There are very few things I admire and value more in life than loyalty and my man RP is one loyal cat.

 

Yes he is. Love friends like that....:thumb:

It has been reported in another thread (http://bluegrasspreps.com/ky-boys-basketball/open-jobs-274190.html) that Bracken County will be looking for a new boys basketball coach for next season. That is true and the job was posted today.

 

Officially, this will go in the books as Chad Persinger resigning, but unofficially Coach Persinger wanted to coach the team next year and into the future. To make a long story short, he was given the option to resign or be given the pink slip. Like a lot of us would have done, he chose the former.

 

The decision to push Coach Persinger out the door has angered me to a degree that I normally do not reach. To begin with, Chad Persinger is a great friend of mine & has been for as long as I can remember. He is like a brother and we have shared some of our biggest moments in life with one another--weddings, baptisms, graduations, major medical issues, etc. Through thick and through thin, he has stood by my side and I have stood by his.

 

And I will continue to stand by him right now.

 

During Chad's 5-year tenure as head coach, the Polar Bears amassed a win/loss record of 76-75 (50.3%) and qualified for the 10th Region Tournament 3 of those 5 years (all as the 39th District Runner-up). To fans of other programs those numbers may not seem impressive. While I understand that, let me also show you what kind of program Coach Persinger inherited.

 

The 5 years prior to his hiring, the team amassed a record of 53-86 (38.1%) and did not qualify any of those years for the 10th Region Tournament. Additionally, there were 3 different coaches over that 5 year span.

 

Was this perhaps just a bad 5 years? No way.

 

The 5 years prior to those 5 years, the team amassed a record of 32-95 (25.1%) and qualified for the 10th Region Tournament 1 of those 5 years. And again, there were 3 different coaches during that 5 year span.

 

So in summary, during the 10 years prior to Chad's hiring, the school had 5 different coaches whose Win/Loss total was 85-181, which is a 31.9% winning percentage. And during those 10 years, just 1 appearance was made in the 10th Region Tournament.

 

While I fully realize wins and losses do not tell the entire story, any person with an ounce of common sense can see that the program has been elevated under Coach Persinger's watch. In fact, Bracken County has had 10 different coaching tenures since 1970. Just 2 of those 10 coaching tenures saw an above .500 winning percentage: David Hamilton (1970-80) and Chad Persinger (2009-14).

 

Now, before I say anything else, I want to add that not all of Bracken County's coaches have been awful. Some of them have losing records, but I believe did fine jobs--not all of them, but some of them. The fact of the matter is that Bracken County has not been a hotbed for boys basketball talent since World War II. Coaches have had to play the hand they were each dealt. Some of them did fine & others not so much. Chad Persinger, however, did a fine job and the numbers back him up.

 

However, he has now been let go. I cannot know with 100% certainty the rationale behind the decision to force Coach Persinger out. Granted, I have very strong suspicions, but that's not the primary purpose for starting this thread.

 

I am here, first and foremost, to defend my friend. He did a solid job as Bracken County coach, but now he has been unexpectedly and unfairly shown the door.

 

Secondly, I am here to say that I am thoroughly disappointed with my school. I also am a Bracken County alum (1996), but I am ashamed to be a Polar Bear right now. One of our own leads our program to more success than it has seen since the 1990's and this is how those efforts are repaid? Talk about eating your own.

 

And finally, I certainly do not wish any ill will toward whomever is selected to be the team's next head coach. The new coach will undoubtedly inherit a good, young nucleus of talent, including a young man who will easily go down as the school's best player ever. I have enjoyed watching the youngsters play this season & I hope the best for them.

 

Having said that, this decision by an absurd Administration is repulsive to myself and to others as well.

 

I have always been proud of my school, but right now I am simply ashamed of it.

 

Is there more to the story or does the administration have an agenda? Very surprised by this to say the least.

The sad thing is I wish you could say this is a one time thing for many schools but it happens at a lot of schools throughout the entire state of Kentucky and not just basketball. When is a coach is brought in like Chad and begins to change things for the better the administration seems to not stand behind their coach. Which is probably why the number of coaching changes over the years. Also, I'm not sure if its part of the reasoning here,but I'm tired of administrations listening to parents first about why little Johnny can't do this or can't do this, just back their coaching staff.

 

Far to many schools lose good coaches like Chad, I'm sure another school will see what he had done and would be extremely happy to have him on their coaching staff..

The Athletic Director is also the Principal in this instance.

 

IMO, this is a major NO-NO! That's not good for any coach in this system!

IMO, this is a major NO-NO! That's not good for any coach in this system!

 

Been that way for decades at Bracken County.

Another good coach bites the dust because little Johnny didn't get playing time.

 

I know this isn't specifically stated by the OP but it will all come out. So sad....

Been that way for decades at Bracken County.

 

Are you saying that the Principal has been there for decades or is it a hiring policy that the Principal will be the AD too? Side note....what are the test scores like for Bracken Co.?

The Athletic Director is also the Principal in this instance.

 

So what recourse does the coach have in this situation?

Are you saying that the Principal has been there for decades or is it a hiring policy that the Principal will be the AD too? Side note....what are the test scores like for Bracken Co.?

 

No the set up for principal being AD has been that way for many many years. Test scores? Well back in the early 2000's they had some really remarkable test score growth but that has become stagnant and slipping as they went through administration changes.

So what recourse does the coach have in this situation?

 

I would think none since he resigned. Move on and TRY to find a district that appreciates coaches. Unfortunately, that is becoming increasingly difficult in this age of Helicopter Parenting.

Who makes this decisión, the AD, Super or Principal?

 

You make a valid argument Randy.

 

Depending on what shakes down, it might become obvious who really made the decision...

So what recourse does the coach have in this situation?

 

I would agree with wxyz, if looks better if he leaves it behind him and moves on. If he makes something of it, all it can do it hurt him, not help.

Been that way for decades at Bracken County.

 

Which might explain a major reason for their lack of succes.

I have some background at Bracken, knew Chad (and his brother, Rodney) as a kid, so this situation interests me.

 

Saw in the other thread that one reason for the coach's "resignation" is that while they made regional in three of his years there, they weren't competitive in those games. My question to that is...when exactly has Bracken County performed well in the regional? 1955? 1944? They never really have in my lifetime. I think they've won two regional tournament games since 1979?

 

What are the expectations there? Why has Augusta left them in the dust despite having a third of the student body?

I have some background at Bracken, knew Chad (and his brother, Rodney) as a kid, so this situation interests me.

 

Saw in the other thread that one reason for the coach's "resignation" is that while they made regional in three of his years there, they weren't competitive in those games. My question to that is...when exactly has Bracken County performed well in the regional? 1955? 1944? They never really have in my lifetime. I think they've won two regional tournament games since 1979?

 

What are the expectations there? Why has Augusta left them in the dust despite having a third of the student body?

 

All great questions. Hopefully they get answered. I don't think anyone knows at this point, besides the ones pulling the strings at the school. I'd love to hear the answers as I'm sure a lot of ppl around here would.