Monday, June 29th, 2016
Monday morning arrived with the kind of nervous energy I hadn't felt since my own interview five weeks ago. Today, I was on the other side of the desk. Today, I was the one asking the questions, evaluating candidates, and making decisions that would shape the future of the U18s program. No pressure.
Gary had booked the main conference room for the interviews. Two candidates today: Michael Torres at 10 am, Sarah Martinez at 2 pm. I'd spent Sunday night preparing questions, reviewing their CVs for the hundredth time, trying to figure out what I actually wanted in an assistant coach.
Someone who could challenge me without undermining me. Someone with experience but not so much ego that they'd resent working under a 27-year-old. Someone who understood modern tactics but could also connect with teenagers. Easy, right?
I spent the hour before Torres arrived pacing my office like a caged animal. The system, unhelpfully, displayed a notification:
