Coaching just part of Isaacsons' life

What a week it was in the life of the Isaacson family.

Last Monday morning Brie drove to the hospital. Pregnant with her fourth child due Nov. 5, time had come to induce labor.

At 2:56 p.m. Monday afternoon, Oct. 27, healthy baby boy Easton was born. Brie was released from the hospital at 10 p.m. Tuesday.

The next afternoon, Naperville Central's volleyball coach was back at practice. Thursday night she was on the bench for the team's playoff-opening win.

(True story).

To top it all off, Brie's husband, Chad, was on the sidelines for the biggest upset of the football playoffs, Downers Grove North beating Wheaton Warrenville South.

"The week came in with a bang," Brie smiled, "and went out with a bang."

When you only see a coach in the gym or on the field, you forget that they, too, have a family life.

Diapers to change. Dinner to cook. Schoolwork to help with. A life, just like you and I.

You couldn't miss Brie and baby this fall. As a newlywed juggling a busy career and a new marriage, I marvel at her and Chad's balancing act.

Chad, also head baseball coach at Downers Grove North, committed to returning to football in February. Brie learned she was pregnant weeks later. She never considered taking the season off.

"We took it in stride and moved on," she said.

Maybe that's because sports have been a part of the Isaacson family's life since, well, before they were a family. Their children don't know it any other way.

Brie and Chad both played sports at Downers North, Brie volleyball in college. She assisted at Wheaton Warrenville South for three years after college and has been at Naperville Central for six. Two of those ended in state championships.

"I have as much satisfaction coaching as I ever did playing," Brie said.

Straddling home life and coaching takes effort. Brie and Chad map out practice and game schedules in July. They couldn't care for their kids Quinn (8), Wyatt (4), Grier (1) and Easton without the help of their parents. Sundays are family time. And fortunately, Brie's season ends in November.

"It's three and a half months of chaos," she said, "and eight and a half months of kind of normal."

It is not easy being the first coach home from practice. Sitting at the dinner table, at times nodding into a nap, waiting for your spouse to come home to catch up.

"Just so we have time to connect with each other," she said. "Sometimes we forget to say hi to each other. At least we attempt to."

Most difficult is changing gears from mom to coach. Driving from home to practice to greet a gymful of teenage girls. Kids running out of the stands into mom's arms after a big win, or worse a heartbreaking defeat.

"They put it into perspective," Brie said, "that it is just a game."

For a brief moment this year, Brie and Chad thought the solution was for her to give up coaching. The sight of Quinn, tears in his eyes at the mention, ended that talk.

"It's become a part of their lives, us coaching," Brie said. "They don't know it any other way."

Brie would know it was time to call it quits if she ever had to sacrifice time with her children. If she or Chad ever couldn't drive them to baseball practice. If they had to miss a Saturday morning football game or couldn't teach them how to ride a bicycle.

That time is definitely not now. Time her children spend with "the best girls at Naperville Central" is time well spent. Sure, winning brings smiles to everyone's face.

In a sense Brie is role model to her volleyball girls. Proof that you can be wife, mom and a winning coach.

"I try to teach the girls that just because someone tells them they can't do something, that doesn't mean they can't," she said. "I hope I'm a small part of really good things they're going to do in life."