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Post by airraider on Jul 27, 2007 9:03:55 GMT -6
How many of you are totally satisfied with the job you currently have?
I "like" my job.. but of course there are dozens of things that could be different..
"Loved" my old job.. but there were dozens of things that could have been different..
First off.. old job.. rural.. not out in the country.. but small town.. quaint..
New job.. inner city.. really!! bad neigborhood..
Old Job was really close to my house..
New job is 40 miles away..
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Post by brophy on Jul 27, 2007 9:11:20 GMT -6
Good question (I think)
I like my job. I am on a good staff, except for the OC, who no one likes.
I believe in the program and the challenge/opportunity presented.
Of all the places I could've gone, this one probably affords me the most opportunity to be myself.
The only thing I would prefer would be more organization because I get like that sometimes.....to build the confidence in our plan. I'm not a "wing it" kinda guy.
Head coach is a good man, that I believe in, and is a great public speaker.
Campus is close to my "real job" and other than the occassion murder or shooting, is a nice neighborhood full of good people.
Last job was a great environment mostly because the other guys on staff drank more than me....but realistically, we had no shot at winning much (just the dynamics of the conference) and neither did any other staff there.
This job, have a great opportunity to win because of conference parity.
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Post by fbdoc on Jul 27, 2007 9:16:12 GMT -6
This type of question is better asked at the end of the season or during the winter - when people may be considering a change of venue - not 1 week prior to taking the field for 2-a-days! But, to answer your question. Neighborhood - Suburbs School - Small Christian Proximity - 2.2 miles from home Administration - Outstanding Facilities - Average Equipment - Excellent Staff - Just went from average to Good! Talent - 2 or 3 small college prospects each year. The rest are slow and small  Teaching load - Dean of Students (former AD) so it's pretty good. Salary - Good How long? - starting my 7th year as the HC at this school (Program is 9 years old). And what do I want to do? Go back to the college level and be a Head Coach! |
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Post by tothehouse on Jul 27, 2007 9:20:37 GMT -6
I'm vacationing in an affluent part of Southern CA right now. Driving by a few high schools my wife says, "would you look into getting a job there?". Didn't take a second to say, "NO". What I(we) have.... 1) Great town we live in/climate etc. is great 2) Great community support (6,000 fans a game, games on TV/Radio) 3) Tradition - 80% winning percentage since 1990. 4) I have a great situation teaching (after a few years of major issues) 5) Vested time - Coaching at our place is like a second full time job. I feel vested in all of the time spent. 6) Commute to school is 12 minutes (only 1 traffic light - if one car is in front of me it's a traffic jam). I definately have some negatives that sometimes bug me to death, but when it comes down to it....this is a great place.  |
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Post by airman on Jul 27, 2007 9:26:21 GMT -6
being happy is want what you have, not wanting what you want.
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Post by kcbazooka on Jul 27, 2007 9:32:51 GMT -6
With one week before two-a-days I would be much happier if I had a clue who would be starting for me at LG, RW, WR, LB and CB. Otherwise, all is bliss...
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Post by fbdoc on Jul 27, 2007 9:36:21 GMT -6
After yesterday's bombshell (See What will it be next?) I went to our speed training at the VELOCITY center and got to see 25 out of our 27 players busting their butts. I'll tell you, That made me Happy!
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Post by airraider on Jul 27, 2007 9:55:22 GMT -6
I think the reason I posted this is.. This is my second job.. The first I have been at for the past 7 years..
I am questioning my position.. not to the point of leaving.. but to the point of wondering just how long I will be able to stay..
Now, I hope all ends up great.. but its the little things..
Like Brophy said.. lol.. the shootings every other week is kind of scary..
I will be teaching 4 hours of American History.. which isnt too bad.. other than I know nothing about American History.. lol..
Just bought a $30K truck.. and I am actually scared to leave it parked at this school during the day.. especially when we are gone from the school..
Having to deal with all kind of problems that are not normal at other schools.. Have kids living here with their dad this past year.. but up and decide to move during the summer to live in Texas with their mom..
Or the more common one.. the family cant pay their rent.. so they get evicted and have to to move.. so now the kid will be going to another school..
Had an incoming freshmen the other day find out that his dad is making him go live with his mom.. so he runs away.. and the dad doesnt even care.. hasnt reported it or anything.. just a 15 year old kid that no one knows anything about..
I just think back to how things were and how comfortable I was there.. its hard stepping out of your comfort zone.. really hard..
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Post by brophy on Jul 27, 2007 10:09:11 GMT -6
Those are good points.....with the premise being If you've been at a program for a while.....it would pretty much take a catastrophe to get you to move because we get so comfortable with (mainly) the KIDS that it seems like it is the BEST place to be. But when we sit down to take an honest assessment of where we are at; what do we have? Is it as 'bad' as we think? Is it as 'good' as we think? Is it really all about the W/L that determines if a situation is "good"/"bad"? Last place I was at?  program I am at now;  for me, The "ideal" situation would be where you have; - strong feeder schools
- cooperative administration
- supportive parents and active booster club
- experienced staff, willing to carry the load of the season (not just ONE guy doing everything)
- A head coach that doesn't take himself too seriously that allows everyone to get along on the staff WITH disagreements
- Kids with athletic potential
- A decent weight room with olympic equipment
- a respectable practice field and equipment
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Post by lionhart on Jul 27, 2007 10:11:26 GMT -6
i doubt that anyone is in a "perfect situation", we all just have different things to complain about. im going into my second year at my current school, but its my third school in 7 years. environment= inner city... one of states 3 most violent schools community support= less than zero administration= clueless.... just trying to keep our student body from killing each other location= 4 blocks from my house. usually takes me 10-12 minutes to walk every day. yes, it can be dangerous, but this is where i live, its my neighborhood. (even though im the only pale face left) and airraider, my car was beat up the few times i drove to school. kids fighting smashed into it and left a few dents. program= 3 years before i got here ... 1-29. my first year as oc......3-7 roster= we finished last year with 36 varsity players, this year we already have 70... we really are working hard at getting kids out kids= some of the roughest, hardest kids you can imagine. BUT.... kids i can relate well to, joke around with, and they know that i really care about them and would do anything for me. i might have to spend about $10/day making sure some of them get to eat, even if its a $1 sandwich from the corner store, but they are well worth it. i enjoy teaching there and im already known around the school. could i be happier? absolutely. (especially when i found out that our budget cuts included shorts and t-shirts for our team!! you should hear the wife when i tried to convince her that i was going to pay for them,along with the other coaches!  ) i dont know how long i will stay here... my kids are young but starting school here and i may have to move to a better district for their sake. but while im here, i enjoy going to work everyday and i guess that counts for something. |
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Post by fbdoc on Jul 27, 2007 10:32:41 GMT -6
lionheart - I was at a similar school as a young coach and then it was off the a couple of head coaching positions before spending 7 years at the small college level. Kids were already with us as we moved around the country - my wife is a XC/TF coach - until we got to a point where we knew we were moving at the end of the year. At the time, our oldest was in the 8th grade and we wanted to find the "perfect" school for the kids and hopefully for us. We ended up where we are right now. Small Christian school with a rigorous college prep curriculum that also had a pretty good sports program. I was hired as AD/HFC and my wife was a PE teacher and coached her sports. Going into our 7th year here, our kids have truly thrived - got to excel on various sports teams, serve on yearbook, and the like - and now the older 2 are doing well at their colleges and our youngest is heading into her senior year (looking at Dartmouth, the proud dad said!  The "is it as bad as I think vs is it as good as I think" question is a very very good one to ask yourself. |
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Post by coachcb on Jul 27, 2007 10:37:57 GMT -6
I'm stoked right now; coaching freshman in a community down the road from where I used to coach.
-Rural town
-Blue collar kids and community
-football oriented
-tight varsity staff- been together for years
-solid administration that puts its foot down with obnoxious parents
-winning tradition- smashmouth football tradition
Of course, this could all change by November, but I am way happier with the current situation over my last job.
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Post by threeback on Jul 27, 2007 11:26:11 GMT -6
Happy where I am at? Yes. Could things be better? Absolutely.
Racially diverse school, great kids in our program, bad eggs are kept from coming out. About the only things that I would change would be my head coach's organizational skills. Great speaker and motivator, all around good guy. Three of the coaches on our staff I played high school ball with. One of the guys on staff lives 2 miles from me, so carpooling is always nice. We are all young, with the majority of us always looking to make ourselves better as coaches. I've had plenty opportunities to go into the private sector and make much more money and change schools, but my attachment to the kids and the staff have kept me going.
Sure, there are times I'd like to strangle the other guys, but for the most part, can't help but be happy where I'm at.
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Post by phantom on Jul 27, 2007 11:37:07 GMT -6
The only thing that I don't like is that I teach and coach at different schools. Several times I've looked into openings at the school where I coach, which is exactly one mile from my house, but the last time there was a $6000 difference in pay.
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Post by Coach Huey on Jul 27, 2007 13:56:41 GMT -6
Being "happy" is all relative, of course. Tog knows me and my situation the past 9 years or so...
2 years ago, I left a school I was EXTREMELY happy being a part of. Probably one of the best places I could ever be for me professionally and me personally. However, other things played a factor in me leaving that school in '05 -- most of which were related to my family. At first, I still felt "home-sick" for my previous school. However, that faded shortly and I fell in love with my new place. When that went south this winter, I spent quite some time really second-guessing my decision to have ever left in the first place. However, things have worked out just fine for the time being and where I'm at now (new school, but didn't have to move) is a great place to be and I feel sure that even though I took a "step back" it will eventually lead to 2 huge steps forward in a couple of years. So, yes, I'm "happy" in the fact that I made a decision and my family's best interests were considered in that decision 100%.
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Post by shamespiral on Jul 27, 2007 14:59:37 GMT -6
I love my current job.
Small town Texas.
Great Kids.
Good Money.
HC is my best friend in coaching.
The only way I would leave here is to become a HC.
Air Raider with all of the above said I often miss the situation you describe. If you throw yourself into the school and the kids and bring a positive attitude to school and to athletics the kids will grow to love you and you will love them. You will build powerfull relationships that will last forever. But......You will have to be more than coach. You may find yourself brother, father, preacher, policemen, paramedic, mailman etc. It will be draining both emotionally and physically, but not a day goes by in which I do not think of those inner city kids and my time as thier coach. Those were my greatest years as a coach, and I feel those were the years that I had the most impact on young people.
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Post by dubber on Jul 27, 2007 15:20:47 GMT -6
I love my current job. Small town Texas. Great Kids. Good Money. HC is my best friend in coaching. The only way I would leave here is to become a HC. Air Raider with all of the above said I often miss the situation you describe. If you throw yourself into the school and the kids and bring a positive attitude to school and to athletics the kids will grow to love you and you will love them. You will build powerfull relationships that will last forever. But......You will have to be more than coach. You may find yourself brother, father, preacher, policemen, paramedic, mailman etc. It will be draining both emotionally and physically, but not a day goes by in which I do not think of those inner city kids and my time as thier coach. Those were my greatest years as a coach, and I feel those were the years that I had the most impact on young people. how could someone whose screen name is "shamespiral" say he's happy? |
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Post by coachcalande on Jul 27, 2007 16:37:34 GMT -6
Im thrilled with my situation and so is my wife. My kids actually get to come to some practices and open gyms and wt training...
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Post by tiger46 on Jul 27, 2007 16:53:50 GMT -6
Brophy, how are those kids even allowed to play sports? And, is it hard to instill a winning attitude in them?
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Post by brophy on Jul 27, 2007 17:16:16 GMT -6
ask me in four months.
Kids are great, in fact the FOOTBALL kids are probably the most well-mannered and 'mature' I've been around. What I love about them is, you CANNOT BS them.
"winning" attitude, I dunno, we're still in a honeymoon stage, but they see a system working that includes all the kids right now.
Part of it, I'm sure, is coaches who believe in them, not dogging them out all the time.
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Post by Rooster on Jul 27, 2007 18:05:09 GMT -6
small rural school. My hometown. Smallest division in the state. 20 plus years of winning seasons. Not in it for the money.... Let wife make the money..  Coach with former coaches and year long buddies. Never have locked house or truck, players may need to go to the store before practice. All businesses are closed on friday nights.... Couldnt get any better unless we had some speed,,, just always had tough blue collar kids.. Had chances to go other places, but like the BEAR said"when momma calls, you just go home". new2veer |
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Post by airraider on Jul 27, 2007 18:05:49 GMT -6
Brophy, how are those kids even allowed to play sports? And, is it hard to instill a winning attitude in them? Like Brophy said, these kids are quite simply the best I have worked with as a whole. Really dont have that token turd head, YET.. The program has been down for a LONG time.. Former Evangel Christian head coach Dennis Dunn was the HC back in the 80's. He has some success. After him in the early 90's the bottom fell out. There was at one time a 40 or so game losing streak. There has only been 1 or 2 winning seasons in the last 15-17 years.. Do we have what it takes to turn it around?? I dont know.. At this point I would say we have a system in place and the athletes to make it successful.. whether or not there are other powers to be that will kill us.. I dont know.. Im sure there were lots of things going wrong over the last 15-20 years that can be attributed to such a bad program.. but it cant be all coaching.. I am sure the situations with kids not having any home ties anymore, violence, better situations available, and other things have weighed heavily upon success. I just hope we can come in and do the best that we are capable of and give these good kids a good season that they can be proud of. |
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Post by tog on Jul 27, 2007 18:48:09 GMT -6
the things i am happy about here are a lot higher up on my priority list than the things i was happy about in my last gig
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Post by shamespiral on Jul 27, 2007 20:28:46 GMT -6
I love my current job. Small town Texas. Great Kids. Good Money. HC is my best friend in coaching. The only way I would leave here is to become a HC. Air Raider with all of the above said I often miss the situation you describe. If you throw yourself into the school and the kids and bring a positive attitude to school and to athletics the kids will grow to love you and you will love them. You will build powerfull relationships that will last forever. But......You will have to be more than coach. You may find yourself brother, father, preacher, policemen, paramedic, mailman etc. It will be draining both emotionally and physically, but not a day goes by in which I do not think of those inner city kids and my time as thier coach. Those were my greatest years as a coach, and I feel those were the years that I had the most impact on young people. how could someone whose screen name is "shamespiral" say he's happy? Used to be at a"Big Time" program. Left it for what appeared to be a lesser program. Friends said I was on some sort of "Shame Spiral" to leave the old gig for the new one. Kind of a joke. |
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Post by shamespiral on Jul 27, 2007 20:31:15 GMT -6
the things i am happy about here are a lot higher up on my priority list than the things i was happy about in my last gig You are in FWISD correct?? |
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Post by tog on Jul 27, 2007 20:31:37 GMT -6
no such thing
if you like it
it really doesn't matter what they all think
good things happen to good people huey!
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Post by lukethadrifter on Jul 27, 2007 21:28:34 GMT -6
In my humble opinion, most "happy" people that I know have their priorities in order. Most "unhappy" people that I know don't. These unhappy souls are always searching for happiness in all of the wrong places. A viscious cycle. Luke
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Post by superpower on Jul 27, 2007 21:30:30 GMT -6
My situation is as good as it gets: Great football town with super tradition (4 state championships), awesome parental support, very good facilities, an outstanding coaching staff, and kids that are willing to work hard to reach team goals. I can't imagine that it could be any better than it is right now (unless they decided to give me about a $10,000 raise!
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Post by castarizz on Jul 28, 2007 10:54:01 GMT -6
I too just made a change to my second school. I began my coaching career at pretty decent school that had been to four CIF championship games (lost all 4  ). The only reason I left there was to go back home. My new job is at my Alma Mater in which I have been waiting to go back to since I began coaching. So far the kids have been very coachable. I've known the HC since Pop Warner ball and the rest of our staff is young and energetic. The only "bad" thing about it is I'm driving 80 miles round trip. |
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wccoach
Sophomore Member
Posts: 159
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Post by wccoach on Jul 28, 2007 11:04:09 GMT -6
I am in the third year of a turn around situation in a inner city school that only admits academically eligible students. The program has won 7 games in 10 years and we are in a conference that has consistently put teams in the state playoffs. Our athletes are from every race, religion and socio-economic background you could ever imagine. It has taken an all out commitment just to find a way to get them to communicate effectively, much less play winning football. But, this off season our players made the weights and speed training a priority and they now have the chance to be a winning team. I have coached and played for a state and national champion and have never had the sense of satisfaction that I am experiencing now. I know that I have made a difference in the lives of several players and maybe saved the lives of a few who were dangerously close to a life of crime and misery. I have found that the journey can be just as rewarding as the destination. Our facilities are not good, but improving and the rest of the school could care less about football, but I am extremely happy to have the opportunity to be with this program. It is not for everybody, but it fits well for me at this point in my coaching life.
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)
The "is it as bad as I think vs is it as good as I think" question is a very very good one to ask yourself.
). The only reason I left there was to go back home. My new job is at my Alma Mater in which I have been waiting to go back to since I began coaching. So far the kids have been very coachable. I've known the HC since Pop Warner ball and the rest of our staff is young and energetic. The only "bad" thing about it is I'm driving 80 miles round trip.