Quality of Coaching In Your Area

I have seen a significant improvement in all the teams in our area. The gap between the top-tier teams and the middle of the pack to the lower middle is getting smaller each year. You used to be able to look at your schedulae and say OK. . .we will win 6 - 7 games. . .play very well and we could be 8 or 9 wins in regular season. Now. . .you have to be prepared every week, reguardless of your history or tradition. If you just show up to some of the games you would have won a few years ago, you will more than likely be leaving with a loss. I think coaching over all is getting better and better and for the most part getting much more professional.

Here in the foothills of NC it is pretty good, since 1994 a team from our county has won a state championship 8 times I think and played for one at least 3 more times. Regularly 3 teams (out of 4) in our county advance past the 1st rd of the playoffs. (last 6 seasons.)

Three state champions last year from the Dayton/Cincinnati area of Ohio is not to bad....We still have a great mix of the hardnose 3 yard and a cloud coaches along with the run and gun spread guys

In Indiana there is a big population of good ol' coaches. Great guys who do not know much about advancing their programs to adapt to their players. A lot of other coaches simply think they are the big shot, know it all. Saw an assistant take over a large suburban school full of athletes flop because he thinks he knows how to beat everyone. Arrogance, led to failure. I love the staff I am on now because we have one token arrogant, and it's mainly just fun for him. We all prepare for a team as if they are the best regardless of their record and coach.

In the Seattle area and in WA. There are several forms of high school football. The teams that regularly compete for state championships have year round programs. These programs have 6 to 8 paid positions and another 6 or 8 volunteer coaches. They often have at least one or two full time year round conditioning coach(es).

If you try to run a top program without 12-14 coaches, booster support for paying for off season training, video coordinator, etc. It's hard to compete for state championships.

Some coaches still want to coach from June to November and think they can annually compete for league and state titles. It doesn't work that way anymore. You need to run a big time program if you want to compete year in and year out.

Because you need booster support to fund an annual program these program tend to be developed in the more affluent suburbs or cities within the state that have a lot of community pride and support. These communities usually have well develop feeder programs to support the high schools. The best coaches tend to migrate to communities that will support a "big time" high school program.

Occasionally a school can be successful with a more seasonal program if they happen to get a confluence of talent in a given year, but they aren't a perennial favorite for league titles or state championships.

There are a lot schools that can't compete because their coaching staff won't commit to a vigorous year round program. That a personal choice of each coach/school/community. They do their best in the 6 months they dedicate to coaching football. When they have top notch talent they finish 7-3 when the cupboard is light they finish 3-7. No one gets too excited about football either way.

Not saying one way or the other is correct. Just pointing out that the playing field really isn't that level over the long run.

Five years ago, I would have rated the coaching in Southwest Kansas as excellent, but a lot of the old guard have either retired or moved on and a lot of younger coaches have taken over. They're still good coaches, but you can't beat experience.

Overall I would give the coaching here as BA. Many of the guys I see getting head jobs get them because of Religion and/or Ability to sweet-talk administration

SLC, Utah

I am in the Phoenix East Valley, and it really depends on what district you are in. Most of the great coaches are in the better paying districts. Overall I actually rate the coaching here as excellent. Most HC's that I have come across have been HC's for a long time with much success. We also get our fairshare of retired coaches from other states who latch on as assistants, or where football is their only job.

Oh yeah...my bad. Our conference will now feature a fantastic D-coordinator whose defenses are the stuff of legend. He is like Buddy Ryan, Monte Kiffin, Jim Johnson, Ron Rivera and the Double Wing wrapped in one amazingly ripped body. Too bad he hates kids....and wants to ruin their lives.

Shame on you, larrymoe.

At most schools I would say yes...there are a few schools from certain urban areas that it wouldn't really matter, but on the vast majority of jobs I think that is a true statement...

This last year, the school I have been coaching at for 2 years had a Chemisty teacher & Physics teacher retire...I am NCLB highly qualified to teach both subjects...when I applied for the job, I didn't even get an interview by the principal who was trying to leave the school and get to an "eastside" school where there were a lot more LDS students & faculty...

I'm working on it though...Applying for every job that I can and trying to get my foot in the door