I just lost my job!!

After the 2005 season I was informed that they would not renew my contract. It is the best thing that ever happened for my coaching career. I was in a school where the kids didn't buy in and where the expectations were just not realistic. God opened the door for me to get my current job at a great school with hard-working kids, supportive administration, parents who get it, etc.

When I was fired, the basketball coach at that school told me, "There are two types of coaches: those that have been fired and those that are going to be fired."

Remember, life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how your respond. Keep your chin up, be professional in dealing with this situation, and trust God to lead you to a better situation.

I just went throught the same thing in November at my alma mater where I have also been teaching my entire career. I was done in by local politics and replaced by a 24 year old with no high school coaching experience whatsoever ( 1 year as college coach and 1 year as a college GA). I too was hurt very badly by what happened, but I took the approach that touchdownmaker touched on, "When one door closes another opens". I applied to a local small school and was hired as its Head Coach just last week. I took a cut in pay and went from the AAA level to the A level, but as others mentioned it has been a blessing. To this point I have been warmly welcomed and the change has been a breath of fresh air.

Don't despair, pick yourself up and find another place where you will be wanted. Keep knocking on doors until one opens up. How you handle the adversity speaks very loudly as to who you are. Let people know that you are not going to let this get you down.

Good luck and keep trying!

I have been shown the door before, and it does hurt. I actually got let go 6 months before I left, so I had to finish some huge projects for the school, knowing I wouldn't be there to enjoy it. Pretty tough. Not because I lost a job, I just felt like I lost the confidence of the people I most tried to serve. That was hard. Makes you angry, makes you frustrated, makes you question what you did, and generally feels like you just got kicked in the...well, you know what I mean.

I was AD, HC, and had built a 20 acre athletic complex, done all the GC work, pulled all the permits to save money, and as soon as I was done they wanted somebody else to run it all. It was tough.

Here are a few things that I had to get perspective on, and that I did that helped me:

1) I cannot control what others think, but I know I gave my very best at all times, and to the best of my knowledge, it was for the right reasons.

2) Don't make the job seem more than it was. I tend to romanticize the past as better than it actually was, and it leads to a skewed sense of how hard you actually had to work to please the people who just let you go. It was actually probably a good thing I got out of there, for a lot of reasons.

3) I made a punch list of those things I would do differently, if I got another job. This is a good discipline of humility to acknowledge that we all need to improve, and it might be a good time to assess what we can take away from the experience to get better. Be sure to include what you felt you did well. Talk to any of your friendly staff for input either way as well.

4) I made a few contacts with those I was close to in the job, but didn't have anything to do with the decision that was made, and I thanked them for their support and help. It helps them know they did a good thing, and you get to forget about how you feel for a little while as you thank and encourage someone else. One thing to avoid here is talking about the decision made, and the person who made it. That friend is still at the school, and it doesn't do them any good to have a less opinion of the administrator.

5) Finally, This gave me a chance to really think about what I was doing and why. It will give you a chance to really think about what you want to do next in coaching, or something else, and either way, it will strengthen your convictions about what you do and why. This can lead to some personal goal setting that may not have been done for a while because you have been so busy.

The emotions will subside. Just try to avoid that self pity monster, through keeping yourself busy in helping others while you have some extra time and are looking.

Oh yeah, if you're married and you have some extra time, help her out with stuff on the honey-do list, and make sure you have a lot of s3x. That'll make you right as rain.

I am not a psychoanalyst, but I have been where you are, and while your emotions will betray you at every turn in how you want to feel about this, I found that a few productive steps helped me get the ball rolling in some other directions.


Hope that helps, and good luck.

A person's true character shows when things are going really well, or when things are going really bad.

"If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same..."

This is an opportunity to show your true character. This is an opportunity to demonstrate to all who are looking how to deal with adversity. This is an opportunity to grow. This is an opportunity to begin a new adventure....

Good luck Coach, and let us know how it turns out.

Here is the best thing I got from one of the clinics I went to:


"You are not a good coach until you've been fired"


I cannot speak from experience, but I imagine someday I will.

Coach I feel for you I been there done that. Coach take care of your family and move on with your experience there's a lot more kids you can make a difference in else where. As said above the Lord opens doors and closes them, find the one his opening. Good luck

Not fired, but I felt pushed out the door.

I was a lay coach who had spent 8 years at my alma mater, and I was finishing my student teaching. It was clear that the second year principal and first year HC didn't want me around and certainly weren't going to hire me full time, so I hit the road.

Now I'm at a great school now with great administration and hopefully a great HC (since it's going to be me this upcoming season!). I wouldn't want to be back there for any amount of money, even though I still love so many of the people there.

Like so many have said, keep your head up because it's probably for the best. You'll come out of it on top.

Yeah it sucks a lot of people are going through this type of situation right now. The good thing is from what I hear a lot of teaching and coaching jobs will open up soon.

I saw myself in the video at :21, short guy glasses, mustache, and goatee, don't always wear my loverboy head band. (loverboy-working for the weekend-mike reno headband) showing my age. THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR YOUR EXPERIANCES. When I was a kid, coaches were my heroes, it is nice to know THEY STILL ARE!!!!

Just curious you having any luck finding anything yet?

MidlineQ, thanks for the story. I really enjoy hearing about stuff like that, as a young coach, only been coaching 12 years, it is good to hear about what could happen.

Coach Slack, thanks for all of the advice. Great post. BTW I thought s3x was code for "three-way". I had to take about five double takes before I got it.

This good stuff. I have not been in the situation, but I believe that it could happen. I really am sorry Cujo, but I tell KEEP YOUR HEAD UP and keep doing your best!

i know exactly what you are going through. i have been in this great career for 28 years. have went through the firings a couple of times. both times i was recommended for rehire but the illustrious and all knowing boards of education made another decision. the attitude that you must have is to press on and persevere. you have to be in this thing for the kids. if you are you'll be fine. don't wallow in self pity but go out and keep doing this thing! i'm sure you have alot to offer to the unguided youth of your area.its the coaches that don't get emotional about firings that worry me. you will always have players that you will remember,but go build relationships with others. help them get the benefit of you and your expertise.i just always wanted to prove to the hammer heads on boards that make unwarranted decision that they made a huge mistake. and it seems that i have always been blessed and fortunate that this happened. every opportunity i have gotten was always better than the last. so be optimistic and go out and seek that next opportunity. you'll be surprised and happy!

Where do you coach at?