Interview w/ Principal

Not sure how you would ask this, and I certainly wouldn't want to be the first guy to try it, but I've always wanted to know what the principal thinks make a BAD coach. I think you'd get more insight into how you'll be judged. They're always going to say things like "no discipline, no organization, berates players unfairly, etc." but I have a theory that you'll get one bit of insight into 1 unique area that this principal will be watching for. When you ask them what they're looking for they can give stock answers. But when you flip the question they may eke out some little thing that really bugs them. Then you have a chance to know if it will work against you.

Just an example, a guy I know took a head coaching job 8-10 years ago. He's big on award stickers for tackles, stats, etc. Makes a big deal out of them. Part of Thursday practice is giving them out. Kids clap for the guys with stickers, etc. He considers them a positive form of peer pressure ("I want stickers too"). But the principal he signed on with hated them. Thought they singled out the top players and some kids would end up without stickers and wouldn't feel like they contribute very much. In his postseason eval. with the AD and principal he was told that the stickers were going to have to go. He was pretty unhappy because he really used them positively. He said, "If I'd have known that the guy didn't like them, I'd have either tried to paint the picture of why I use them in the interview or I'd have passed on that job and taken the other."

Just a little thought--you don't know what will make the boss tick, sure would be nice to know.