Saw a quote.... "Never be the head coach at your alma mater. They will never love you, like you love them."

I get that perspective! I was blessed and honored to be the head football coach in my hometown. It was a great experience but it was TOUGH. Of all 4 places I have been, being the head coach in my hometown was the toughest. Tough does not mean bad. Easy does not mean good. I would not trade my seven years coaching the Titans for anything. 

 

Curious... what do others think.... is it a good idea to go back to your hometown and be the head football coach?

Something I’ve always wanted to do! But never the right time. But coach you’re so right! Also love coaching wherever I’m at! 

Welcome to BGP @DanGiga!

I wouldn't know but I would think it would magnify everything.  The good or great times would be just a little better, while the bad times would be just a little worse. 

I went back to my hometown to start my coaching career as an assistant. There have been some bumps in the road, but it has also been quite rewarding as well. Definitely a full circle experience.   

Welcome to BGP @OLChew74!

14 hours ago, BEChargers said:

I wouldn't know but I would think it would magnify everything.  The good or great times would be just a little better, while the bad times would be just a little worse. 

Winning meant fewer fires to put out the following week. After a loss, eat your Wheaties. That part was definitely magnified in my experience. 

18 hours ago, ChiefSmoke said:

Saw a quote.... "Never be the head coach at your alma mater. They will never love you, like you love them."

I get that perspective! I was blessed and honored to be the head football coach in my hometown. It was a great experience but it was TOUGH. Of all 4 places I have been, being the head coach in my hometown was the toughest. Tough does not mean bad. Easy does not mean good. I would not trade my seven years coaching the Titans for anything. 

 

Curious... what do others think.... is it a good idea to go back to your hometown and be the head football coach?

I would say it often depends on the district superintendent or principal. Do they support the head coach/staff for trying to do what is the best thing for the team/program, or, do they want to appease buddies in the community and answer to “power brokers” in town?

Football Confucious man once said

"Take a head job in a new place? You create you enemies. Take a head job in your hometown? You inherit them."

54 minutes ago, Calico Jack said:

Football Confucious man once said

"Take a head job in a new place? You create you enemies. Take a head job in your hometown? You inherit them."

I would add create and inherit them in your hometown.

50 minutes ago, okie1 said:

I would add create and inherit them in your hometown.

Precisely that.

I would assume that coaching in your hometown would be a rewarding struggle, to say. You will make friends that turn into enemies when things go south. You will put your trust into people who will help you, while trying to find your replacement plan. The administration will support you financially, while criticizing your job performance to their colleagues in the school. Did I leave anything out? 

 

Seriously though, I feel like this could be very rewarding to most. Things will mean "just a little bit more" as they say. When done correctly and with success, I would have to think it's the top of the mountain for most coaches? Also, I find it interesting the amount of coaches who either choose NOT to coach in their hometown, or their hometown chooses to not allow them. Very interesting dynamic. I've not done it, and won't. I do respect and appreciate those who try and tackle it. 

It's definitely has been a Challenge. When I sat down with my Family to talk to them about the Freshman Job at Highlands, they knew we would have to make many sacrifices. No more pregame tailgating for Coach. No more Post game Parties for Coach either. I sometimes wonder if my Wife resents me doing it because of some of the things she and I had to sacrifice together? Who am I kidding, she just goes and does that stuff without me. LOL!

She wouldn't change a thing about our/my Coaching situation. She was born and raised a Bluebird and knows what time it takes to be a quality program. She knows my passion I have for my Program and the enjoyment we get as a Family making High School Football memories together as a Family.

When Coach Sphire approached me about the Freshman Job 4 years ago the 1st thing that came to my mind was, will everyone still talk to me when this is all over? I knew going in that you will never make everyone happy. Not going to happen. It's how you manage Coaching Kids in your Hometown and find a happy medium. I knew what I was getting into. Freshman Football is still a HS sport and it is our Jobs to teach Kids how to compete and hopefully Win a few ballgames along the way. 

Would I go back and change anything that I have done along those 24 years of coaching Youth in Ft Thomas? Nah! I am having a blast being a Head Coach in the Town that I grew up in.

Go Birds!

I graduated from HS in 1999. I started coaching football in 2005 at that same HS. In 2018 I was named the head coach of that HS. In the spring of 2022 I resigned from that position so that my kids could stop being held back by my dreams. In the 4 years I was the head coach, our team went to the OHSAA playoffs 4 times. Something no other coach at that school had ever done. In those four seasons, our conference record was 17-2. We won games. Many of the kids I coached were children of the people with which I graduated high school. The town loved its football, but the school and its offerings were not improving at the same rate. Eventually I had to choose between what I wanted for me, and what I wanted for my kids. 

 

As a guy that dedicated 17 years to his alma mater, I can honestly say that it is definitely worth the trouble. I wish the circumstances that caused me to leave had been different, because I'd still be there.  

Having said that, my sons have definitely benefitted from being in the Cooper district far more than they would have where we came from. My wife and I made the right choice for them, and that's what matters to us. 

This is a great thread and topic.  Awesome points.

When I got out of college and started coaching varsity football right away at 22.  My goal was to be a head coach, and ideally at my alma mater.

As the years and seasons went on and I gained more experience, more responsibilities coaching and teaching at different schools, I saw some coaching colleagues of mine get that opportunity to coach at their alma maters.  

I saw the good, the bad, the ugly, and some things that are beyond reprehensible.

Unfortunately, the good was very few and far between.  

So my dreams changed and I decided that I never wanted to be a head coach after that and stuck with being a coordinator for years, until I couldn't stand missing my own kids' activities as they were playing soccer as 3 years old while I was at films.  

So, it takes a very special person to take the head coaching job in their home town.  It takes even a better guy to stick with that job. It's not for the faint of heart, especially in small communities.  But as they say, winning fixes almost everything, so if you are going tp take on this job, you better win a lot more than you lose.  And I'd really, really not recommend taking your hometown/alma mater gig if it involves a major rebuild and major change of culture.  I'm talking about the type of rebuild that'll take 4-5 years to maybe get to .500.  I saw that first hand with an excellent coach, well year 2 he went 0-10 and he never coached again after that which was a shame.  He was an excellent coach in a hopeless situation with zero support and even fewer athletes. But, if you win, it's going to be the most rewarding thing for you, truly living the dream.