What is going on at Pulaski County? 10 players and all 3 assistant coaches have quit the team. This leaves them with just 3 remaining players. It sounds like the rest of the team will be made up of players brought up from the middle school ranks. The coach from last season was fired one week before the team's first scrimmage and replaced by Brad Gover--brother of Al Gover who just resigned as boy's basketball coach. Here is a quote from the assistant coaches that was in the Commonwealth Journal's story on the situation:

 

“In late February, a week before the first scrimmage of the season, the team was rattled with a change in the head coaching position. This was a very hard blow for the team so close to season starting. We knew there would be an adjustment period and the transition would be difficult.”

 

“Although this was a very emotional time, the team rallied together and decided that they would stay together and finish the season because they had worked hard, put in a lot of time, but mostly because they loved the game.”

 

“On the field, the players made every attempt to change the things they were asked to change. Within a five-week period of time, we witnessed things and heard things being done to the players that included bullying, berating, intimidation, humiliation, and retaliation.”

 

“It finally reached a point in which we had to decide what was right and what was wrong and let our decision be based on that.”

 

 

Here is the link to the rest of the article: Pulaski's Walk Off

 

Sounds like a bad situation.

Wow.

Sounds fishy...

Anyone have the story on what happened?

The roster is already updated on KHSAA website.

The roster is already updated on KHSAA website.

 

As of now the girls who quit are still on khsaa roster......no coaches or players are bigger than any program....the assistants should be ashamed and fired from there teaching jobs!!!! The coach who was replaced before the season started had lost control of the team... To be honest he should NEVER have been a head coach...

As of now the girls who quit are still on khsaa roster......no coaches or players are bigger than any program....the assistants should be ashamed and fired from there teaching jobs!!!! The coach who was replaced before the season started had lost control of the team... To be honest he should NEVER have been a head coach...

 

Hmmm roster looks full of young players. I looked at 2013 roster and there were 7 juniors. 2014 only 1 senior. Where did those Juniors all go? Not playing their senior year? In 2013 there were 4 Sophomores. In 2014, only 1 junior. I admit I did not compare names, only grades. But did TEN rising upperclassmen who played last year quit before the season and now 10 more have quit? So they lost 20 players since 2013?

Hmmm roster looks full of young players. I looked at 2013 roster and there were 7 juniors. 2014 only 1 senior. Where did those Juniors all go? Not playing their senior year? In 2013 there were 4 Sophomores. In 2014, only 1 junior. I admit I did not compare names, only grades. But did TEN rising upperclassmen who played last year quit before the season and now 10 more have quit? So they lost 20 players since 2013?

 

As of this minute players listed on khsaa are the kids before the 10 quit.

As of now the girls who quit are still on khsaa roster......no coaches or players are bigger than any program....the assistants should be ashamed and fired from there teaching jobs!!!! The coach who was replaced before the season started had lost control of the team... To be honest he should NEVER have been a head coach...

 

Sorry, but I don't understand this comment. If an assistant sees stuff going on that they aren't on board with and want no part of, then what do they do? If I was a situation as an assistant and things were going on at the head coaching and or admin level that I just thought were wrong and or didn't want to be a part of or caught up in, and I couldn't do anything to change it, I'd quit too. I'm not following your logic here on this.

Sorry, but I don't understand this comment. If an assistant sees stuff going on that they aren't on board with and want no part of, then what do they do? If I was a situation as an assistant and things were going on at the head coaching and or admin level that I just thought were wrong and or didn't want to be a part of or caught up in, and I couldn't do anything to change it, I'd quit too. I'm not following your logic here on this.

 

They talked 10 players into quitting. Trying to kill the program. That in my opinion is wrong. Finish the season, then quit.

They talked 10 players into quitting. Trying to kill the program. That in my opinion is wrong. Finish the season, then quit.

 

IMO, if they talked 10 girls into quitting, then those girls didn't have a love for the game to begin with. Nobody could talk me into quitting the game that I love, especially if I'm a senior.

From what I have heard new coach's behavior towards players was the biggest issue. Someone went to principal with the issues and principal backed his recent hire and no changes in behavior towards players occurred and that led to the walk off. I can't imagine asst coach Roney doing anything to intentionally hurt the program. IMO if he walked away that is very telling that there are some big issues not being addressed.

I believe the middle school team has been moved up to varsity to field a team.

National news now

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschool-prep-rally/kentucky-softball-players--coaches-quit-midseason-amid-bullying-allegations-170726931.html

This issue seems to be an inverse mirror image of a basketball issue from Campbell County this year, except in this case, essentially the team quit when a new head coach was installed.

 

Kudos to the administration for sticking with their choice (I guess).

 

I totally disagree with the comment that the assistant coaches should lose their teaching jobs over extra curricular duties. The only time this should be an issue is if the coaches violated district policies or legal issues.

 

Once again this brings into question the power that parents' have over high school sports….and how the players "feel" they are being treated. I don't know the situation, but maybe they are just soft.

 

Just had a conversation this weekend with an old coach from another school, an inner city school, and how he coached. He told us he coached that way because his kids needed it and he never wavered because he felt his style gave them two things: 1) the best chance to win and 2) the best chance to win in life…..

This issue seems to be an inverse mirror image of a basketball issue from Campbell County this year, except in this case, essentially the team quit when a new head coach was installed.

 

Kudos to the administration for sticking with their choice (I guess).

 

I totally disagree with the comment that the assistant coaches should lose their teaching jobs over extra curricular duties. The only time this should be an issue is if the coaches violated district policies or legal issues.

 

Once again this brings into question the power that parents' have over high school sports….and how the players "feel" they are being treated. I don't know the situation, but maybe they are just soft.

 

Just had a conversation this weekend with an old coach from another school, an inner city school, and how he coached. He told us he coached that way because his kids needed it and he never wavered because he felt his style gave them two things: 1) the best chance to win and 2) the best chance to win in life…..

 

THIS!!!

 

There are "life lessons" to be learned in whatever sport you coach......Ambition, Teamwork, Reliability, Discipline, Sacrifice, Loyalty, Self-Confidence, etc........Wins and losses will come and go, but producing players that win in the game of Life matter much more.

 

My baseball coach at NewCath was a tough "son of a gun", but the qualities I mentioned above, were instilled in me and have been valuable to me well after high school.

Lawnboy, So is this advice from a parent, coach, fan or a wanna be journalist?? Goodness you cant even support your own team when it struggles.