Do the right thing... no matter what??

pick and choose your battles. No way am i going to get a write up for a kid I'm not going to see again next season...who cares, let him hang out one last time with the team

That is kind of my thoughts on this.. pick your battles.. dont make trouble over something so trivial..

but.. this guy is one of those bull headed guys.. will not bow down on anything.. if nothing else.. just so he can say he doesnt and hasnt backed down..

but to a point.. I can see where he is coming from..

This is the same guy who told the team that there will be NOOOO taking part in ANY foolishness the week of homecoming..

And of course.. the night before the game.. 3 seniors went along with some girls to hang a banner from the roof of the school.. some dumb arse let the door lock behind them.. and the fire department had to be called to come get them off the roof.. because the janitor and principal were both unable to be reached..

so.. the next night.. all 3 had to watch their senior year homecoming game from the stands..

They were lucky that they were not suspended from school and/or charged and/or dismissed from the team.

That guy is a "spineless" principal and I agree with the coach... Nobody needs to deal with that garbage.

Hey you guys know how I feel... If the principal and AD do not support you, it is TIME TO GO!! I would have done the same thing and beieve me I would have been fine.

Not sure about the date..

By the way.. the principal.. his dad is the second most winningest coach in Louisiana history.

I wonder how his dad would have acted in the same situation?

No way should you have to back down to this crazy parent and a quitter for a kid. Never allow people like this to undermine you or what you are trying to do. If you don't get supported on this, when will you ever get supported?

I think this is not a "pick your battle", but a very important underlying message to you that you will not be supported when the sh** hits the fan. And, with any good coach, it should hit the fan or you probably aren't doing your job.

Here is wisdom.

Me, I'd take the low road and prepare a monologue just for this kid and his idiot parents -- get out the Sam Kinnison collection as warm-up material...

"I'd like to thank our sponsors for this evening, Gatorade -- the shizzle that just won't quizzle.

"Speaking of Quisling, he was a Norwegian who betrayed his country to the Nazis -- that's right, this is someone who quit on HIS ENTIRE COUNTRY!

"Oh OH OHHHH! D'ya think they have a picture of him hanging up at QUITTERS R US?"

Scorched earth, baby...

I think the main thing is he and the kid ended the thing in a civil manner.. The kid wanted to just not go to save all teh problems.. it was the crazy mom who demanded that he be allowed to go.. and she would not let the kid get the refund on the 4 tickets the family had purchased.

I'd give a speech on loyalty and not being a quitter. That way everyone knows I'm addressing the situation but I'm not getting in trouble with the admins for not showing up.

Man I am sorry I can believe what I am reading... What have we come to as a society...

I see this as black and white:

If he COMPLETED the season and came to the last week of practice/game but came to me after the season and said he can not do it, than I am ok with it... He completed his end, and will get recognized.. No problem.

But if he did not make it TO THE FINAL game - I am not budging... Sorry. Guys this is not pick your battle this is "You are working for a worthless administrator" and guess what, you will have more grief and problems to come....

Bottom line we as coaches "Control our own destiny" and if we have F-Faces for administrators it is time to move on...

My last job I was hired by probably the BEST PRINCIPAL ever.. He had been at the school for over 20 years. love Football and B-BALL (Never missed a game) ALWAYS supported coaches and teachers with parents... My first few years were Rocky (Threw off a kid in the middle of the season who verbally committed to UVA) made a TON of tough decisions... This guy ALWAYS had my back. When he hired my I asked for three things:

1. Let me teach Government ONLY - No two preps and not class that is tested by the state.

2. Last block off - That included NO duty (As football coaches our program is our duty).

3. Hire a guy to be my OC and Strength Coach for the open PE position...

He did all three..

By my fourth year we have a new lady and she takes away my lst block every other day and decides I need a duty for the 2nd semester.... OK - I See where this is going...

We play in the regional championship game on a Saturday and the following Friday I had a face to face meeting with the AD at my current school about the job... I was hired 3 weeks later...

Bottom line - That school was going down quick and the the new principal was not the one who hired me and had NO clue what I was doing... Me and six of my coaches left because the administration was all f uped.... I do not need that crap, not for what we do as coaches and the hours and time we put in... No way.

Believe Me - I would dig my heels in and take the letter... And if I did not like where this place was going I would not be with an administration that would not support a very simple and obvious decision.

Some might see this situation as trivial I see it as "Foreshadowing of problems down the road".....

The banquet is for the past season and the players that participated in it. If this particular player was involved in that season then he should be at the banquet, regardless of the bad blood created by him not coming back next season. Focus on this season only and just don't mention anything about next season for that kid when you talk about him. At our school, if he quit mid season he probably wouldn't even have known when the dinner was, but if he did he wouldn't be given tickets for it.

He's a quitter! He gets absolutely no accolades or recognition for anything regarding the football program.

This is exactly how coaches lose the respect of the kids who are committed, care, and will help you build your program. We are in the business of getting the best out of kids, not accepting the worst - I, too, can't believe the state of our society right now - sad...........

But, remember to enjoy, respect, and always support all the wonderful kids that ARE doing it right because I know we each have them in our programs.

you guys make me proud to be a member of the coaching profession.

Not a teacher so please forgive my ignorance, but what is so terrible about "being written up"? What goes on in this process? Is the entire situation detailed in the write up? If so, this could actually be construed as a positive when viewed by a better administrative group in the future, couldn't it? Is being written up like check marks next to your name on the blackboard, but for big boys and girls? Are you allowed to respond to the allegations/charges/write up, and is that also considered part of your file? I agree with the others who said if the kid finished, but is not playing next year, come on in. This is not "quitting" in the negative sense of the word in my mind. This is not that different than giving your 2-weeks notice. If he bailed mid-season, then I would have to be "written up" because he won't be at the banquet. "Being written up" just doesn't sound like such a horrible consequence to me, I guess.

Oh, and in regard to, "Do the right thing... no matter what??", that should be the goal always. Isn't this what we ask of our players?