Jill Freeze
Wife of Coach Hugh Freeze
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“Behind every successful man stands a strong woman.” The often-quoted cliché has never been more spot-on than in the marriage of Hugh and Jill Freeze. They are indeed two halves of a whole pulling together toward the same goals. If ever two people were made for each other, they were. Life as the wife of a Division 1, SEC head football coach is not exactly the role for the faint of heart. Jill knows from experience that fortune is fickle and the coach who brings home the trophy one season may find himself standing in the unemployment line at the end of the next. There are no books to read or rules to study to prepare for this life.
Even so, she says with certainty, “It’s a crazy life, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It’s not a life for everybody, but for me it is a calling.” She gives new meaning to the term, “supportive wife,” but it is her own version created over time and constantly infused with fresh ideas and insights that come through her consistent pursuit of a deep relationship with the Lord.
Jill’s strong faith and family background, as well as her own athleticism, are largely responsible for her desire to do her part in helping Hugh succeed. She shares his primary big picture goal to give his players the tools to succeed in life long after football. “I don’t get to serve the players the way he does, but I can serve the wives of the coaches. If there is anything I can do to make this life easier for them, I want to.”
Jill and Hugh were students at USM when they met in a math class. Did not take long for the courtship to begin!
She leads a weekly Bible Study for wives of all the football staff. Admitting that there are times during the season that are just naturally harder on a marriage than others, she is intentional about being a very approachable friend and mentor to the women who are part of the same sorority. It can be difficult when the demands of a coach’s job mean he will miss some events like children’s birthday parties, and school and sports activities.
“We take the list of our players, walk-ons, red shirts—all of them—and we divide it up and pray for those on our list by name that week. We also send them a card by Thursday of the same week. When you see the difference in these young men’s lives, it is worth it. I just think the letters help us as much as they help the players because we women are relational. We see that what our husbands do is about more than a trophy. This is just my part in Hugh’s job.”
When you take into consideration a wife’s natural desire for security, stability, and a permanent “nest” for her family, the life of a college football coach seems to meet none of those criteria. Jill Freeze believes, however, that she has all of the above, but that is mostly because of the things that matter most to her—and they are absolutely not about “stuff.”
Even so, she says with certainty, “It’s a crazy life, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It’s not a life for everybody, but for me it is a calling.” She gives new meaning to the term, “supportive wife,” but it is her own version created over time and constantly infused with fresh ideas and insights that come through her consistent pursuit of a deep relationship with the Lord.
Jill’s strong faith and family background, as well as her own athleticism, are largely responsible for her desire to do her part in helping Hugh succeed. She shares his primary big picture goal to give his players the tools to succeed in life long after football. “I don’t get to serve the players the way he does, but I can serve the wives of the coaches. If there is anything I can do to make this life easier for them, I want to.”
Jill and Hugh were students at USM when they met in a math class. Did not take long for the courtship to begin!
She leads a weekly Bible Study for wives of all the football staff. Admitting that there are times during the season that are just naturally harder on a marriage than others, she is intentional about being a very approachable friend and mentor to the women who are part of the same sorority. It can be difficult when the demands of a coach’s job mean he will miss some events like children’s birthday parties, and school and sports activities.
“We take the list of our players, walk-ons, red shirts—all of them—and we divide it up and pray for those on our list by name that week. We also send them a card by Thursday of the same week. When you see the difference in these young men’s lives, it is worth it. I just think the letters help us as much as they help the players because we women are relational. We see that what our husbands do is about more than a trophy. This is just my part in Hugh’s job.”
When you take into consideration a wife’s natural desire for security, stability, and a permanent “nest” for her family, the life of a college football coach seems to meet none of those criteria. Jill Freeze believes, however, that she has all of the above, but that is mostly because of the things that matter most to her—and they are absolutely not about “stuff.”
