We’re Keeping Score

Traci Birkes: Contributions On The Home Front

Editor’s Note — This is a behind the scenes look from the perspective of local coaches’ wives as part of a Mother’s Day tribute series. LINCOLN — Traci Birkes recalls going to Upward Basketball at church with her husband, Deon, head coach of the Lincoln girls basketball, and hearing the pastor say, “We don’t keep score.”

“Deon looked at me and said, ‘We’re keeping score,’” Birkes said.

Nothing less is to be expected from a man who actively proclaims part of his job description is to train young women how to be winners in life. Individual achievement builds a stronger team and Birkes is keenly aware of the importance of keeping her husband encouraged in the face of critics, who would tear him down.

“You married your husband because he’s the best person you ever met, to have people not think that, it hurts,” Birkes said.

“We don’t go to games because we have to, we go to support him,” Birkes said.

Yet, there can be complications. Birkes recalls not knowing the school colors of opponents and inadvertently dressing the kids in those colors.

“Jace would be wearing red and we’d be going to Kansas, Okla., and Deon would look at me,” Birkes said.

The Birkes children are young. Jace is 6 and Layni is 4. At the first game Layni was taken to, the youngster said, “Mom, I don’t want to go to any more basketball games.” So, the couple made arrangements for the child’s grandmother to keep her.

For Birkes, one of the biggest challenges of being a coach’s wife is operating as a single parent for part of the year. Birkes and Megan Harris, wife of Lincoln head baseball and football coach Brad Harris, have a lot of conversations and encourage one another as both teach at Lincoln Elementary.

“I’ve kept Ava (Harris’ 11year-old daughter) and they’ve offered to keep ours when they get too exhausted to go to games,” Birkes said.

“My kids ask what gym we’re going to. ‘Is it the Wolf gym, Tiger gym or Pirate gym?’ The kids will say ‘Are we going to dad’s gym?’ Technically, it’s not his, but that’s how they identify it,” Birkes said.

After a tough loss, the couple will rehash the game and Birkes will direct her husband towards a positive area.

“He’ll stay to the negative and I’ll spin it and say, ‘You’ve made progress here,’” Birkes said.

Birkes cuts out articles from the newspaper, but said celebrations of coaching milestones and team achievements generally have to wait until the end of the season.

The couple find themselves helping young people cope with life. Birkes said her husband once bought a car for a player and kids will be given opportunity to work concessions or do chores for the Birkes such as mow the lawn when the couple know they need money.

“Not everything in life is free,” Birkes said, adding the couple tries to convey life lessons when they help young people.

“We went to Green Forest (site of the district basketball tournament) how many times this year by ourselves,” Birkes said, referring to road trips with Debbie Rich, wife of Lincoln boys basketball coach, Tim Rich.

Birkes said the coaches’ wives calculated fuel consumption and distances on the fly while traveling.

Yes, the Birkes are keeping score and the most important score to them is about winning at life.