' families live on tight budgets. The majority of the families in the 2008 study had an income of $50,000 to $125,000 a year, with nearly 72 percent of the wives holding jobs outside the home.  Most assistant coaches have one-year contracts, Kronick says, so if they're fired - or the head coach is fired, which means the assistants lose their jobs, too - their income stops.

The life of a coach's wife isn't all hardship, Kronick notes. Out of necessity, wives become self-reliant and independent, if they weren't to begin with, and that boosts self-confidence.  It's fun cheering on your team, and lasting friendships are often formed among this group that shares so much.

"But in the end, most wives give up their lives for their husband's dream," Kronick says. "I couldn't do that any longer. I needed to pursue my own dreams, and to have a husband I could talk with about them."

About Kathy (Currey) Kronick

Kathy (Currey) Kronick was married to Dave Currey from 1974 to 1989. He was an assistant coach at Stanford University when they met and married, and later moved on to Long Beach State (Calif.), the University of Cincinnati and UCLA. They divorced in 1996. Kronick, who has a bachelor's in education of the deaf and a master's in counseling, is the mother of two children and is happily remarried.

Opening Ceremonies Bring More than 3,000 Athletes to Soldier Field

CHICAGO - May 8, 2012. Governor Pat Quinn today welcomed Special Olympics Spring Games athletes to Solider Field, the birthplace of the Special Olympics. The opening ceremonies will kick off three days of track and field events for more than 3,000 athletes. At the event, Governor Quinn emphasized his commitment to improve life for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities in Illinois and protect special education by repairing the pension and Medicaid systems this year.

"We are so proud of our Special Olympics athletes, who have helped make America a better country with their competitive spirit and talents," Governor Quinn said. "All people should feel they can reach their potential in Illinois. That's why we will continue to increase community care options for people with disabilities and we will take the necessary steps to protect funding for special education."

Governor Quinn recently proposed bold plans to stabilize Illinois' pension and Medicaid systems to preserve funding for programs such as special education. After decades of fiscal mismanagement, the Governor's plans protect special education by repairing the pension and Medicaid systems this year by making the two programs sustainable - alleviating pressures on other areas of the budget, such as education and public safety.

Last month, the Governor received the Arc of Illinois 2012 President's Award for his leadership to improve life for people with developmental disabilities by rebalancing Illinois' approach to providing care. In November, Governor Quinn announced his commitment to rebalance Illinois' use of institutionalization for the care of people with developmental disabilities. Illinois lags behind the rest of the nation in the utilization of person-centered, community-based care. Community-based care has been proven to empower people with developmental disabilities to lead more active, dynamic lives.

The rebalancing initiative calls for a "person-centered approach," meaning individuals and their families will be a significant part of designing the program that best fits their needs and desires. Working with parents and guardians, individuals will be evaluated to determine their needs, desires and the best community care setting. As a result of the governor's rebalancing initiative, people with developmental disabilities are in the process of transitioning into community settings over the next two years.

The first Special Olympics Games were held at Soldier Field on July 20, 1968, with 1,000 athletes from the United States and Canada competing in aquatics and athletics. The city of Chicago, Chicago Park District, and the Eunice and the Joseph P. Kennedy Foundation launched the now-renowned program 44 years ago. More than 5,000 registered Special Olympics athletes live in the city of Chicago and there are more than 20,000 athletes in Illinois. Special Olympics training and competition programs are offered in more than 180 countries with more than 3.7 million athletes.

CANTON, MO (05/04/2012)(readMedia)-- Culver-Stockton College freshman Megan Miehe became the first Heart of America Athletic Conference champion in program history on Tuesday, winning by one shot at Hail Ridge Golf Course in Boonville, Mo.

Miehe, of Davenport, Iowa (Hempstead HS - Dubuque, Iowa), shot a 12-over 84 to finish with a 36-hole total of 19-over 163. She made a birdie on her final hole and then had to wait for four groups to finish before finding out she won by a single shot.

With the victory, Miehe qualified for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national tournament, which will be held May 15-18 at Links Hill Country Club in Greenville, Tenn.

As a team, C-SC finished fourth in the six-team field. The Lady Wildcats' 750 total put them 35 shots behind champion Avila University (Mo.).