Mineola AD/Football Coach Responds to Complaints...

[Smoaky]

I've noticed a handful of Mineola posts, and some of them continue to turn negative...and so I personally contacted Mineola AD/Head Football Coach Steve Wells and asked him to respond.

 

And he has with flying-colors, here is his response to the complaints, innuendos, speculation, rumors, and just overall bitterness.

 

Please read carefully.

 

Thank you.

 

David Smoak

 

 

*****

 

To: Smoaky

From: Steve Wells

RE: Smoaky.com

 

To the Mineola Bashers, that don’t know that they don’t know !

 

Let’s set the record straight and tell the truth. I was called and told by friends that a few people were getting on Smoaky and hiding behind code names and telling lies about me as the AD and Mineola Athletics. For the record I have never posted anything on Smoaky or any other forum. I sure there is a place for posting good information, but not to bash and lie. NOW its time for people to know the TRUTH. I have no idea what went on in Mineola before my time, nor do I care. I just want fix what was broke.

(Took job with 10 days left in school last year) In my short time at Mineola ISD we have accomplished quite a bit for Mineola Athletics.

 

1. Moved & Renovated building by the football field.

New Dressing Rooms/Lockers/Coaches Office/Training Room/Equipment

Room. Theses changes were for the good of all our athletes at Mineola.

2. New Practice Field so we don’t lose time busing athletes.

3. New weight room being built to rear of building so ALL SPORTS will have a

great place to lift. ( A place for our Athletes to be proud of ) 4. Moved Girls Athletics to the bigger side of gym so they could have their own

training room, bigger locker rooms and coaches offices.

5. Bought a ton of equipment for ALL SPORTS that was sorely needed.

6. Hired 10 new coaches ( Was fortunate to be able to hire some experienced,

great coaches that really are fun to coach with.)

(Put in new offense/defense/philosophy/vision)

7. Revamped entire Athletic Schedule to get more individual time with Athletes.

(Superintendent/Administration/School Board at Mineola ISD has been great

to me and our coaches.) This is another Bash & Lie.

8. Moved my wife/two kids to Mineola

(After 19 years in one place, that was major accomplishment)

 

NO. 1- If you think that I’m just a football coach ( AND I DO LOVE FOOTBALL ) and am not here to build a total program, you just need to check my history during my tenure at Hooks ISD. When I took over in 1999 at Hooks we had always been successful in football. (11 of 15 years in the playoffs) Volleyball was always in the playoffs. We had not been to the playoffs in basketball but 1 time in the previous 9 years. I hired a young man that came from a small school that had played only basketball, and had only coached basketball. He did not know football but was willing to learn and help.

(Sign of a good

coach) This coach took our team to the playoffs the next six years with one trip to the regional basketball tournament. I also hired a young lady that took our girls to the playoffs three of those years with two trips to the regional tournament and one trip to the final four in Austin. Does that sound like someone wanting to kill a basketball program in Mineola. I do require all of our coaches to be supportive of all our programs not just their program. One off-season for all sports with coaches that are not selfish, willing to share athletes, and know what it takes to have a total program. ALL SPORTS are treated the same. We lift on Monday’s/Wednesday’s in-season with all sports. WE DO NOT LIFT ANY VARSITY PLAYER ON GAMEDAY! NEVER HAVE & NEVER WILL.

FOOTBALL/BASKETBALL/BASEBALL- ALL SPORTS GO TO THEIR SPORT ON GAMEDAY! Our softball/baseball teams were also successful being in the playoffs year in and year out. Our baseball team went to the final four in Austin three times. I love baseball, I played it in college. Our softball team also went deep in the playoffs. Our track teams, both boys and girls either won or finished runner-up in our district. We were also fortunate enough to to win the 1999 Regional Track Meet & win the 1999- 3A State Championship in Track and YES the lead leg on our sprint relay team also was the lead-off batter for our baseball team. Good thing we had COACHES that DIDN’T MIND SHARING ATHLETES. Our baseball/softball/track teams never had any problems sharing kids and being successful in all spring sports.

NO. 2- (Final Comment) I told them when I took this job that I want a total program. I’ve been there and know what it takes. The mind-set has to change.

We have to

learn to COMPETE in everything and support everything to turn this program around.

Just like I tell our kids, Winning is not a free gift, you must be committed and be willing to put in hard-work, sweat, sacrifice, Nobody gives winning to you, you must earn it.

There will always be some decisions that some will not agree with, some will never agree with anything and I understand that. All I know is that if you do not know what’s going on, get your facts straight before you get on any forum & bash & lie. If you are a a ex-mineola coach it is evident we made the right decision in relieving you of your duties here. I hire coaches who are not ME PEOPLE but coaches who really care about our kids and want them to compete in all sports, not just theirs. I want our kids to learn to be dependable academically, athletically, and a well-rounded person. Compete in all sports in High School and most of all HAVE FUN DOING IT! YES, we are going to to work them hard and expect the best. In the last eight months I’ve had athletes here that continue to thank our staff for the changes and expectations we have. Are we there yet?

NO. If you do what you always have done, you get the same results. Change is hard but change can be so good. It amazes me that some people who get on these forums have no clue, they bash & lie. If natureboy, goodoleeagle, chilepepper or anyone else would like to come out of the closet and show their face, I will be more than happy to sit down eye to eye and discuss anything concerning Mineola Athletics and let you know the TRUTH.

My code name is Coach Steve Wells and I’m available at the numbers listed below or I will be at the new field house working to do what’s best for all our programs not your individual agenda’s. Maybe by the time you come out in public, I will have the rest of my boxes unpacked or packed. One thing for sure you don’t know that you don’t know.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Coach Steve Wells

Mineola ISD-Athletic Director/Head Football

Mineola, Texas

 

903-569-1667 Fieldhouse

 

903-293-0959 My Cell

[chuckie0311]

Smoaky, thanks for posting that. im glad to see coach stand up and tell it. it seems that there are too many non-coaches on here. they are the ones that do most of the bashing and trashing. i wish for the days when it was mostly coaches on here and not kids and parents.

[crumbsnatcher]

Thanks Coach Wells! You're a class-act! Thanks for doing what you do for our kids. My code name is Kendall Banks, Minister of Youth, First Baptist Church, Mineola.

[Broker2205]

Smoaky,

 

Thanks for posting this information on here. I appreciate Coach Wells taking the time out to express some of his thoughts which he NEVER had to do to prove his case to a bunch of people on Smoaky. I've only got one problem with the whole thing and I'm not trying to stir the pot, but I wanted to clarify this because I'm not really understanding the logic behind it.

"NOW it's time for people to know the TRUTH. I have no idea what went on in Mineola before my time, nor do I care. I just want to fix what is broke." Coach Wells

Here's what this means to me as an example... I drove by this store called Wal Mart, I have no idea what products are sold there, I have no idea how the management system works, I have no idea about anything inside of the store, I just see the building and I KNOW I want to work there. Do people really make changes like that in their jobs? I'm not here to debate what he knew about the program, but he made the decision with his family in what was his best interest and theirs and he's got a job to do there and nothing is going to change that. You can't be 100% accurate with the decisions you are going to make on the job, not everyone is always going to agree with everything you say or do, but there is one thing you should do 100% and that is be honest. If that is an HONEST assessment, and all of this stuff is 100% true then Coach Wells is going to be VERY successful in Mineola and he will be there until he is ready to retire from education or find a better opportunity down the road that he is not able to pass up. If not, somebody will be back on here again posting questions and the cycle will repeat itself.

Like his tactics or not, he demands respect for him and his program and that is very admirable in my eyes.

[68Hornet]

I've know Coach Wells for awhile now. Give him a chance and he'll do good things in Mineola. Sounds to me like he's already accomplished a lot.

[OLineTime]

I personally coached against Coach Wells when he was at Hooks and his teams were always well prepared and conditioned. I was also a spring sport coach and his coaches were always given the tools, and time to work with there athletes that they needed. I can remember more than one baseball/track standout doing both sports at the same time. He is a class act and a good guy.

[jacket94]

Coach Wells I do not know you, but your response was all class, and Mineola should be thankful to have a man with pride and genuine love of kids leading their student-athletes. Ex-jacket is my screen name but I am not from Mineola. Good Luck!!

[Locutus]

I am not in the know, I don't want to know, and I am not questioning anything. I hope the situation in Mineola is great and getting better. I wish Coach Wells the very best.

 

However, I do have one question. What else could a person say? What was the real point? Other than him to say his side, which I am sure everyone on here could/would write just about the same thing if they were in charge of a program. Now that would be funny if a AD came on and said, yep, I don't give a rats tail about anything but football. You don't like it, tough. I see this as just fueling the fire.

 

Anyway, I wish Mineola the best. It is a great little town. I wish Coach and his staff the best, and oh yeah, I love the little golf course across the street.

[joemanjo]

I had thought about getting on Smoaky and defending Steve for several days and now I am sorry that I did not. Let me tell the people of Mineola this: you will not find a better AD than Steve Wells. Given the chance he WILL build a solid program that you will be proud to have.He did a great job at Hooks and did a great job as an assistant at L-E. He is a great guy and Mineola is lucky to have him in charge of their program.

[orange80]

Originally posted by chuckie0311

Smoaky, thanks for posting that. im glad to see coach stand up and tell it. it seems that there are too many non-coaches on here. they are the ones that do most of the bashing and trashing. i wish for the days when it was mostly coaches on here and not kids and parents.

 

bashing is what happens when people are able to get on-line without stating their real name or taking ownership for their ideas-- without screen names the posting on the boards would dry up

[Indaeast]

"Just like I tell our kids, Winning is not a free gift, you must be committed and be willing to put in hard-work, sweat, sacrifice, Nobody gives winning to you, you must earn it."

 

That is a great saying!!!! I am now out of coaching but if you don't mind I will definitely be quoting you to my own kids!!!

 

I will give you a citation but I ain't paying royalties!!!! :D

[wdh]

Here is a good saying: Champions Train - Endure Pain - Never Complain

[TheNatureBoy16times]

After reading the post from Coach Wells, I have a completely different view of Mineola ISD. It is worse than I thought. Why would a capable coach come on Smoaky.com and defend himself to a bunch of "nobodies" as we are called? When I broke into this business years ago I had an old coach that told me that everybody is your critic and he told me to not listen to critics. I took that advice and have had fun coaching and seeing boys become men. However, after 30+ years knowing the Mineola situation personally, I cant help but comment on the AD's successful accomplishment at MISD. Some positive and some not.

1. Did the moving of the athletes to the field house not result in the hazing of several freshmen this year as they walked back to class only to get spanked with a board by some of the seniors?

2. Practice field is a great idea to eliminate bussing.

3. Why build a new weight room when Lorance had a state of the art one built 3 years before you got there? Sounds like a waste of money from us taxpayers.

4. Girls athletics was a good move.

5. The equipment was well needed that you bought.

6. Hired 10 new coaches, but fired several good coaches without even gettin to know them. I understand only the pets who brown nosed you got to stay. Contracts dont have a section on there called Section 1AB The coach will kiss the AD's butt.

7. How do you get more time with your athletes? Is Mineola on block scheduling?

8. I am glad you are pro family by moving your wife and kids to Mineola, but how does that help the overall athletic program?

 

Comparing Hooks to Mineola is like comparing mules to stallions.I saw that Hooks basketball team play that went to the regional tournament and they were loaded.By the way, why did you go through so many basketball coaches at Mineola before you hired Coach Cooke?

You dont have Jeremiah Trotter at Mineola nor do you have Billy Sims.

I have never said anything about you taking players away from their sports on gamedays so dont throw me into that mix. I also never said that the administration never backed you so dont say to me that it is a bash and a lie. I know they like you.

I agree completely with you on winning, but i dont agree with your way of doing it. I never have and I never will. That is what makes America great. I have an opinion and you have an opinion. You are the AD so your opinion is now fact as long as you are at Mineola. I know some of the former Mineola coaches and they did not deserve what you said to them or the way they were treated. One of them is my good friend and to me it was a complete lack of class coming from a professional such as yourself.

In closing, I hope you do well at Mineola for the athletes sake because I know they need it. I would like to see success in everything there and then you will hear nothing but praises from me. In the meantime, when you call somebody out like you did me, why dont you use something with flavor. I was expecting more like John Wayne from the Cowboys " I have had a broken back and two broken hips and on my worst day I could beat the hell out of you" or maybe a line from Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry, " Go ahead.......Make my day" But instead we got "one thing for sure you dont know that you dont know." I am still trying to figure that one out.

Your friend that "bashes", "lies", and "has no clue"

The Nature Boy WHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[orange80]

Originally posted by TheNatureBoy16times

After reading the post from Coach Wells, I have a completely different view of Mineola ISD. It is worse than I thought. Why would a capable coach come on Smoaky.com and defend himself to a bunch of "nobodies" as we are called? When I broke into this business years ago I had an old coach that told me that everybody is your critic and he told me to not listen to critics. I took that advice and have had fun coaching and seeing boys become men. However, after 30+ years knowing the Mineola situation personally, I cant help but comment on the AD's successful accomplishment at MISD. Some positive and some not.

1. Did the moving of the athletes to the field house not result in the hazing of several freshmen this year as they walked back to class only to get spanked with a board by some of the seniors?

2. Practice field is a great idea to eliminate bussing.

3. Why build a new weight room when Lorance had a state of the art one built 3 years before you got there? Sounds like a waste of money from us taxpayers.

4. Girls athletics was a good move.

5. The equipment was well needed that you bought.

6. Hired 10 new coaches, but fired several good coaches without even gettin to know them. I understand only the pets who brown nosed you got to stay. Contracts dont have a section on there called Section 1AB The coach will kiss the AD's butt.

7. How do you get more time with your athletes? Is Mineola on block scheduling?

8. I am glad you are pro family by moving your wife and kids to Mineola, but how does that help the overall athletic program?

 

Comparing Hooks to Mineola is like comparing mules to stallions.I saw that Hooks basketball team play that went to the regional tournament and they were loaded.By the way, why did you go through so many basketball coaches at Mineola before you hired Coach Cooke?

You dont have Jeremiah Trotter at Mineola nor do you have Billy Sims.

I have never said anything about you taking players away from their sports on gamedays so dont throw me into that mix. I also never said that the administration never backed you so dont say to me that it is a bash and a lie. I know they like you.

I agree completely with you on winning, but i dont agree with your way of doing it. I never have and I never will. That is what makes America great. I have an opinion and you have an opinion. You are the AD so your opinion is now fact as long as you are at Mineola. I know some of the former Mineola coaches and they did not deserve what you said to them or the way they were treated. One of them is my good friend and to me it was a complete lack of class coming from a professional such as yourself.

In closing, I hope you do well at Mineola for the athletes sake because I know they need it. I would like to see success in everything there and then you will hear nothing but praises from me. In the meantime, when you call somebody out like you did me, why dont you use something with flavor. I was expecting more like John Wayne from the Cowboys " I have had a broken back and two broken hips and on my worst day I could beat the hell out of you" or maybe a line from Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry, " Go ahead.......Make my day" But instead we got "one thing for sure you dont know that you dont know." I am still trying to figure that one out.

Your friend that "bashes", "lies", and "has no clue"

The Nature Boy WHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

At least the Mineola coach is putting his name behind what he says on here. I did not see you take ownership with your name for those comments.

[BLEEDINHORNETBLUE01]

it seems to me the problem with the nature boy is that is washesd up just exactly like his name sake on wwe ric flair, and has probally been around to long to actually know that he is washed up.

 

and guess what there were other players on the field with trotter .it takes eleven players to field a team not one.

 

nature boy wishes he had been part of a staff for 19 yrs that missed the playoffs 3 times in that time period. its just plain old jealousy.he must have interviewed with wells and didnt stack up .

 

coach wells do your thang .all the best from hornet land

[DirksCrew]

Haha The baseball team is 18-1 and in the top 10 in the state. When is the last time they have had that much success or a season like the one they are having. . If I remember last year without his workout program didnt they not even make the playoffs ,so your point chillipepper is just down right idiotic. Haha I think it is so funny he called u and nature boy out because yall prove yalls foolishness more and more everyday.

[HRNTSFAN1]

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK COACH, as a parent that lives in Hooks and having put two sons through Coach Wells program. Both of them had the utmost respect for coach wells even if not always agreeing with him. Just shut up and let him work he will succeed!!!! Maybe just maybe the kids at Mineola will learn something other then athletics from him I know mine did.

[Broker2205]

Well, Dirkscrew, think back to 1996 pup. Lew Prestidge took his team to the Final Four in Austin. They made 2 errors in 17 games. Yes, you did read that correctly, 2 errors in 17 games. And guess what, they beat Gilmer to go to Austin under the leadership of Marrs and the pitching talent of Hawkins head baseball coach Marty Mayfield. So maybe you should gather all the information and do your homework.

[DirksCrew]

Yes I do recall them going in 96 Broker! So what is your point? is a 18-1 not a great start??? The response is to chillipeppers foolishness of blaming an AD for baseball when the Baseball team is having an unbelievable year. It makes no sense!!! My statement says When is the last time they have had that much sucess so it has been over 10 years! So not really getting your point Broker?

[Broker2205]

18-1 is a great start. You asked when someone could think back to when they were doing this well and I did. I can name a lot of other years that they were this good as well. Lots of tradition in the Mineola baseball program. If only you would have been a part of it, I wouldn't have to sit here and explain it to you.

 

Crumbsnatcher..... easy there champ. It's called a blog. Ya know, where people get on, create cheezy names and debate a lot of stuff. You act like if you found out there name you would go to their house and put your finger in there chest and call them a fowl name. Surely a minister wouldn't do something like that. :no:

[68Hornet]

I remember a lot of great Mineola teams, especially in the summer when Mineola and Texarkana would hook up in American Legion games

[goodoleagle]

Originally posted by TheNatureBoy16times

After reading the post from Coach Wells, I have a completely different view of Mineola ISD. It is worse than I thought. Why would a capable coach come on Smoaky.com and defend himself to a bunch of "nobodies" as we are called? When I broke into this business years ago I had an old coach that told me that everybody is your critic and he told me to not listen to critics. I took that advice and have had fun coaching and seeing boys become men. However, after 30+ years knowing the Mineola situation personally, I cant help but comment on the AD's successful accomplishment at MISD. Some positive and some not.

1. Did the moving of the athletes to the field house not result in the hazing of several freshmen this year as they walked back to class only to get spanked with a board by some of the seniors?

2. Practice field is a great idea to eliminate bussing.

3. Why build a new weight room when Lorance had a state of the art one built 3 years before you got there? Sounds like a waste of money from us taxpayers.

4. Girls athletics was a good move.

5. The equipment was well needed that you bought.

6. Hired 10 new coaches, but fired several good coaches without even gettin to know them. I understand only the pets who brown nosed you got to stay. Contracts dont have a section on there called Section 1AB The coach will kiss the AD's butt.

7. How do you get more time with your athletes? Is Mineola on block scheduling?

8. I am glad you are pro family by moving your wife and kids to Mineola, but how does that help the overall athletic program?

 

Comparing Hooks to Mineola is like comparing mules to stallions.I saw that Hooks basketball team play that went to the regional tournament and they were loaded.By the way, why did you go through so many basketball coaches at Mineola before you hired Coach Cooke?

You dont have Jeremiah Trotter at Mineola nor do you have Billy Sims.

I have never said anything about you taking players away from their sports on gamedays so dont throw me into that mix. I also never said that the administration never backed you so dont say to me that it is a bash and a lie. I know they like you.

I agree completely with you on winning, but i dont agree with your way of doing it. I never have and I never will. That is what makes America great. I have an opinion and you have an opinion. You are the AD so your opinion is now fact as long as you are at Mineola. I know some of the former Mineola coaches and they did not deserve what you said to them or the way they were treated. One of them is my good friend and to me it was a complete lack of class coming from a professional such as yourself.

In closing, I hope you do well at Mineola for the athletes sake because I know they need it. I would like to see success in everything there and then you will hear nothing but praises from me. In the meantime, when you call somebody out like you did me, why dont you use something with flavor. I was expecting more like John Wayne from the Cowboys " I have had a broken back and two broken hips and on my worst day I could beat the hell out of you" or maybe a line from Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry, " Go ahead.......Make my day" But instead we got "one thing for sure you dont know that you dont know." I am still trying to figure that one out.

Your friend that "bashes", "lies", and "has no clue"

The Nature Boy WHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

Well, I don't really have a whole lot to say because I have gotten everything off of my chest in previous posts. Natureboy, I am going to stay LOYAL to your words and say you are totally right and I 100% agree with you. I just want to add one more thing. Steve Wells, :thumbsup:I wish you the best of luck for the athletes sake. I cannot believe that you called me out. I cannot believe you are so defensive about this issue. You really need to learn something, critics will always be critics. They will never leave you alone and they will never go away. Listening to the critics will only make your job and life a living hell. One thing is for sure I DO know that I DO know...

[crumbsnatcher]

Broker......You're right, I wouldn't do that. You said that, not me! When someone is so passsionately negative and gets personal with it, I think they should own up to it. I understand the whole "blog" aspect but it's gotten a bit personal. When someone is so personal and critical, I would expect them to be confident enough in their facts and allegations that they would sign their name to it. Therefore, if they don't own up to it, I guess they really are frabricating facts and allegations.

 

By the way, I'm done with this issue. I've said my last! It's time to encourage those kids and coaches and move forward. Go Jackets!!

[exbobcat]

Man, there really are a lot of idiots in this world. The world wide web has allowed them to voice their opinion to all, and we are all less intelligent because of that. I blame it on Al Gore. Nothing better than ex/has been Coaches bashing the new man on an internet message board under a false name. I think that pretty much says everything that needs to be said about them as Coaches. There's not a Coach in the profession worth his salt that would respect that. Good luck Coach Wells.

[orange80]

Originally posted by chilipepper3

Originally posted by DirksCrew

Haha The baseball team is 18-1 and in the top 10 in the state. When is the last time they have had that much success or a season like the one they are having. . If I remember last year without his workout program didnt they not even make the playoffs ,so your point chillipepper is just down right idiotic. Haha I think it is so funny he called u and nature boy out because yall prove yalls foolishness more and more everyday.

Your right Dirkscrew....He took over and now the baseball team is 18-1 because of his off-season workout......there is no way that it could be because of the solid summer league program that has been established since the 80's and 90's and the Great Baseball Coaches that have come before Coach Ihler......you know dirkscrew... go back and review your history of Mineola Baseball before you pop off......Oh wait that's right your crew could care less about Mineola before yall arrived....

 

but with all this talk about off-season hurting the baseball team, doesn't seem to be happening. you and nature can keep hiding behind screen names and bashing- at least we can be thankful your not coaching and setting that example for kids