Now 7 JCPS Head Coach Openings (Updated)

[CoachJ]

Sounds to me more like a quasi revolt against the wages paid to coaches in Jefferson Co.

 

More and more research is showing less head related issues with football at the lower levels (HS). At the HS i follow, they had more concussions in Girls and Boys Soccer this year then they did in Football.

 

Though I don't think any coach in JCPS is pleased with how they're compensated for the time and effort specifically for their coaching, I will say I think to say it's some kind of "revolt" makes it sound more coordinated than it is.

 

I know in my situation a year ago, Coach Scroggins, and Coach Hiser it was primarily due to family situations -- namely that timing was such we had kids of a certain age that made us need to be with them more and the time spent/money earned related to being a head coach weren't enough to outweigh our desire to spend more time with family.

 

I don't know the actual reasoning for Coach Shinholster of Western, but I think Coach Leasor at Seneca knew a while back this was his last season at Seneca (is already in retirement and I think took that over for just a couple of years to get the program organized). Not sure the situation at Eastern but think that might have been more a mutual agreement between the school and coach.

 

So no, I don't think the word "revolt" fits. But I do think we are a pretty collegial bunch (despite our competitive drives against each other on Friday nights) and we talk/commiserate about the same kinds of issues. After a while you start to realize the issues you have at your school are being felt by everyone else around you and you maybe give up a little hope that your situation will improve because it seems it's more "systemic" than you thought.

 

Still, a WHOLE lot of positives about coaching in this county and certainly some situations are somewhat better than others. But that's the case in a lot of systems around the state. One thing that makes it tougher in Jeff. Co. is that we are close enough to see first-hand the kind of support the private school folks get (many of us drive by their turf fields and indoor training facilities every day we drive to our place) and those differences are just a little more 'in your face' than if you were a whole county over from your better-supported rivals. And to the school system's defense, I know it would be unrealistic to think they could support all programs in the most populous county in the state at the level private schools are used to. (*this post typed during my planning period for those of you who worry about such things)

[ftbll4life]

Gotta wonder if these guys keeping their teaching jobs get over staffed in the process of hiring replacements...

 

There have been times in the past where a new coach can be hired and because they're a head coach of a varsity sport another teacher will get pushed out to make room for the incoming coach/teacher.

 

Overstaffed is a word all Principals will throw out there. JCTA says that the lowest seniority person is the first to go when a Principal wants to start over staffing. So coaches that have been in the system for sometime should be safe. I know Coach Scroggins told his staff that the Principal of Central said he could be overstaffed.

[Knute Rockne]

I think Western and Seneca need their own threads.

[Johnny_Utah]

This kind of mass exodus of coaches is the same as I have seen of AD's (me included) Administration doesn't understand the accountability & liability that goes into these jobs. Teaching from 8-3, then AD from 3-whenever every single night while most admin are resting comfortably on the couch many of those nights. Countless times I would leave school after dismissal for 20-30 minutes to grab something to eat & come straight back to get everything set up for the nights game meanwhile admin would walk in just before the game & leave before it was over.

 

Doing all of this while teaching a full load of classes make it a lose/lose situation. Hard to stay afloat in the classroom with all of the demands of curriculum & grading, department meetings, SLC meetings, etc..... (and the job that keeps a roof over your head & your family fed) to the AD/coaching job that at the end of it all might keep gas in your truck.

 

I get it that it was what I chose to do, but the sad reality is that many admin are so blind to how much work goes into an athletic department that dedicated people just throw in the towel and give up.

[ftbll4life]

This kind of mass exodus of coaches is the same as I have seen of AD's (me included) Administration doesn't understand the accountability & liability that goes into these jobs. Teaching from 8-3, then AD from 3-whenever every single night while most admin are resting comfortably on the couch many of those nights. Countless times I would leave school after dismissal for 20-30 minutes to grab something to eat & come straight back to get everything set up for the nights game meanwhile admin would walk in just before the game & leave before it was over.

 

Doing all of this while teaching a full load of classes make it a lose/lose situation. Hard to stay afloat in the classroom with all of the demands of curriculum & grading, department meetings, SLC meetings, etc..... (and the job that keeps a roof over your head & your family fed) to the AD/coaching job that at the end of it all might keep gas in your truck.

 

I get it that it was what I chose to do, but the sad reality is that many admin are so blind to how much work goes into an athletic department that dedicated people just throw in the towel and give up.

 

J_Utah; You must have not been an AD in Jefferson County. No AD teaches. I thought that was one of the first things Jerry Wyman took care of when he became the AD of the District.

[Johnny_Utah]

You are correct @ftbll4life, I was not in Jefferson County. I wish that woulda happened I might still be doing AD work @ the high school level.

[bruin66]

I respect the heck out of the coaches that choose to work in the Jefferson County system. I honestly don't see how they do it with the lack of resources and lack of commitment shown by the county administration as a whole to facilities. Not just athletic facilities, but also school facilities. I believe the newest high school in Jefferson County is Ballard, which opened in 1968. Many of the building are decrepit county wide.

[FortWayne]

I would consider Male new. But you do have a very valid point. When Jefferson county teams travel out into the state it is very obvious to the student athletes that JCPS is way behind in spending of facilities of any kind.

[All Tell]

I just went to Muhlenberg County to watch the Trinity basketball team play. Beautiful facilities. Better then ANYTHING in Jefferson County. How can that be true in a small rural area like that? And I mean no disrespect at all when I say that.

[Ham Bone]

I would consider Male new. But you do have a very valid point. When Jefferson county teams travel out into the state it is very obvious to the student athletes that JCPS is way behind in spending of facilities of any kind.

 

 

Male is currently in the old Durrett High School, the Bulldogs are not at a new campus.

 

The current state of facilities borders gross negligence. Locker rooms, press boxes, fields, weight rooms, etc. are terrible county wide. There's always a strategic plan to do anything. There have been rumors in the past that Male and Manual have alumni willing to pay for turf fields and the district blocks every attempt.

[Colonels_Wear_Blue]

I think Western and Seneca need their own threads.

 

Feel free to start them :thumb: We try to let discussions bring themselves about as much as possible rather than making attempts at manufacturing them as Mods/Admins, so by all means start threads for them if you'd like to discuss them.

[sportsfan08]

I just went to Muhlenberg County to watch the Trinity basketball team play. Beautiful facilities. Better then ANYTHING in Jefferson County. How can that be true in a small rural area like that? And I mean no disrespect at all when I say that.

 

Because they have to pay for 1 school in an area with a lot of business and good sized homes that provide a nice tax base. Much easier to there than in a place like Jefferson County.

[All Tell]

Because they have to pay for 1 school in an area with a lot of business and good sized homes that provide a nice tax base. Much easier to there than in a place like Jefferson County.

 

It's not just the physical plant it's the upkeep and maintenance.

 

Many facilities in JeffCo are just plain dirty. I was in a locker room at Ballard that just flat stank because it looked like the restroom hadn't been cleaned in weeks.

 

The lights in Seneca's gym during districts last year were terrible. What were working were very dim and about a quarter of the fixtures weren't working.

 

This may have changed but at one time Fern Creek didn't have a locker room for the visiting team at the field.

 

At PRP this year one full bank of lights on their football field didn't work.

 

The visitors locker room at Manual Stadium is old and totally inadequate for a team of any size.

 

When Atherton is set up for soccer the field is just plain dangerous with steep drop-offs at one end of the field that are still in play.

 

If you can't even bother to provide clean and functional environments why would decent coaches want to stay?

[PILEDRIVER85]

I would be curious to see if there is any correlation between lesser teaching loads and success in Jefferson Co. I know that Scroggins has said that he taught a full load. Just curious about Male..... Does Wolfe teach a full load? Manual? Would a coach need to resign for family reasons if he did not have to do so many of the "little things" on his own time? How does a coach that has a full load have time to talk to coaches that are recruiting their players?

Asking..... What would fix the issues with coaching in Jefferson Co.? Would more pay make it work? less class time?

[FortWayne]

JCPS struggles to get community involvement. The "cluster" system in Louisville takes kids out of their neighborhoods and ships them all over the county. Even schools with strong alumni in the area can not do much to help their schools. The BOE will block any attempt from alumni to enhance the facilities through donations or gifts. I heard it is the same in Bullitt County right next door. They only have 3 high schools, but 1 school can not improve facilities unless all 3 do it. This practice by the BOE is very short sighted. The Bullitt County schools had track that were too dangerous to hold meets or in most cases even practice. Bullitt East had the city willing to fix and resurface the track and BOE blocked them. In both cases the board has chosen to keep all kids in very poor, unsafe, and embarrassing situations under guise of equality. It is very sad. North Bullitt had an alumnus willing to donate the money for new locker rooms and they were not allowed.