Coaching Turnover

[retropop]

Another girls' hoops season is just around the corner, and the normal game of musical coaching chairs is in full swing. Year after year it seems that there are an amazingly high number of girls' head basketball coaching changes around the state. So this question begs to be asked: WHY SO MANY - especially when compared to the boys' head coaching jobs around Kentucky?

[Claude Henry Smmoott]

I don't know how many boys coaching jobs were open this year but I do know there were approximately 43 girls jobs open at some point after last season. That seems high but I don't have any great theories about the causes. Teaching cuts/openings, moving to bigger programs, moving closer to one's home, getting out of coaching due to family reasons, etc????

 

I do wonder how much importance a school puts into filling their coaching positions. If you get someone who is a little hesitant initially makes you believe they won't be able to tolerate the time and trials of being a head coach.

 

Any other guesses?

[DerbyCity]

For the past 6 plus years, we have averaged 40-50 girls vacancies per year. So the # is in no way unusual per the trend in Kentucky at least.

[gbbfan]

I believe it's because parents meddle more in girls basketball than boys basketball. Mom and Dad are the first to think and/say - "How dare that coach treat my little girl that way." Whereas, if it were a guy, the thought would be - "Get tougher kid and handle it." Parents of girl basketball players cause so many more problems but much of it also has to do with the players. Girls tend to gossip more, complain more, and tell their parents more than boys do and that all tends to cause problems. Don't see the turnover rate slowing down anytime soon. If the parents would just let them play and try to have the same attitude that they have with their sons, things would be so much better. But . ........ that's only one person's opinion. I could be completely wrong.

[hoopsr1]

Agree wholeheartedly with above!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[thomasmoredad]

I think parents in general cause a lot of turmoil within most athletic departments. With playing time being the number one issue. I feel that parents tend to complain less to or about boys coaches because they are men but for some reason they feel its ok to complain to and about the girls coach. I think the gender issue comes squarely into play here. I think in general parents are less apt to take on a male coach versus a female coach.

[Golfer Dad]

Do most schools look for coaches with completely different styles of play or are there other reason so many vacancies every year. It seems alot of girls coaches leave to take on a boys program.

[Claude Henry Smmoott]

How many (who are they) girls head coaches left to take the head coaching job in a boys program this season?

[shamrock fan]

I believe it's because parents meddle more in girls basketball than boys basketball. Mom and Dad are the first to think and/say - "How dare that coach treat my little girl that way." Whereas, if it were a guy, the thought would be - "Get tougher kid and handle it." Parents of girl basketball players cause so many more problems but much of it also has to do with the players. Girls tend to gossip more, complain more, and tell their parents more than boys do and that all tends to cause problems. Don't see the turnover rate slowing down anytime soon. If the parents would just let them play and try to have the same attitude that they have with their sons, things would be so much better. But . ........ that's only one person's opinion. I could be completely wrong.

 

I think parents in general cause a lot of turmoil within most athletic departments. With playing time being the number one issue. I feel that parents tend to complain less to or about boys coaches because they are men but for some reason they feel its ok to complain to and about the girls coach. I think the gender issue comes squarely into play here. I think in general parents are less apt to take on a male coach versus a female coach.

 

 

I think you're both correct.

[stalkingpanther]

Do most schools look for coaches with completely different styles of play or are there other reason so many vacancies every year. It seems alot of girls coaches leave to take on a boys program.

 

FACT: Most men don't set coaching girls as their career goal. They use the girls' positions as "stepping stones" to boys programs. It is a sad but true fact. The positions pay the same, but are revered as "a step up". I have seen several cases of this and in the end, the coaches regretted this move. Some have had greater success coaching girls and a couple have even told me that they missed coaching girls because the girls were more coachable. I just think its sad that society views the girls as "training teams" and "stepping stones".

[buttels]

I think you're both correct.

Absolutely!!!

 

Just ask Christie McDonald at NCC!!!! Nothing against Coach Dawn but geeezzzzz

[powerplant1]

For the past 6 plus years, we have averaged 40-50 girls vacancies per year. So the # is in no way unusual per the trend in Kentucky at least.

 

That number is crazy how are you suppose to build programs with that going on.

[big royal daddy]

I think you're both correct.

 

I agree with all of you, and I am man enough to admit that at one time myself and my wife along with some other parents are the people you are responding to. I make no apologies for myself for the simple fact that in our case the head coach along with some of her staff were basically inept at handling young girls emotions, building team unity and morall, and teaching fundamentals to the bench players. Like I said, I agree with all three of you fundamentally. but what do you do when in certain cases the parents are right and the powers that be won't listen or admit they are wrong in having hired or retained certain people to coach who aren't cutting the mustard.:confused:

[sweet16]

I believe it's because parents meddle more in girls basketball than boys basketball. Mom and Dad are the first to think and/say - "How dare that coach treat my little girl that way." Whereas, if it were a guy, the thought would be - "Get tougher kid and handle it." Parents of girl basketball players cause so many more problems but much of it also has to do with the players. Girls tend to gossip more, complain more, and tell their parents more than boys do and that all tends to cause problems. Don't see the turnover rate slowing down anytime soon. If the parents would just let them play and try to have the same attitude that they have with their sons, things would be so much better. But . ........ that's only one person's opinion. I could be completely wrong.

 

Believe me when I say this. You are right on the money with that post.

[gbbfan]

thanks Sweet 16, I felt like I had a good handle on it. And adding to that ... when you have an administration who just wants to make the parents "happy" (which we all know never last for long), and doesn't support the coach, then the coach has no chance at all. We have seen it all too often where the coach has the discipline, knowledge, and success to back them up, but the administration caves in to the complaining, whining, money-power, influential . . . . . . well I think you get the idea . . . . . parents. Sad, sad, state of affairs. We have lost some very good coaches because of it.