Tracy Grider diary

wife of head coach Vic Grider

09/08/2008

This week we play Lookout Valley, away. After work today I took (daughter) Victoria to gymnastics and went to the new SPHS gym to help the other volunteers frame pictures for the new Hall of Fame. Vic came by the Gym after football practice around 6 p.m., and then he went to pick up Victoria from gymnastics. He was really tired and said that today was one of the hottest days of practice.

09/09/2008

Vic has Parent/Teacher Conferences this afternoon so he has scheduled a later practice for today. We probably won’t see him till around 7 tonight.

09/11/2008

Vic had a short practice today, so he got home earlier than usual and agreed to take Victoria to one of her favorite places to eat — The Waffle House.

09/12/2008

Victoria is excited because tonight’s game is being broadcast by Comcast in Chattanooga. Vic told her to smile a lot tonight, since she loves to be on camera.

09/13/2008

Busy 2 days coming up today and Sunday. We are meeting with the other volunteers at the Gym early this morning to clean and get ready for Sunday’s Open House. In between working, Vic and I took Victoria to perform with her Gymnastics group at the Marion County Fair. MAN was it hot!!!!

09/14/2008

The Open House was a great success!! We had a huge crowd attend and everyone was very excited and pleased with the finished project. As planned, the new Hall of Fame was dedicated to Dr. Rusty Adcock, a former student athlete and faithful supporter of SPHS. Vic was asked to say a few words before the dedication, and he didn’t prepare anything, but wanted to wing it and speak from his heart. He did a great job and I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room.

09/15/2008

This week we play David Brainerd at home.

09/16/2008

Tonight during dinner Vic and I were looking ahead a bit and talking about how big the SP/Tyner game would be if we both were undefeated when we played. Victoria overheard us talking, as usual, and told both of us that we better be worrying about David Brainerd, they might bring their “mad skills.” I’m not sure what this means, but she was very serious about it.

09/19/2008

Victoria rode the bus from school this afternoon to the high school and met Vic for the team meal in the cafeteria. She enjoys doing this on Friday’s when we have a home game, and it also gives her a chance to be with him for just a little while before the game.

09/21/2008

This afternoon Vic had his usual Sunday Coaches’ meeting from 3:00 to ?????? They watch film of the previous week’s game, look at film from the upcoming opponent and who knows what else.

09/22/2008

This week is the big Tyner game. It’s going to be a very busy week. The JV game is tonight, and Vic has to stay at the field, so we probably won’t see him until late.

09/23/2008

Tonight is Science Night at Victoria’s school and Vic came by for a few minutes, but wasn’t able to stay long because he had to go mow.

09/25/2008

Tonight is the Junior High game, so Vic won’t be home until late again.

09/26/2008

GAME DAY. Everyone is very excited about tonight’s big match up. I’m a little nervous, but believe that if we play our best, we can bring home a win.

P.S. WE WON!! I was so tired after the game, it was almost as if I had played. After the game we drove to Atlanta with some friends because we are going to the Auburn/UT game on Saturday.

09/27/2008

Vic and I really enjoyed a day away at the Auburn/UT game, even if UT did lose. It was a good break for both of us.

09/28/2008

We returned from our weekend trip to Auburn around noon today. I took Victoria to a birthday party at the local skating rink, and Vic, of course, had to go to his Coaches’ meeting.

10/01/2008

This week we play Whitwell away. I always aggravate Vic about this game because I graduated from Whitwell High School. My nephew now plays for Whitwell’s team, so I do have to cheer for him, but for only him.

10/03/2008

Before going to the game tonight, Victoria and I stopped by my niece’s 1st birthday party. She had a petting zoo, pony rides and all the kids had a ball. We got to the game right about kick off and at halftime I walked over to Whitwell’s side to talk to my Mom and Dad, and my Mom told me to call Vic and tell him that he “better quit scoring”.

10/06/2008

This week is Homecoming. We play Boyd-Buchanan, which is always a very exciting game.

10/08/2008

I went down to the football field and helped members of the QB Club sort through some of the new shirts and souvenirs they are selling at the games.

10/10/2008

Tonight’s game was closer than I like, but we still came out on top. We had a huge crowd at the game, and it always thrills me when our fans become involved and show a lot of spirit at the games. It means a lot to our players when the crowd gets behind them and shows so much support. It makes them and the coaches feel special. Believe me, I know!!!!!

10/13/2008

This week we play Silverdale Academy. It is also Fall Break. Vic has changed the schedule for practices this week. They are practicing at 9 a.m. every morning, instead of in the afternoon. We have a lot planned this week, but not a lot of fun stuff. We’re doing some home improvements that we normally don’t have time to do, and I have scheduled a few doctor appointments. We also have promised to let Victoria have one day this week to plan what she wants to do with us. She has decided that she wants all of us to go to Chattanooga, and she wants to get a pedicure, manicure and eat at The Outback.

10/15/2008

Today’s Victoria’s day.

10/16/2008

Tonight our Junior High team beat Rhea County to win the SVC Championship. There’s some real talent on that team. This is a wonderful accomplishment for our young boys. After the game I took Victoria to a birthday sleepover.

10/17/2008

After much soul searching, I decided to go on a girl’s weekend with a couple of friends. We left on Friday around 2 p.m. and went to a great spa. We play Silverdale Baptist tonight. This is the first game I’ve missed in a very long time and I felt a little guilty, but Vic reassured me that he didn’t mind and it would give him a good chance to spend some “quality” time with Victoria. I talked to Vic later tonight and he told me that we had won the game and that he was very proud of the way the team played, especially in the first half of the game. He said it was one of their best.

10/20/2008

This week is open — no game. It’s what they call a “bye” week. Vic will still have practice every night this week.

10/24/2008

Vic had planned to go to the Trousdale game tonight, but it was cancelled due to bad weather. Since we had a Friday night free, we decided to take our parents to dinner.

10/25/2008

This is our annual UT game weekend with a bunch of our friends. Vic left early this morning to go play golf in Oak Ridge with the guys and I’ll be meeting him in Knoxville after a little bit of shopping with the girls. (Tennessee lost again).

10/26/2008

We got home from Knoxville around noon today. We picked up Victoria at Vic’s Mom’s, then I took Victoria to Chattanooga to see “High School Musical 3” with the Girl Scouts and Vic went to his usual Sunday afternoon Coaches’ meeting.

10/27/2008

This week we play Grace Academy away. It’s going to be a really busy and stressful week. Today my Mom is having knee surgery, and I’m taking off from school to be with her. (Mom came through her surgery great, but she has a pretty tough rehab schedule).

10/31/2008

It’s Halloween!!! Vic’s Mom and I took Victoria around to some of our friend’s houses to “trick or treat” a little bit before we left for the game. She didn’t have a lot of fun, since there really weren’t a lot of people home. Everybody had already left to go the game. (We won the game and took first place in our Region).

11/3/2008

This is the first week of the playoffs. We play Clay County this week.

11/5/2008

Victoria wasn’t feeling well today, so I took her to the doctor. She just has a little bit of a cold, along with some sinus congestion.

11/07/2008

Victoria rode the bus again today up to the High School to meet Vic for the pregame meal. She really does enjoy getting to eat with him and the team on Fridays. (We won our first-round playoff game against Clay County. Rumor has it we will be playing Friendship Christian at home next week. That should be a great matchup.)

11/11/2008

The second round of the playoffs is this week at home against Friendship — sometimes rumors are true. Vic brought home supper tonight after practice from the local Mexican restaurant in South Pittsburg. It’s always nice not to have to cook after a long day at school.

11/12/2008

Victoria got her mid-term report today at school and she is making all A’s. She was very excited that she made 100 on her Social Studies test. Our local weather station has me worried about the possibility of rain on Friday night. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a really “wet” ballgame. This week is kind of bittersweet, since it will be our Senior’s last home game, no matter the outcome of this week’s game. I sure hope we get a big win and get to travel to the third-round next week.