The wife is the greatest source of growth. I trust my wife and if she tells me I need to be kinder, slower, more active with my kids then I usually listen.

Ryan Stevens asked a few of his colleagues and their wives to join us and see what makes a good AT Dad...and what does not.

How did you meet? 

Dave and Annie McCune - Annie was a PA and took a sports medicine course at Rutgers where she met Dave.  They waited until she finished her rotation to start dating of course

Kevin & Kim Briles - Kim was coaching at the same school and came in to ask why her kids did not have water setup. 

Kevin Blew up on her, set her straight about the role of the Athletic Trainer, and then the rest was history.

Sarah and Jeremy - We were at a college dance with other people and kept checking each other out. We started hanging out after that and now almost 16 years and 3+ kids later we are here.

Ryan and Jamie met in an AOL chat room, stayed in touch and 15 years and 4 kids later 

What does your life look like now? 

Annie -

Craziness - 

We just moved back for Dave’s job at Rutgers.

I was doing door dash

Staying home with their son

Dave has to be at school early for testing

One 6 year old together

Dave was living in a dorm for a little while when he was transitioning jobs.

Was able to come back to Virginia during COVID

* Kim

Ships passing in the night

We kind of have opposite schedules

15/17/20-year-old kids

We have a son that hasn’t left his pajamas in 10 months

It is a good crazy, we are used to it.

* Jeremy, what about your wife Sarah?

Sarah is a stay at home mom and works part-time at the church.  She is the primary caregiver to our kids both biological and foster.

3 boys under the age of 10 and a foster daughter under 1

* Ryan and Jaime

Wife stays home with the 4 young kids

Ryan says “I could not make it without her.”

Paint a picture of the relationship you have with your children now. 

Briles: the wife gets up at 4:30 to get the kids to daycare on time.

Kids ride the bus home

We had to orchestrate the entire fall season of who was picking the kids up from school.  We had grandparents and family that we trusted.

We use to take them to school and the teams would automatically babysit for us

There was a  time I needed a break. It was Christmas time, we were supposed to go to this event - I told Kevin “Get everyone out of this house and do not come back until I tell you”

Kevin called the wife a few times to see if he had permission to come home.

McCune: I used to take them to school with me all the time pre-COVID

Annie says she needs that time alone. As the mom and the wife everyone needs something and she just needs some time alone.

If it was written on the wall, what would be your mission statement for your fami...