Wow ! What a month of golf in the Narro family . Golf season has just begun at Southeastern , Jake played a trio of courses that would be on any golfer ’ s bucket list , and I passed the NCAA recruiting test .

Yep , I did it . I scored the same as Jake . We both missed one .

I ’ ll let Jake tell you about the trifecta of golf courses he played last week , but my experience this month was totally about a test .

I watched Jake agonize over this test for about a month before he took it in 2015 – after he first got the job at Southeastern . He would study , take the practice test , study again , stress , and then take another practice test .

This test is required of all coaches in the NCAA , and Jake had no intention of having to take it twice . Apparently , if you don ’ t pass at 80 percent , you have to wait 30 days to take it again . No talking to recruits .

So , why am I taking this test ? Jake signed me up as an assistant coach for the golf team . That ’ s right , according to the rest of the athletic world , I ’ m a coach .

I was informed of my new title one day when Jake was actually on a trip with the team . I was walking over in Athletic

Land at Southeastern , running and errand for Jake , and an assistant athletic director addressed me as coach . I thought he was kidding ; I nodded , laughed awkwardly and waved . I then came upon another coach ( one who actually knows how to develop athletes ) who also called me coach . This guy was a friend , so I asked , of course , why is everyone calling me that today ?

Apparently , there was a notice sent to all athletic staff that I was an “ approved volunteer coach .” What the ... ?

I asked my sweet husband about my new title , and he simply said that was the only box he could check .

Truth : I go get lunch for the team during tournaments .

I love following the team , and I enjoy taking pictures and sending it to them and their parents , but I ain ’ t no coach . I just needed to be official in case something came up and I was at a tournament so I could take care of whatever it was that came up .

So , I ’ m a coach . And that means I have to take the test too . Again , what the ... ? This is not what I signed up for . I ’ m the lunch lady . That . Is . All .

I agonized over it . I swore I would never talk to a recruit , never try to explain ins and outs , but they weren ’ t having it . I had to take the test . I talked to Jake with words I would never say in front of my mother .

Since I haven ’ t tested on anything in over 10 years , I

pulled an all-nighter ( at least until midnight ) to study for this exam . I almost passed the first practice test and then nailed about three in a row , back to almost passed , and then nailed another three in a row .

Then it was time . The next day , I walked in ready for the exam . Had my chewing gum , my pencil behind my ear , comfortable clothes , big breakfast . I was good to go . The test was timed at an hour . I took 59 minutes and 57 seconds .

And thank God I passed the stupid thing . I was terrified I was going to have to tell Jake I didn ’ t pass – and he had . That might be okay in Coach Land , but Marriage Land ? Not so much .

Have you taken test lately ? It sucks .

I confirmed that I much prefer giving tests than taking them ... back to the professor world . And no , it didn ’ t make me sympathize with the students . If I gotta do it , they gotta do it .

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