Ok Gentlemen, and Ladies, I have a semi-hypothetical situation.

LEts say a coach has been brought in to an already struggling program to "turn things around". This coach went through NO interview process, and was conveniently the only choice the site based had. He has ties with the local politicians. Let's say this coach has an overall record of 1-19 (1-9 coming in). The players, parents, and community fail to get behind him for whatever reason, perhaps he is not very knowledgable, as the season progresses, a total of 30 players have quit the team since day 1, and the team has gotten worse.

Should the administration give him another year to prove himself based on the fact that they have already had several coaching hires in the past?

I believe you can not fire a coach and a win-loss basis alone after the first year. However, if the program is getting worse, kids are quitting, and several other factors are in play then there is more at hand than a win loss situation. Why did the kids quit? Was it because they couldn't handle losing or was it because the head coach didn't respect his players and truely care for them? Why wasn't the community behind him? Did he do things that caused several in the town to become angry with him other than the fact he wasn't winning (such as was he not a man of his word)? Did he not run the program right such as doing other things than watching film with his players? These are just a few questions that could be asked in whether or not he should stay around.

Ok Gentlemen, and Ladies, I have a semi-hypothetical situation.

LEts say a coach has been brought in to an already struggling program to "turn things around". This coach went through NO interview process, and was conveniently the only choice the site based had. He has ties with the local politicians. Let's say this coach has an overall record of 1-19 (1-9 coming in). The players, parents, and community fail to get behind him for whatever reason, perhaps he is not very knowledgeable, as the season progresses, a total of 30 players have quit the team since day 1, and the team has gotten worse.

Should the administration give him another year to prove himself based on the fact that they have already had several coaching hires in the past?

Hypothetical response....

1) If 30 players have quit this team or any team, a program will not be successful.

 

2) If he was the only option, than the system should be glad he applied and was willing to take the Head Coach position.

 

3) Ties with local politicians, I see no relevance to this and being a Football coach at a High School.

 

4) No community support, often means negative comments to players and those wanting to help the program.

 

5) If the school Administration wants to look elsewhere, they are certainly within their right.

 

My final hypothetical response, to all the Players, Parents and Coaches at this hypothetical school...."It's much easier to be part of the solution, than to be part of the problem".

Hypothetical response....

1) If 30 players have quit this team or any team, a program will not be successful.

 

2) If he was the only option, than the system should be glad he applied and was willing to take the Head Coach position.

 

3) Ties with local politicians, I see no relevance to this and being a Football coach at a High School.

 

4) No community support, often means negative comments to players and those wanting to help the program.

 

5) If the school Administration wants to look elsewhere, they are certainly within their right.

 

My final hypothetical response, to all the Players, Parents and Coaches at this hypothetical school...."It's much easier to be part of the solution, than to be part of the problem".

 

Hypothetically, HE was by no means the only one to apply

THe politician has a LOT of pull with the board and has much influence on the Board member as well as the superintendent. In a perfect world, it would have no bearing but in this case, it WAS the reason he was hired, after 15 years of going from team to team in the county as a volunteer.

Hypothetically, HE was by no means the only one to apply

THe politician has a LOT of pull with the board and has much influence on the Board member as well as the superintendent. In a perfect world, it would have no bearing but in this case, it WAS the reason he was hired, after 15 years of going from team to team in the county as a volunteer.

You said he was "was conveniently the only choice the site based had" and if so, they hired him.

 

Than someone from the disgruntled group, need to offer a replacement or suitable Coach, to assume the duties. If this hypothetical coach, has helped for 15 years, I admire his loyalty. Perhaps others, need to consider offering their knowledge and time.

 

If winning and losing, is the only measurement of a Coaches effectiveness, there would be numerous High School sports, without coaches.

You said he was "was conveniently the only choice the site based had" and if so, they hired him.

 

Than someone from the disgruntled group, need to offer a replacement or suitable Coach, to assume the duties. If this hypothetical coach, has helped for 15 years, I admire his loyalty. Perhaps others, need to consider offering their knowledge and time.

 

If winning and losing, is the only measurement of a Coaches effectiveness, there would be numerous High School sports, without coaches.

 

I meant he was the only one submitted to site based

 

I don't necessarily think it is about his win loss record. I am a neutral bystander in this hypothetical world. I am just presenting facts as they come, trying to predict the future.

There are some people who are not cut out for certain jobs. But with that said, look at Rich Brooks. Everybody was saying he could never get it done at Kentucky, and he has turned the program around. This guy may not be doing everything right, but I guarantee he is not doing everything wrong. It also may not be a reflection of the coach that so many has quit. It may be the result of what the program was before he got there. If you have not demanded complete dedication in the past, it usually causes problems when the new coach comes in. Somebody believes in him or he would not have been hired.

Good point!

Ok Gentlemen, and Ladies, I have a semi-hypothetical situation.

LEts say a coach has been brought in to an already struggling program to "turn things around". This coach went through NO interview process, and was conveniently the only choice the site based had. He has ties with the local politicians. Let's say this coach has an overall record of 1-19 (1-9 coming in). The players, parents, and community fail to get behind him for whatever reason, perhaps he is not very knowledgable, as the season progresses, a total of 30 players have quit the team since day 1, and the team has gotten worse.

Should the administration give him another year to prove himself based on the fact that they have already had several coaching hires in the past?

 

Moose, there are so many variables that play into why kids quit. Maybe some aren't willing to make the commitment. Maybe some aren't willing to be team players. Or, maybe the coach has run them off.

 

It's tough to get sound advice on a website that doesn't know 100% of the story. I've seen a few schools where kids quit and parents blame the coach when it's a commitment issue on their end, not the coaches...

 

Just my opinion...

Moose, there are so many variables that play into why kids quit. Maybe some aren't willing to make the commitment. Maybe some aren't willing to be team players. Or, maybe the coach has run them off.

 

It's tough to get sound advice on a website that doesn't know 100% of the story. I've seen a few schools where kids quit and parents blame the coach when it's a commitment issue on their end, not the coaches...

 

Just my opinion...

 

And mine.

a total of 30 players have quit the team since day 1,

 

30 players quiting the team may not be all of the coaches fault. Back when I was playing in Alabama out biggest County rival Wellborn High had over 40 players quit the team after a new coach was hired. He started a weight lifting program, installed a new offense and made the kids try out for starting spots and that is when the stuff hit the fan. The parents tried to get involved and it went down hill from there. They had 21 one kids left and they gave us our toughest games of the year. With those 21 players left he installed the Notre Dame Box which was very hard to defend for high school kids. They went 9-2 that year with their only losses to us. Both games were 14-7 and we went on the the state championship that year.

Moose, there are so many variables that play into why kids quit. Maybe some aren't willing to make the commitment. Maybe some aren't willing to be team players. Or, maybe the coach has run them off.

 

It's tough to get sound advice on a website that doesn't know 100% of the story. I've seen a few schools where kids quit and parents blame the coach when it's a commitment issue on their end, not the coaches...

 

Just my opinion...

 

Yes, I agree. I guess there is no way to really get at what I want to know without naming names and such, but I don't feel it is fair to do so on here just yet. I will try to rephrase the question when(if) I can come up with a better way of putting it. I re-read my post and it sounded to negative.

Five kids quits and there is a red flag, but 30?

Five kids quits and there is a red flag, but 30?

 

Red Flag definitely. But the red flag may be that there is a mentality of not being committed and not working hard enough that the coach is trying to get rid of.

 

The red flag may be that the parents are upset that the coach is wanting to have their kid be at practice on time, do good in classwork, work hard and condition, be at weightlifting, act like young gentleman and the kids are not wanting to make that commitment.

 

And so the kid goes home and he WON'T tell the parents that he is quitting because he doesn't want to work hard enough. Instead, he says the coach is a jerk, not making it any fun, etc, etc.

 

The coach too many times is the blame, NOT THE REASON.

Having coached in a situation such as described above, if a program is down that much you need to give a coach time to get it turned around. Usually in a program as you described there is a lot of finger pointing by all parties; parents, coaches players, administrators, etc. In all reality if you want to turn it around, support the coach, staff, and players. Make the players accountable as well as the coaching staff. Golden Rule: There is no quick fix to the problem and it will take time with support and a good system. The players also need to take accountability of THEIR team and do the things necessary to turn it in the positive direction. EVEN if that entails telling mommy and daddy that they have had their turn at sports let me have mine. Hardest thing to do as a parent is watch your child go through a losing season or trying to turn a struggling program around especially if you don't agree with everything going on, but most head coaches go into that position with a plan. Remember that the journey is just as important as the destination. Good luck to all.:thumb: