Sports, whether playing or coaching, can be a taxing job.
But Jamie Batley is ready for the stress once again.
“I have just been a dad and watched sports, taking it easy,” he explained. “So it has been a very de-stressing two years.”
Batley has been out of lacrosse since being let go as the head coach and general manager of the senior A Peterborough Lakers. He was replaced despite winning six Major Series Lacrosse titles and five Mann Cups during his 10 years at the helm.
In that time, the 49-year-old spent his time watching his kids play their respective sports.
Batley has four children — ages 26, 19, 17 and 13 — with the younger three still playing at a high level.
His daughter is at university in the U.S. on a field lacrosse scholarship while his two youngest sons play rep football.
But lacrosse has always been near and dear to Batley's heart.
"This is the love of my life," he said of the sport which his older brothers played and his dad coached. His uncle Robert (Rock) Batley is in the Ontario Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
"Lacrosse is something I love and glad to be back in," Batley said.
This is the fourth NLL franchise Batley has coached and in his previous three stops, he compiled a record of 43-40.
His last year in the NLL was 2009 and after that, he went to Peterborough and the MSL.
"(The NLL) is a tough league to get into," Batley said.
"There are probably 16 coaches out there and nine of them are coaching."
As for his coaching style, Batley didn't sugarcoat his expectations.
"These guys are getting paid to play the game they love, the game I love, and it has to be played at a high pace, a high level and a high work ethic," he said.
"I am a very high-demanding person when it comes to how much you work and how fast you work and how hard you work.
"You have two hours to work hard and week to recover. And I think that is, at the end of the day, a pretty easy job."
The Stealth will look to give Batley his first win as Vancouver's head coach when his last NLL team, the Toronto Rock, visits the Langley Events Centre on Saturday night (April 2). Game time is 7 p.m.
Both teams enter the game with 3-9 records.