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Post by Wingtman on Sept 14, 2018 3:39:36 GMT -6
Private school. Haven't won more then 5 games in a season since the 60s.
Year 1:4-5
Year 2:1-9
This season: 0-4
We (I), have support of the alumni, parents,the booster club, the AD, the teachers...everyone but the school president. His thought, according to my AD is "we will just make a huge offer to someone and they will come in and make us a winner." My AD's response, "Who do you think is going to come in here?" -Side note, I make less money in my stipend then the assistant junior high volleyball coach from the public middle school. In the 3 years, I've had 4 AD's (current one is awesome). One assistant whos been with me since day one, other then that at least one new member a year (Year 2 only had 2 assistants, this season one assistant was re-assigned to soccer after last week).
We've historically been the worst program in the state since the 80s. We have no off-season program, no summer program. Our strongest kid is a 150 pound junior, who happens to live in town, so I worked with all summer. The school finally added 1 block of weight training for the first time ever (putting us only 45 years behind everyone else).
My AD has said the president is looking to make a change(same President whos been here two years and looking for a new gig himself), but he's (AD) my biggest fan (I've heard the support of all the veteran teachers too).
In the 3 years since my staff and I came in;
5 kids Academic All-State
1 game missed to grades/behavior
3 Kids playing in college.
Before us, helmets were seldom reconditioned, no Hudl, no clinics, no attempts at 7 on 7 (we were able to kind of piece some together), our shoulder pads were all from the 90s, other then what I was able to get from USA football. Now, to be fair, our AD is fantastic and went to bat, saying this wasn't safe and got us $$$ to replace these helmets with brand new ones, as well as used shoulder pads from this decade.
Its taken a lot of cleaning up, we ran 8 kids off this year because we make them come to practice, practice when they are here, and not be a donkey in the classroom. However the 26 kids we have would run through a wall for us. Now next season, there will be about 75% roster turnover, same as it is every year.
I mean, what else can I do here? Wait for the axe to drop and go somewhere else who will appreciate the effort? Current family situation makes moving very hard.
Its hard because this is my program, these are my players. I want to win, who doesnt? But call me ignorant or arrogant, no one would care about this place and program more then me.
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Post by WTR on Sept 14, 2018 7:24:42 GMT -6
Keep fighting the good fight coach. You can't control what the president does anyway. I was HC at a place similar but my fight was with the school board member. I got tired of him and resigned, things are much worse there now.
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Post by 54695469 on Sept 14, 2018 7:54:33 GMT -6
Similar story...but I know how my story ends:
Coached at a school for 15 years. Sacrificed my summer vacations and time with my kids as they were growing up. I single-handedly built a practice field at the school. Did not pursue better paying jobs in order to see this program through...Program went from nothing to playing for a state championship.
Today...20 years later, no one in the town I was at knows or cares about any of my sacrifices (no statue or museum in my honor it anything)...and I always find myself asking, "What in the hell was I thinking?"
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Post by blb on Sept 14, 2018 8:16:16 GMT -6
Wingtman Know how you feel about "your" program and "your" players, but sounds like it might be a Mercy Killing.
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Post by stilltryin on Sept 14, 2018 8:22:19 GMT -6
Similar story...but I know how my story ends: Coached at a school for 15 years. Sacrificed my summer vacations and time with my kids as they were growing up. I single-handedly built a practice field at the school. Did not pursue better paying jobs in order to see this program through...Program went from nothing to playing for a state championship. Today...20 years later, no one in the town I was at knows or cares about any of my sacrifices (no statue or museum in my honor it anything)...and I always find myself asking, "What in the hell was I thinking?" Coach, without knowing you or getting inside your head, I'm guessing what you were thinking at the time was that you were going to give those players and that program the very best you had, which is exactly what you should've been thinking. And I can't believe "no one knows or cares." Not too many high school coaches with statues, but I've got to believe there are former players who remember ... and care ... and that's no small thing. |
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Post by WTR on Sept 14, 2018 9:40:29 GMT -6
Similar story...but I know how my story ends: Coached at a school for 15 years. Sacrificed my summer vacations and time with my kids as they were growing up. I single-handedly built a practice field at the school. Did not pursue better paying jobs in order to see this program through...Program went from nothing to playing for a state championship. Today...20 years later, no one in the town I was at knows or cares about any of my sacrifices (no statue or museum in my honor it anything)...and I always find myself asking, "What in the hell was I thinking?" I understand the feeling all too well but cant fast forward 20 years just yet. |
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Post by carookie on Sept 14, 2018 13:53:43 GMT -6
Similar story...but I know how my story ends: Coached at a school for 15 years. Sacrificed my summer vacations and time with my kids as they were growing up. I single-handedly built a practice field at the school. Did not pursue better paying jobs in order to see this program through...Program went from nothing to playing for a state championship. Today...20 years later, no one in the town I was at knows or cares about any of my sacrifices (no statue or museum in my honor it anything)...and I always find myself asking, "What in the hell was I thinking?" I'd imagine/hope that those players who played for you have benefited from your sacrifices. You may not get glory, but I am sure your work had impact. |
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Post by dubber on Sept 14, 2018 15:32:15 GMT -6
"Family situation makes moving tough....."
This is number 1.
Work out a solution that doesn't mess with the family, and if the only solution is stay, then stay.
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Post by dubber on Sept 14, 2018 15:33:13 GMT -6
By the way, this is the most fatalistic thread title I've seen......I expected a veteran coach with stage 4 cancer and a gofundme page.......
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Post by aceback76 on Sept 14, 2018 21:25:11 GMT -6
Private school. Haven't won more then 5 games in a season since the 60s. Year 1:4-5 Year 2:1-9 This season: 0-4 We (I), have support of the alumni, parents,the booster club, the AD, the teachers...everyone but the school president. His thought, according to my AD is "we will just make a huge offer to someone and they will come in and make us a winner." My AD's response, "Who do you think is going to come in here?" -Side note, I make less money in my stipend then the assistant junior high volleyball coach from the public middle school. In the 3 years, I've had 4 AD's (current one is awesome). One assistant whos been with me since day one, other then that at least one new member a year (Year 2 only had 2 assistants, this season one assistant was re-assigned to soccer after last week). We've historically been the worst program in the state since the 80s. We have no off-season program, no summer program. Our strongest kid is a 150 pound junior, who happens to live in town, so I worked with all summer. The school finally added 1 block of weight training for the first time ever (putting us only 45 years behind everyone else). My AD has said the president is looking to make a change(same President whos been here two years and looking for a new gig himself), but he's (AD) my biggest fan (I've heard the support of all the veteran teachers too). In the 3 years since my staff and I came in; 5 kids Academic All-State 1 game missed to grades/behavior 3 Kids playing in college. Before us, helmets were seldom reconditioned, no Hudl, no clinics, no attempts at 7 on 7 (we were able to kind of piece some together), our shoulder pads were all from the 90s, other then what I was able to get from USA football. Now, to be fair, our AD is fantastic and went to bat, saying this wasn't safe and got us $$$ to replace these helmets with brand new ones, as well as used shoulder pads from this decade. Its taken a lot of cleaning up, we ran 8 kids off this year because we make them come to practice, practice when they are here, and not be a donkey in the classroom. However the 26 kids we have would run through a wall for us. Now next season, there will be about 75% roster turnover, same as it is every year. I mean, what else can I do here? Wait for the axe to drop and go somewhere else who will appreciate the effort? Current family situation makes moving very hard. Its hard because this is my program, these are my players. I want to win, who doesnt? But call me ignorant or arrogant, no one would care about this place and program more then me. Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. |
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Post by utchuckd on Sept 15, 2018 6:39:01 GMT -6
Similar story...but I know how my story ends: Coached at a school for 15 years. Sacrificed my summer vacations and time with my kids as they were growing up. I single-handedly built a practice field at the school. Did not pursue better paying jobs in order to see this program through...Program went from nothing to playing for a state championship. Today...20 years later, no one in the town I was at knows or cares about any of my sacrifices (no statue or museum in my honor it anything)...and I always find myself asking, "What in the hell was I thinking?" You should've spent your time and effort building a culture instead of a practice field. |
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Post by planck on Sept 15, 2018 7:14:58 GMT -6
Similar story...but I know how my story ends: Coached at a school for 15 years. Sacrificed my summer vacations and time with my kids as they were growing up. I single-handedly built a practice field at the school. Did not pursue better paying jobs in order to see this program through...Program went from nothing to playing for a state championship. Today...20 years later, no one in the town I was at knows or cares about any of my sacrifices (no statue or museum in my honor it anything)...and I always find myself asking, "What in the hell was I thinking?" You should've spent your time and effort building a culture instead of a practice field. I'm starting to realize that politicking and community stuff is just as important as actual football knowledge. Which sucks, because I'm a technical person, not a sales person. |
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Post by coachdubyah on Sept 15, 2018 7:58:51 GMT -6
You should've spent your time and effort building a culture instead of a practice field. I'm starting to realize that politicking and community stuff is just as important as actual football knowledge. Which sucks, because I'm a technical person, not a sales person. Ditto. |
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Post by 54695469 on Sept 15, 2018 8:19:09 GMT -6
Similar story...but I know how my story ends: Coached at a school for 15 years. Sacrificed my summer vacations and time with my kids as they were growing up. I single-handedly built a practice field at the school. Did not pursue better paying jobs in order to see this program through...Program went from nothing to playing for a state championship. Today...20 years later, no one in the town I was at knows or cares about any of my sacrifices (no statue or museum in my honor it anything)...and I always find myself asking, "What in the hell was I thinking?" You should've spent your time and effort building a culture instead of a practice field. Ha! Yep,I guess so. Seriously, though, that culture stuff just happens when you just do what's right. No need for all the silly stuff that folks are doing now...but I understand your dig at me. Hope that the original poster hangs in and that everything works out well for him! |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2018 18:41:37 GMT -6
You should've spent your time and effort building a culture instead of a practice field. I'm starting to realize that politicking and community stuff is just as important as actual football knowledge. Which sucks, because I'm a technical person, not a sales person. Same. I've realized this is true of anything related to education. It's all about putting on a show and looking like you're awesome, even when you're not, because the people hiring, watching, and the kids you work with honestly can't tell the difference as long as the results (whether it's test scores or wins and losses) look good. Let's face it, the blustery guy with the right name and/or political connections who spent a few years putting D1 WRs through ladder drills at a top program will always stand a better chance of landing a gig than the quiet student of the game who's made 5-5 chicken salad out of chicken$hit at a place with a fraction of the talent. That's just the nature of the beast. |
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Post by newhope on Sept 20, 2018 9:35:27 GMT -6
It's tough enough at a public school, but coaching at a private school where all you really need is one important person to decide you need to go and you're gone no matter what.....that's just too difficult. I hope it works out for you, but as a former principal used to say, "don't let the b*st*rds get you down"
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Post by throwahitch on Sept 20, 2018 11:49:20 GMT -6
You should've spent your time and effort building a culture instead of a practice field. Ha! Yep,I guess so. Seriously, though, that culture stuff just happens when you just do what's right. No need for all the silly stuff that folks are doing now...but I understand your dig at me. Hope that the original poster hangs in and that everything works out well for him! Exactly. I think too many people think there’s a way around demanding excellence and working hard. That’s why every offense book saying that “you don’t really have to block people well” sells 10000 copies. |
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Post by freezeoption on Sept 22, 2018 21:45:24 GMT -6
I went by your school and field this summer Wingtman. Update your resume, there are schools around there that you could commute to if something happens. You are right, you have a lot stacked against you, all you can do is to keep plugging away. Do they give you anything to try to get recruits in? Since you get guys from all over the US if you could recruit you might be able to get some standouts. That is an advantage you would have over the publics.
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Post by coachcb on Sept 24, 2018 8:58:02 GMT -6
I imagine we all walked into this profession with dreams of building a strong football program somewhere. But, at the end of the day, one has to weigh the pros and cons of trying to do so and the stress involved.
I took over a program that hadn't won a game in five years. Our first year out, we had low numbers and still didn't win a game but we were competitive. The next year, we won two games, played some tight ones and gave a team that ended up playing for the 'ship a run for their money. The next year was looking promising (a potential play-off run) but I was fighting to get the kids into the weight room, to attend ONE team camp each summer and dealing with a basketball community that worked against us at every turn.
I sat back and thought about all of the hours the staff and I had put in over the last few years; practice, games, watching film, and meetings.. And, what was our return? A basketball coach and a large group of parents who talked kids out of everything BUT basketball. For me, it just wasn't worth it any more and I called it quits. It wasn't about the wins and losses; I was done battling with people who didn't want to see football succeed.
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Post by Hitch & Pitch on Sept 24, 2018 14:33:33 GMT -6
You should've spent your time and effort building a culture instead of a practice field. Ha! Yep,I guess so. Seriously, though, that culture stuff just happens when you just do what's right. No need for all the silly stuff that folks are doing now...but I understand your dig at me. Hope that the original poster hangs in and that everything works out well for him! I believe when kids and community seeing you working hard and the success of the program is important to you, that is building culture. If you sit around and bitch and complain about the school and facilities, you are creating a culture of bitching and complaining.. |
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Post by blb on Sept 24, 2018 14:51:10 GMT -6
When "you feel the end is near," you have two choices:
Go out on your own terms, or let them show you the door.
Either way, tell them to notice the sprig of Mistletoe on the back bottom of your coat as you leave.
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