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From 3A down Texas high schools athletics are in a battle


eagles66

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When you look around the state and in East Texas, the severe loss over budget dollars for our schools is starting to emerge. This is especially true at schools in the 3A and below classifications. Gone are the days when you can expect a coach to stay for 25-30 years at these levels. Yes, there are exceptions, but they are getting fewer by the day.

 

Some reasons for these departures can easily be seen. Bond issue defeats, cut in staff, more work piled on the AD/Coach and for what ? A cut in pay, or at best status quo. So where are the 3A-1A coaches going ? They are not staying in East Texas. Dallas suburbs are booming and many schools offer the same or better pay for an assistants jobs. Better stadiums, chance for advancement, and an expanding athletic program are there, not in East Texas.These Dallas/Ft. Worth, or Houston school districts have a huge dollar advantage with their industrial tax base.

 

While I remain a strong supporter of small school athletic departments, facts are facts. If East Texas cannot improve it's tax base, the East Texas school districts may prove to just be a training ground for the Mesquite, Frisco, and other D-FW schools. Yes, times are tight and East Texas is hurting, but a coach is just like everyone else and most are going to go where there is a sense of job security, and decent wages. Plus at least a hope to advance.

 

To conclude, larger 4-5A East Texas districts have a better tax base, but even some of those are feeling the pinch. However, at this point they seem better able to manage and maintain good coaches.

 

I would like to hear other views on this subject. While I'm not trying to paint a desperate picture of small town east Texas sports, if the athletic budgets are not brought in line with our friends in the Metroplex, I think we may be just a training ground for a coach to leave for more benefits just as soon as they can . What are your thoughts ?

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Agree 100%. Small schools will struggle to keep up with the larger schools in all facets -- academics through extracurriculars to auxiliary departments such as transportation. Wish someone could tell me how it is fair, or how it is even legal, that a child in one of the city schools or, especially the affluent bedroom communities - how does a student who attends one of those public schools get thousands more spent on them (in per-student state funding) than a kiddo who lives somewhere out in a rural area? How can this possibly be constitutional (where's Scott McCown when you need him??)

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I agree somewhat with what you are saying, but I think it mostly comes down to the coach. Is he happy where he is? Does he want his kids in small schools? If he has career aspirations beyond the high school level, moving to a larger school may be the only choice he has. Money is not the only driving factor in coaches leaving schools. In some cases, it's not even their decision.

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I agree somewhat with what you are saying, but I think it mostly comes down to the coach. Is he happy where he is? Does he want his kids in small schools? If he has career aspirations beyond the high school level, moving to a larger school may be the only choice he has. Money is not the only driving factor in coaches leaving schools. In some cases, it's not even their decision.

That is true. There's some things more important than money.

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uote name='eagles66' timestamp='1310645536' post='1546505'] it is a fact , just look at Crockett for example !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When you look around the state and in East Texas, the severe loss over budget dollars for our schools is starting to emerge. This is especially true at schools in the 3A and below classifications. Gone are the days when you can expect a coach to stay for 25-30 years at these levels. Yes, there are exceptions, but they are getting fewer by the day.

 

Some reasons for these departures can easily be seen. Bond issue defeats, cut in staff, more work piled on the AD/Coach and for what ? A cut in pay, or at best status quo. So where are the 3A-1A coaches going ? They are not staying in East Texas. Dallas suburbs are booming and many schools offer the same or better pay for an assistants jobs. Better stadiums, chance for advancement, and an expanding athletic program are there, not in East Texas.These Dallas/Ft. Worth, or Houston school districts have a huge dollar advantage with their industrial tax base.

 

While I remain a strong supporter of small school athletic departments, facts are facts. If East Texas cannot improve it's tax base, the East Texas school districts may prove to just be a training ground for the Mesquite, Frisco, and other D-FW schools. Yes, times are tight and East Texas is hurting, but a coach is just like everyone else and most are going to go where there is a sense of job security, and decent wages. Plus at least a hope to advance.

 

To conclude, larger 4-5A East Texas districts have a better tax base, but even some of those are feeling the pinch. However, at this point they seem better able to manage and maintain good coaches.

 

I would like to hear other views on this subject. While I'm not trying to paint a desperate picture of small town east Texas sports, if the athletic budgets are not brought in line with our friends in the Metroplex, I think we may be just a training ground for a coach to leave for more benefits just as soon as they can . What are your thoughts ?

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