Jonathan Hackett is Montgomery County's New Coach

I believe he was hired yesterday.
Only 2 things I know about Hackett are this:
He was a grad assistant at Auburn
He will be teach Business.

Montgomery County did exactly what I said they would do. They could not get a coach in state and they went and got a young coach who is out to make a name for himself and has no head coaching experience who has no idea what he is getting into . I wonder if he know's what he is getting into with this Administration that is currently at Montgomery County High School? I see this as another employee who is using MC as a stepping stone to get experience and move on. He may have a great team coming back next year if all the players come back and play. One player has already moved to Georgia and the other to Clark County. I did find out that their are a couple of players on the bench last year that are good ball players so MC could be a contender next year.

Welcome Coach Hackett.

Congratulations and good luck to coach Hackett. This may be a tough environment to start at, but I wish him nothing but success.

Hackett was a graduate assistant but the last few years has been in the marketing business. He has no head head coaching experience what so ever. He is the only man who would take the job under Heffington. Good Luck MC Indians, you deserve better because you are a good bunch of kids

Good luck to Coach Hackett and Welcome to the 10th Region!

Nice article that Dan wrote in the Mt.Sterling paper about the new baseball coach. I would hope that all baseball parents at Montgomery Co. would read it. Coach Hackett has a great resume, but he doesn't have any high school head coaching experience. I as well as a lot of other people was upset at first with the hiring of this young Coach. You ask your self how can they hire a basketball coach with the experience that he has along with the girl's soccer coach and do this to the baseball team. Where's the big name coach for MoCo baseball. Well the name is "Jonathan Hackett" and the parents of MoCo should give him a chance because he might be a lot better than you think. This is a young man that's moving his family into a community where he doesn't know anyone. Let's make him feel welcome and don't jump ship. The boat's not sinking because it tilted, it's because every one ran to one side. So just get back in the middle and then see what happens.

Boat should never have been tilted. Montgomery had a good captain to steer the boat!

Yea right Rake; thats why he won the District and Region every year. It was time for a change.

Winning the District and Region every year, is totally different than what has been stated on this site as to the reason behind his dismissal. If in fact that is the reason, then that is the administration's prerogative. If it is due to parents complaining because of playing time, which has been the reference on this site, then that is a different set of reason's; which do not deserve a dismissal. Pleasing people over PT is never a win win situation.

Playing time has nothing to do with it. This is all about winning ball games, and if Coach Hackett don't win A District or Region in the the time that Coach Combs had. He will be replaced too. Coach Combs is gone theirs nothing that can be done about it. Water under the bridge. The thread is about Coach Hackett. It's not his fault that Coach Combs is gone. I just would like for everyone to at least give him a chance. Yes he's a first time coach, so was Matt Ginter last year, and you seen what he was able to do.

Not disagreeing with you that this thread is about Coach Hackett and it's not his fault the previous Coach is gone. Hope he get's every opportunity that he should get. I was just responding to your statement that "the boat's not sinking because it tilted; it's because every one ran to one side." In the other threads regarding this situation it was emphasized that it was disgruntled parents that forced the AD's hand. Maybe, Maybe not. My response was intended to be that; I hope it was not for that reason. I think you even posted a response on 5/25/12 on another thread of your support of the previous Coach. My comments are not in support of one Coach or another; just my opinion on the received reason behind his dismissal. Good luck to Coach Hackett. My apologies, but what was Matt Ginter able to do?

No problem Rake; Matt was able to win District his first year, and win One game in region as a First time head coach.

I think the new Coach is going to be at the game on Thursday. Anyone know if this is true or not?

I agree give the Coach a chance. Playing at Auburn is very impressive. I would get my own assistants and start over. I do think Montgomery County has just as much talent as any other Schools. The probem was Combs couldn't coach the way he wanted because the AD wanted his head from the very beginning when he wanted a schedule in the fall and it hadn't been completed. I have called MCHS three times and he would not talk to me. Combs was told who to play several times. If Hackett has a back bone he will tell the AD what he can do if the AD tells him who to play and gets treated like Combs got treated. I get the feeling he will be a yes man. I wish the Indians all the sucess in the world because when I watched them on thefield,including JV they were all class. Combs will be fine because a year out of the game will relieve him of stress of the AD trying to tell him who to play and how to coach, but most of all the parents that complained all the time because their son wasn't playing. This had nothing to do about losses and wins. MC won 22 or 23 games this season. This is about an AD who knows nothing about athletics, but wanted to flex his muscles and show the coaches who is boss. He won't be at MC long because he is as classless as any human being I have ever met.

Originally Posted by Big Kat

Playing time has nothing to do with it. This is all about winning ball games, and if Coach Hackett don't win A District or Region in the the time that Coach Combs had. He will be replaced too. Coach Combs is gone theirs nothing that can be done about it. Water under the bridge. The thread is about Coach Hackett. It's not his fault that Coach Combs is gone. I just would like for everyone to at least give him a chance. Yes he's a first time coach, so was Matt Ginter last year, and you seen what he was able to do.

Combs leaving had nothing to do with wins or losses. I believe it was a winning season every season except the first with over 500 each. There are not many coaches in the state that has his record. Nothing against Hackett, he just has no experience and he is walking into a mess that was made by the people that are still in charge.

I believe they are doing something about the AD. I think Phil Rison is going to take more of a lead role in all sports programs. Coach Combs had a great year last year but in a 4 team district he came in 3rd. I could be wrong on this but in the 6 years that Combs was there I think he has gone to Region once and that was the first or second year he was coach. You can have a lot of wins when you play a patsy schedule. As far as being a yes man how many people that works for someone in any job isn't? When you argue with the boss most of the time the boss wins. Even if the boss is wrong.

Here is MC records the last 6 years from KHSAA score board

2007 7-22 beat Bourbon Co 1st game of the District run ruled by Harrison Co 1st game of Regions least talented team Combs had.

2008 13-15 Lost to BC 1st game of District

2009 15-10 Lost to BC 1st game of District. Most talented team Combs had from top to bottom. This team had 4 to 5 solid high school pitchers, good speed and solid defense.

2010 14-15 lost 1st game of District to BC. toughest schedule Combs played while at MC they played at least 5 teams that year ranked in the top 15 in the state.

2011 12-8 Lost 1st game of District to GRC


2012 22-13 Lost 1st game of Distirct to GRC. Weakest scheduled played in all the six years.

Total 83-83 for the last 6 years.

Almost foregot why I got on this thread.

Welcome to MC Coach Hackett and best of luck!!!

Big Kat I agree with what you say. If the parents treat Hackett like they did Combs he won't stay very long. I have been told that Rison was taking over for the past 3 months and he hasn't been removed yet. Phil Rison would have got a coach with experience who would have loved to coach this team with the talent they have. You have a coach that played at Auburn which is impressive but his coaching experience is a 12 yr old all star team. You get rid of a coach with over 400 wins because parents wrote multiple letters because their child wasn't playing. Combs had Asst Coaches that stuck a knive in his back so many times it isn't funny. You better get rid of all the asst coaches who had kids on the team. One was a waste of space and I'm told by one parent that the other was a good baseball coach but he did have issues with Combs in the past. A coach from another County told me it would take an idiot to wan't to coach at MC because of the Administration. Let's hope Lee and Newkirk can lead this team back and they find a flame thrower for a pitcher. Good Luck to Coach Tackett. I wish you well.