Date for hiring of new Russell coach?

[Intentional Foul]

I agree that Kidwell should get his shot. He's been a loyal Russell employee and he's a heck of a coach (both boys and girls). The only downside for Russell is that he can't coach both the boys and girls teams.

[Austydak]

I heard a couple of days ago that some of the players went and had a talk with the powers and stated if Kidwell was named they were not playing.( I heard this from an employee of the school system). Apparently Kidwell is only liked by certain people but not the ones that really matter( The Players). This could be an interesting situation before it ends.

[NashMVP]

Sounds like a case of the inmates running the prison. Merle is the best person for the job. If some of the kids don't want to play for him then let them move. They can't do much worse with just 3 or 4 wins.

[UKCATSFAN]

I heard a couple of days ago that some of the players went and had a talk with the powers and stated if Kidwell was named they were not playing.( I heard this from an employee of the school system). Apparently Kidwell is only liked by certain people but not the ones that really matter( The Players). This could be an interesting situation before it ends.

 

 

I doubt this true at all. No offense, I know you're just posting what you were told but I don't believe it for a second. The players played for Coach Dodd and he wasn't necessarily a player's coach, so Kidwell is mind compared to Dodd. I hope Merle gets the job, he's a heckava coach who deserves his shot in the boys game.

[Grover]

I know the coach is hired by the site based council, and I've heard that there is not a consensus there yet on who the new coach should be. You have to remember that parents (sometimes with agendas, sometimes not) are included on this council. This is keeping it from being cut and dried.

 

Also, if you look at the hiring history of the sports coaches (head coaches), Russell has a HORRIBLE track record of hiring its own. They have constantly overlooked those Russell employees who have either put in their time being assistant coaches and head coaches of minor sports for people from "somewhere else". Not that this is always bad, but it is the case. There is a mentality at Russell and a lot of other places that when looking for a head coach, high quality coaches come from other places, never from within. I guess it's the whole "comfortable" scenario. They all know Merle Kidwell at Russell, his good, bad, and ugly. Joe Blow from Ironton or some college comes in for an interview and they know NOTHING about him. He spins all the bells and whistles for the interviewing committee, shows them the shiny black boxes and all of a sudden, he looks GREAT! They don't know his bad and ugly, so they naively think they are more qualified than the inside people. Look back at the following (and if I forget a few, please forgive me or correct me):

 

Basketball

1. Hired Steve Dodd (from outside), passed over Merle Kidwell and Jim Conway, both Russell people and assistants. Kidwell ended up with the girls job and Conway left to become head coach in Laurel County.

 

2. Larry Stamper (from outside the district)

3. Sam Sparks (from outside the district)

 

Football

1. Hired Ivan McGlone (from outside the district)

2. Before him, I have no idea

 

Anyway, I may be totally off base, but because of the reasons I stated above, I am now believing that Merle Kidwell will not be the next head coach at Russell. I hope I am wrong.

[Madeleine Albright]

If Kidwell doesn't get the job and remains the girls head coach, I wonder how they (the girls) will react? Will they feel like second best knowing he really wants to be with the boys?

This could be a sticky situation that could affect both programs if he gets the job or if he doesn't.

[Blue Blazer]

If Kidwell doesn't get the job and remains the girls head coach, I wonder how they (the girls) will react? Will they feel like second best knowing he really wants to be with the boys?

This could be a sticky situation that could affect both programs if he gets the job or if he doesn't.

 

I don't think this will effect them(girls) too much. Coach Kidwell works hard and he will work just as hard if he stays on the girls side as if he does the boy's side. Coach Kidwell is a professional and he seems to be well liked by the girls so I would think they would be happy that he would be staying if he doesn't get the boys job. I believe he WILL be the next boy's coach, but like I've said all along I don't know why you'd want the Russell boy's job when you already coach the best basketball team in the school year in and year out! The girls is traditionally better and currently better with a much brighter future!

[Rickyp]

I know the coach is hired by the site based council, and I've heard that there is not a consensus there yet on who the new coach should be. You have to remember that parents (sometimes with agendas, sometimes not) are included on this council. This is keeping it from being cut and dried.

 

Also, if you look at the hiring history of the sports coaches (head coaches), Russell has a HORRIBLE track record of hiring its own. They have constantly overlooked those Russell employees who have either put in their time being assistant coaches and head coaches of minor sports for people from "somewhere else". Not that this is always bad, but it is the case. There is a mentality at Russell and a lot of other places that when looking for a head coach, high quality coaches come from other places, never from within. I guess it's the whole "comfortable" scenario. They all know Merle Kidwell at Russell, his good, bad, and ugly. Joe Blow from Ironton or some college comes in for an interview and they know NOTHING about him. He spins all the bells and whistles for the interviewing committee, shows them the shiny black boxes and all of a sudden, he looks GREAT! They don't know his bad and ugly, so they naively think they are more qualified than the inside people. Look back at the following (and if I forget a few, please forgive me or correct me):

 

Basketball

1. Hired Steve Dodd (from outside), passed over Merle Kidwell and Jim Conway, both Russell people and assistants. Kidwell ended up with the girls job and Conway left to become head coach in Laurel County.

 

2. Larry Stamper (from outside the district)

3. Sam Sparks (from outside the district)

 

Football

1. Hired Ivan McGlone (from outside the district)

2. Before him, I have no idea

 

Anyway, I may be totally off base, but because of the reasons I stated above, I am now believing that Merle Kidwell will not be the next head coach at Russell. I hope I am wrong.

 

That McGlone hire hasn't worked out to well.:lol:

[Grover]

That McGlone hire hasn't worked out to well.:lol:

 

How true! That is why I said it is not always a bad hire, it just wasn't someone from within the district.

[Rickyp]

How true! That is why I said it is not always a bad hire, it just wasn't someone from within the district.

 

Plus he wasn't by a site based counsil.

[Grover]

True. And I want to emphasize (because I think my earlier post was a little vague), but the school principal officially hires the coach. He can interview them all by himself if he wants to. However, they usually (and are doing so in this case) have the site based council involved in the interview and weigh their opinions to come to a consensus on the hire.

 

That being said, the site based council could say they want to hire coach X, and then the principal still hire someone else. However, this does not happen too often because it destroys the site base's climate and causes a lot of hard feelings. Also, it is based on the backbone of the principal. Some couldn't care less what the site base decides and will make a decision that they think is best, and some will always go by the site base decision, even if they don't agree with it.

[Madeleine Albright]

This has been going on for a while, what is the hold up? I have heard only a couple of candidates. GC had many more applicants and interviews, with a pending lawsuit and already hired a coach.

 

I am wondering why there were only a couple of candidates. Was it posted state wide or just locally? You would think that with the tradition Russell had that there would be more applicants.

 

Good luck to whomever gets it. :thumb:

[duck1220]

I am wondering why there were only a couple of candidates. Was it posted state wide or just locally? You would think that with the tradition Russell had that there would be more applicants.

 

Good luck to whomever gets it. :thumb:

 

 

You may be onto something here.

[Grover]

From what I hear, there were quite a few applicants. It was narrowed down to two candidates to interview. Why just two I have no idea.

[highschoolsportsfan]

You may be onto something here.

 

What are you implying here Ducky????