Good coaches might become extinct

[TheShadowKnows]

http://www.mankatofreepress.com/opinion/columns/courrier-good-coaches-might-become-extinct/article_decfdb18-0dbd-11e6-bb07-675b783357e5.html

Back in the day, when a kid went home after high-school sports practice and complained about the coach, the reaction was usually some version of "#### it up" or "stop complaining and do what you're told" or "sounds like you need to work harder."

The last thing that moms and dads from that era would say is "I'll talk to the coach/athletic director."

And it almost always worked out OK.

But sometime in the last 30 years, that attitude changed, and the days of someone coaching the same sport for 20 or more years is probably over, in large part because they lack the support in the community and work that they used to get. In most cases, being a veteran coach shouldn't be a negative.

Locally, and statewide, several high-school coaches have resigned or were fired, some because they had more important things to do, others because they had grown weary of outside influences and others because they were forced out.

Recently, a girls hockey coach in the metro area resigned, saying the criticism of parents, lack of support by administration and emotional toll on his family had become too much. A boys basketball coach in the metro area, who had consistently taken his team to the state tournament, was fired after one down season because an administrator's kid didn't play enough.

Last week, Tom Boone was fired after 21 years as a boys basketball coach at Mankato West. He was given an opportunity to vent his frustrations publicly, and he chose not to get personal. But his ability to coach can't be that much different than it was in the 2004 state-championship season or the state runner-up season of 2009.

There have been rumors of other coaches in the area taking a lot of criticism from parent groups, who hope to influence change, focusing more on short-term issues than overall health of the program. Not many programs can survive constant coaching changes.

There should be annual assessments of coaches in every sport, and there should be every attempt by coaches and administration to identify weaknesses and improve techniques.

When there are complaints, there should be investigations to make sure everything is proper.

But if changes are necessary, hopefully outside influences by those who have lost perspective on high-school athletics aren't the main reason. Learning to deal with adversity is one of the lessons that can be taught through athletics, and placing blame on others is not a good life skill.

It seems that we're not far away from the days when qualified coaches aren't willing to take the job. Certainly, the pay isn't much of an incentive, especially per hour of work, and the year-round nature of most sports doesn't allow for much of a break, giving up summer nights to make sure the program stays as competitive as possible.

Coaches will stay at a job for a couple years, then either leave or get run out, and nobody will be there to build a program. The next West boys basketball coach almost certainly won't have Boone's experience, and the chances of lasting 10 years seems slim, 20 years a longshot.

It's become are era where the sixth-grade traveling team coaches feel they are as qualified as the varsity coach. Parents who watch their kids play in weekend junior-high tournaments feel emboldened to voice their complaints when success or playing time doesn't come as frequently a few years later.

Sure, there are coaches who shouldn't be coaching, but there are far more that are either anxious to get out or afraid to get in. When qualified coaches, who value building a program with the same passion as the next season's success, are no longer willing to help out, everyone will suffer.

More often, it'd be nice to see coaches patted on the back, instead of stabbed in it by those who should offer more support.

Chad Courrier is a Free Press staff writer. To contact him, call 507-344-6353, e-mail at [email protected] or follow his Twitter feed @ChadCourrier.

 

[RETIREDFAN1]

Good article.......

[BlackBeard]

This article could have easily been written about teachers.

[Cougar12345]

Parents and small minded communities, will continue to be the down fall of athletics.

 

Weak administrations that listen to parents and let them run schools. Should not be leading the schools.

 

Remember every school board member has there on personal agenda.

[odetoapig]

Very glad I am nearing the end. The last 10 years or so have just gotten out of control. With everything from specialization in small schools to arguing about whatever "offseason" is. But the battle with parents has has made the job, well a job now, where it used to be fun.

[purprleragedad]

WOW....6th grade traveling teams.....NO WONDER that momma was mad at me for ONLY playing her kid every other series during football.....she was yelling at me as she was getting into her Range Rover.....glad I have 7 months and 23 days till BOO-YA!!!!!!!...been a LONG 37 yrs!!!!!

[Ringside]

Had the pleasure of working 3 months in that town. Pretty when the corn gets growing. Looks like the situation is about the same everywhere.

[Coach Rab]

Same for athletic trainers... If you know a kid is bluffing to get out of practice and tell them to #### it up and get out there there is a good chance you will hear from mom and dad.

 

Then it comes down to basically telling the parents to #### it up. We made sure in Marshall that we had very clear treatment time set aside to treat everyone. Usually, practice started at 7am. So there was 45 minutes from 6:00-6:45am to get treatment before practice. 15 minutes to get ready. After school we had 3:00-4:00 for everyone to get treatment and taped before film/meetings/practice.

 

Mom and dad comes up raising hell... I used to tell them, if your kid is hurt, we had 3 meetings before football started that drilled these times into yours and your kid's head, 2 notes, and a football packet. If they need it so bad, then get them here on time. If your kid is hurt on the field, they are evaluated on the field. If they are at risk for further injury, we pulled them from practice and treated them as soon as it was possible for adequate coverage for all football players while this kid was treated. Mom and Dad usually left baffled at the organization and at a loss for words of how much of a wimp and how irresponsible he/she was and how it may be their fault....

 

Just have to have the I's and T's crossed and parents aren't an issue... Unless they have a hand in the Supt's pocket.

[Coach Rab]

Very glad I am nearing the end. The last 10 years or so have just gotten out of control. With everything from specialization in small schools to arguing about whatever "offseason" is. But the battle with parents has has made the job, well a job now, where it used to be fun.

 

You can thank a few small-minded towns with small-minded coaches that got free reign and abused some of it for that... Seen too many times at smaller schools in smaller towns where coaches were borderline abusive to kids in practices. Putting a 90 lb kid in an Oklahoma Drill against your biggest and fastest to try and make him quit football... or as they call it "toughen him up."

[odetoapig]

In 27 years I have never seen a coach put a 90lb kid up against the biggest kid in the program to try and make him quit, and I have coached at schools with all kinds of AAAA's behind them.

[purprleragedad]

In 27 years I have never seen a coach put a 90lb kid up against the biggest kid in the program to try and make him quit, and I have coached at schools with all kinds of AAAA's behind them.

PIG....never have seen THAT either....BUT have seen All-state lineman....going up against that BIG Freshman to show him who's boss....AND the all state lineman out for 3 weeks because he got "submarined" by the freshman and got a strained knee....all because the coach wanted to show how good the "all state lineman WAS.....

[BringBacktheVEER]

.............Just have to have the I's and T's crossed and parents aren't an issue... Unless they have a hand in the Supt's pocket.

If it gets to the Supt., there in lies the problem. Most are too big of a wimp to tell them the athletic director has control of that, and instead give that parent a voice. It's embarrassing when #### like that happens. But it happens too often.

[purprleragedad]

If it gets to the Supt., there in lies the problem. Most are too big of a wimp to tell them the athletic director has control of that, and instead give that parent a voice. It's embarrassing when #### like that happens. But it happens too often.

Back in the "ancient times"....remember the book...Meat on the Hoof????....story of the 4th string and walk on football players at UT????....how they were "carted" across the creek behind Memorial Stadium....where the old disc rings were....and ALL they did were Oklahoma drill....and Bull in the ring.....No water breaks and IF you missed your rotation....had to do Air Raids and run "Snakes" till they puked....THEN were put back in the line for their next rotation in the drills???

[CptSwashbuckler]

If you want to solve the issue of good coaches leaving the profession, or becoming extinct. The first thing that needs to be addressed is removing the AD title from football coaches. Most have tunnel vision and sell out other coaches and sports for their own. Look at the situation in Garrison, New Diana, and Spring Hill. All three of these schools had successful long -tenured coaches who have been reassigned or let go to fit the new football Ad's taste. What about the kids who wanted to play for these coaches or currently are, does their sports need not compare to the other sports? It seems that as soon as a new football coach is hired he is given the freedom to remove who ever he wants, not because they are bad coaches or people, but don't fit their football vision. The coaches who are let go now have to uproot their families and find another job. How is it that performance and loyalty to a community mean nothing anymore.

[purprleragedad]

If you want to solve the issue of good coaches leaving the profession, or becoming extinct. The first thing that needs to be addressed is removing the AD title from football coaches. Most have tunnel vision and sell out other coaches and sports for their own. Look at the situation in Garrison, New Diana, and Spring Hill. All three of these schools had successful long -tenured coaches who have been reassigned or let go to fit the new football Ad's taste. What about the kids who wanted to play for these coaches or currently are, does their sports need not compare to the other sports? It seems that as soon as a new football coach is hired he is given the freedom to remove who ever he wants, not because they are bad coaches or people, but don't fit their football vision. The coaches who are let go now have to uproot their families and find another job. How is it that performance and loyalty to a community mean nothing anymore.

OK Swash.....sounds as if you were on the end of One of those "tunnel vision" house cleaning......"sigh"....school business as in business in general is a "slipery slope"....the "new guy" wants loyalty to his program....and in today's society ALMOST everyone trusts NO ONE on the trust issue....especially if the NEW AD/HC comes into a situation where 2-3 on the present staff applied for the job and were looked over. The new coach wants ALL to buy into his program....He was the guy hired....he must of had SOMETHING within his presentation to the hiring committee that they believed HE was THE ONE...and many of the coaches on staff "looked over" will carry a grudge.....BEST policy IF you are on a staff that gets a new coach....YOU had applied for the job and didn't get it....probably best is for you to either take the "new" assignment which will probably NOT include a varsity position....WORK YOUR TAIL OFF and prove to the new guy YOU HAVE BOUGHT INTO HIS PROGRAM...THEN get promoted within that system.....OR say thank you for the assignment of 7th grade 3rd string kicking team coordinator and go find another job.....Look at some of Texas's BEST High School Coaches....they go from the Pinnicle High OC in 6A football and take an assistant job at 3A "Podunk High"......BUT within 1-2 years are a HC somewhere.....an old coach who has won STATE Championships at 4 different levels told me......to get that first head job must take the job NO ONE ELSE WANTS and build it up....then step UP the ladder of success....and LEARN all through the process.....TOO MANY today want to get out of school and get a 6A OC job.....NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.....unless your Daddy is the HC.....

[Coach Rab]

In 27 years I have never seen a coach put a 90lb kid up against the biggest kid in the program to try and make him quit, and I have coached at schools with all kinds of AAAA's behind them.

 

I am not saying everyone has seen it, but in my short career I've seen it more than I ever wanted to. That was just one example. There are several other examples.

[Bock]

 

I am not saying everyone has seen it, but in my short career I've seen it more than I ever wanted to. That was just one example. There are several other examples.

I have seen it as well MavGrad...their are bad eggs who make poor decisions in every line of work...

 

the vast majority of people in education do their jobs well...always a few that dont....over the past thirty+ years I have seen many good custodians, bus drivers, food service ladies, teachers, coaches and admins and have worked for/with some dang good people and could probably count the sorry ones while staying under twenty...

[purprleragedad]

I have seen it as well MavGrad...their are bad eggs who make poor decisions in every line of work...

 

the vast majority of people in education do their jobs well...always a few that dont....over the past thirty+ years I have seen many good custodians, bus drivers, food service ladies, teachers, coaches and admins and have worked for/with some dang good people and could probably count the sorry ones while staying under twenty...

Bock....YOU are correct....BUT it's that small handful of "bad eggs" that gives the WHOLE a "bad taste".....and today's society will remember the BAD way before they will remember the good.....

[Bock]

....and today's society will remember the BAD way before they will remember the good.....

just a by product/part of today's modern culture we have created...

[Hagar]

I use to wonder why successful Coaches at a smaller schools/towns didn't move up. They could get out of 2A or 3A, and make more money. Reading this thread has answered my question. That successful coach has the backing of the admin, town, and parents. Things he may not have at a bigger school, in a bigger town. I know some do move up, and some are successful and some aren't. At least I can understand the ones that don't move up now.

[Coach Rab]

Bock....YOU are correct....BUT it's that small handful of "bad eggs" that gives the WHOLE a "bad taste".....and today's society will remember the BAD way before they will remember the good.....

And this sums up my statement that started all of this.

 

Those small minded coaches made it harder for the huge percentage of good guys.

[88YoePride]

I don't know if anyone else has mentioned this, but another thing is - especially in some small towns - is that you can have a certain clique of people who have "stroke" in the community and school district who like to "get their way" when it comes to who gets playing time or how a team is run...

[purprleragedad]

I don't know if anyone else has mentioned this, but another thing is - especially in some small towns - is that you can have a certain clique of people who have "stroke" in the community and school district who like to "get their way" when it comes to who gets playing time or how a team is run...

HEY YP..."MY dad ONLY talked to him one time and ONLY promised to pay his rent for 3 months!!!!....just so I could be on the extra point team and be able to stand on the sidelines on Friday night!!!"....

[purprleragedad]

HEY YP..."MY dad ONLY talked to him one time and ONLY promised to pay his rent for 3 months!!!!....just so I could be on the extra point team and be able to stand on the sidelines on Friday night!!!"....

In the words of Doomer...TRUE STORY!!!!....had a dad that tried to do that.......needless to say I DIDN'T take the man up on his offer.....kinda hard to put that 99 lb. weakling at guard and have him try and stop the surge of 300 lb linemen trying to block the kick......

[Sidekick]

Been directly associated with the HS coaching business for 30 years. There are definitely good, no great coaches still out there. But they are overlooked and underpaid to say the least. Most of them don't want credit or recognition. They just want to coach kids about loving sports and teach them lifelong lessons. Many stay in the business but a few get discouraged and go on to better-paying jobs. But the coaching is still in their blood.

 

Long live great coaches!!!!!