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Post by jg78 on Jul 31, 2019 6:06:31 GMT -6
... (other than retiring or getting fired), what likely would be the reason? Tired of parents? Higher paying job? Need more time with the family?
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Post by coachjm on Jul 31, 2019 6:14:55 GMT -6
I am 41 and heading into my 20th year of Coaching and 17th as a Head Coach so I think I qualify as being in the middle of my career life. I have thought of changing career paths 1 or 2 times in the last 20 years and the motive has been based on more lucrative career opportunities. Each time the passion of working for kids and the realization that my family has our basic needs met financially has led me to not make the move.
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Post by wolverine55 on Jul 31, 2019 6:36:03 GMT -6
This is a topic that's come up before, but for me it would be the increase in offseason, especially summer demands. My current HC has maintained a nice balance and I don't mind coaching some summer camps and monitoring the weightroom over the summer. However, I don't like the feeling of the season essentially starting June 1st and I've had a few summers where that has been the case.
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Post by blb on Jul 31, 2019 10:42:02 GMT -6
After I retired from teaching I coached another six years.
I finally quit not because of the Off-Season stuff (I didn't burn out the kids or myself) or the parents (had very few problems in that area).
What got me out was the weekend stuff In-Season - evaluating-breaking down films, meetings, other game prep - and the games weren't fun anymore.
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Post by fantom on Jul 31, 2019 10:54:11 GMT -6
After I retired from teaching I coached another six years. I finally quit not because of the Off-Season stuff (I didn't burn out the kids or myself) or the parents (had very few problems in that area). What got me out was the weekend stuff In-Season - evaluating-breaking down films, meetings, other game prep - and the games weren't fun anymore. Same here. All the things that people here complain about- offseason, kids, parents, admins- they were tolerable. What it came down to for me was that I couldn't stand to watch one more minute of film.
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Post by jlenwood on Jul 31, 2019 11:43:00 GMT -6
For me it came down to the time commitment to apathetic kids and community and administration. Our athletics had been declining for several years, and I got tired of beating my head against a wall (it felt like it) every year when all of those other groups just seemed to accept being bad.
I felt like if I am going to give energy and commitment to a young person, it was going to be my kids and grandkids. I missed that first season for a minute, but now I don't think I see myself ever going back to coaching. It is sad, because I loved it, but man the time to put into other meaningful things is so nice.
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Post by agap on Jul 31, 2019 11:44:41 GMT -6
Assuming you teach, wouldn't you still get more time off in the summer by coaching than if you quit teaching and had to work year round?
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Post by waddles52 on Jul 31, 2019 11:57:29 GMT -6
I coached my first nine years of teaching, took a year off and got back into it. My wife and I were about to start a family and I wanted a summer to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted with her. It was awesome. I missed coaching like crazy though. Back in it now with a 1 year old and a HC that is great about a manageable summer schedule and In-Season schedule.
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Post by wingtol on Jul 31, 2019 12:18:49 GMT -6
I started coaching in 96. Don't even know how long ago that is any more. Haven't had a normal summer or fall since then. Been at least three days of work outs a week starting every July all at night so guys who don't teach can make it and kids can work. Just starts to wear on you especially lately where it's all about GRINDING cause everyone else is!!! I guess after awhile you wonder what it would be like to not worry about stopping what ever you are doing by 3 during the week to make practice in the summer or what it's like to just come home after school in the fall or just go to a game or two on weekends.
I don't mind the getting ready stuff in season, I don't spend as much time watching film as I used to maybe it's just experience and can see things quicker now especially with HUDL being on any device imaginable.
I think after awhile most guys just want some more normalcy in their life and schedules. Just my .02
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Post by tigerpride on Jul 31, 2019 12:42:18 GMT -6
I love coaching and love kids. It keeps me coming back. Have had more fun this summer, compared to recent years. My kids are great.
I can handle losing. I can handle criticism.
But I cannot think of any other profession that is so under appreciated. I forget what a "thank you" sounds like. Being a teacher isnt any different.
It may be the reason i leave someday.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2019 13:02:54 GMT -6
I love coaching and love kids. It keeps me coming back. Have had more fun this summer, compared to recent years. My kids are great. I can handle losing. I can handle criticism. But I cannot think of any other profession that is so under appreciated. I forget what a "thank you" sounds like. Being a teacher isnt any different. It may be the reason i leave someday. Listen more carefully. They tell you constantly. They tell you many more times than not with trust.
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Post by coachd5085 on Jul 31, 2019 13:23:40 GMT -6
Assuming you teach, wouldn't you still get more time off in the summer by coaching than if you quit teaching and had to work year round? I understand what you are saying here, but keep in mind one can teach and not coach. I would suggest that for the VAST majority - leaving your coaching position can not (by policy/contract whatever) affect your teaching position. For those few where they are linked, then it comes down to your value to the administration with regards to your teaching position.
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Post by coachd5085 on Jul 31, 2019 13:25:07 GMT -6
But I cannot think of any other profession that is so under appreciated. I forget what a "thank you" sounds like. Being a teacher isnt any different. Law enforcement officer.
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Post by PSS on Jul 31, 2019 16:13:50 GMT -6
Assuming you teach, wouldn't you still get more time off in the summer by coaching than if you quit teaching and had to work year round? I understand what you are saying here, but keep in mind one can teach and not coach. I would suggest that for the VAST majority - leaving your coaching position can not (by policy/contract whatever) affect your teaching position. For those few where they are linked, then it comes down to your value to the administration with regards to your teaching position. I wouldn't teach without coaching. I am so far along in my career it is not worth risking my retirement from the state to stop teaching / coaching. If I were to do so, and was younger, I would probably go work in the oilfield here. Truck drivers in the oilfield are making $30 per hour.
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Post by Defcord on Jul 31, 2019 16:14:25 GMT -6
Teacher meetings. My former school coaches didn’t have to go to any meetings. They filled us in electronically. This new place is the same as the first districts I worked in. Hours and hours of nonsense. It probably has to be done to cover the school and administration but it’s such a waste of energy and resources to sit through people with doctorate degrees reading power points to people with masters and bachelors degrees. We had a hundred educated professionals all making $200+ a day sitting in the library reading or listening to information that could have been sent to us and taken much less time to cover. So basically $25000ish and not one original thought.
I hate it so much that when I decide it’s tome to stop coaching it will be those completely unrelated meetings that push me over the edge.
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Post by agap on Jul 31, 2019 16:18:14 GMT -6
Assuming you teach, wouldn't you still get more time off in the summer by coaching than if you quit teaching and had to work year round? I understand what you are saying here, but keep in mind one can teach and not coach. I would suggest that for the VAST majority - leaving your coaching position can not (by policy/contract whatever) affect your teaching position. For those few where they are linked, then it comes down to your value to the administration with regards to your teaching position. I agree. I'm sure it's just a difference of what the majority of coaches are expected to do in this area compared to coaches in other parts of the country.
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Post by rsmith627 on Jul 31, 2019 19:54:54 GMT -6
When my wife's nagging about football makes being at it not worth it.
In all seriousness, she is mostly supportive.
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Post by larrymoe on Aug 1, 2019 10:41:58 GMT -6
... (other than retiring or getting fired), what likely would be the reason? Tired of parents? Higher paying job? Need more time with the family? I've been waiting to post in this thread to try and organize my thoughts as I've recently done just this after 21 years in coaching and education. I don't know if I've really been able to quantify it to just a couple reasons. I think a list would be sufficient. 1. I don't like the direction football has been going for a while. The emphasis on me, me getting a scholarship, me getting my stats, me getting my name in the paper, how does my jersey and helmet look, what are you doing for ME coach? 2. Parents are absolutely abysmal {censored}. 3. I really detest the social media dick sucking that goes on and is expected of you. 4. Kids are {censored}. Those of you that say kids haven't changed are delusional. (And no, I'm not trying to reignite that argument- it's definitely a reason I'm saying adios though) 5. I can not stand this #Grind {censored} everyone is expected to do by kids and their parents. This idea that taking a day off, or more, is weakness is insane and ruining the sport IMO. 6. I detest this notion that we are supposed to be fill in fathers. I did not sign up to teach kids morals and other stuff. If their parents don't do that, I don't agree with the notion that it's on me to do so- same for teaching. I'm just here to coach football. I'm sure some of you holy rollers or makers of men will scoff at this, but I would also be willing to wager you don't effect 90% of the kids you think you do with all your leadership classes and that stuff. 7. The lack of anonymity. I've greatly enjoyed being just larrymoe for the past 9 months instead of Coach larrymoe. 8. The idea that you're noble for sacrificing your kids and wife to "save" other kids. Want to save kids? Start with your own. 9. The emphasis on winning is horrific. Over the past two years I've seen such terrible behavior just overlooked so you could "compete" on Friday night I couldn't stomach it anymore. 10. I stopped caring if we won or lost. I just wanted it to be over. I'll stop at 10, but there's a lot more. I won't go into teaching. I never got off on teaching and when I decided I was good with walking away from coaching, it made no sense to stay in a job I despised to make less money than I can at a 40hr a week job that has incredible benefits for my whole family. I haven't been associated with coaching HS football since last October and I haven't missed it a second.
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Post by wingtol on Aug 1, 2019 17:03:14 GMT -6
... (other than retiring or getting fired), what likely would be the reason? Tired of parents? Higher paying job? Need more time with the family? I've been waiting to post in this thread to try and organize my thoughts as I've recently done just this after 21 years in coaching and education. I don't know if I've really been able to quantify it to just a couple reasons. I think a list would be sufficient. 1. I don't like the direction football has been going for a while. The emphasis on me, me getting a scholarship, me getting my stats, me getting my name in the paper, how does my jersey and helmet look, what are you doing for ME coach? 2. Parents are absolutely abysmal {censored}. 3. I really detest the social media dick sucking that goes on and is expected of you. 4. Kids are {censored}. Those of you that say kids haven't changed are delusional. (And no, I'm not trying to reignite that argument- it's definitely a reason I'm saying adios though) 5. I can not stand this #Grind {censored} everyone is expected to do by kids and their parents. This idea that taking a day off, or more, is weakness is insane and ruining the sport IMO. 6. I detest this notion that we are supposed to be fill in fathers. I did not sign up to teach kids morals and other stuff. If their parents don't do that, I don't agree with the notion that it's on me to do so- same for teaching. I'm just here to coach football. I'm sure some of you holy rollers or makers of men will scoff at this, but I would also be willing to wager you don't effect 90% of the kids you think you do with all your leadership classes and that stuff. 7. The lack of anonymity. I've greatly enjoyed being just larrymoe for the past 9 months instead of Coach larrymoe. 8. The idea that you're noble for sacrificing your kids and wife to "save" other kids. Want to save kids? Start with your own. 9. The emphasis on winning is horrific. Over the past two years I've seen such terrible behavior just overlooked so you could "compete" on Friday night I couldn't stomach it anymore. 10. I stopped caring if we won or lost. I just wanted it to be over. I'll stop at 10, but there's a lot more. I won't go into teaching. I never got off on teaching and when I decided I was good with walking away from coaching, it made no sense to stay in a job I despised to make less money than I can at a 40hr a week job that has incredible benefits for my whole family. I haven't been associated with coaching HS football since last October and I haven't missed it a second. Saw some young coach on Twitter calling out coaches for not posting videos of work outs and lifts and how selfish it is not to do that for your program etc.... so many of your points lined up with that tweet it was unreal.
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Post by rsmith627 on Aug 1, 2019 17:59:17 GMT -6
I've been waiting to post in this thread to try and organize my thoughts as I've recently done just this after 21 years in coaching and education. I don't know if I've really been able to quantify it to just a couple reasons. I think a list would be sufficient. 1. I don't like the direction football has been going for a while. The emphasis on me, me getting a scholarship, me getting my stats, me getting my name in the paper, how does my jersey and helmet look, what are you doing for ME coach? 2. Parents are absolutely abysmal {censored}. 3. I really detest the social media dick sucking that goes on and is expected of you. 4. Kids are {censored}. Those of you that say kids haven't changed are delusional. (And no, I'm not trying to reignite that argument- it's definitely a reason I'm saying adios though) 5. I can not stand this #Grind {censored} everyone is expected to do by kids and their parents. This idea that taking a day off, or more, is weakness is insane and ruining the sport IMO. 6. I detest this notion that we are supposed to be fill in fathers. I did not sign up to teach kids morals and other stuff. If their parents don't do that, I don't agree with the notion that it's on me to do so- same for teaching. I'm just here to coach football. I'm sure some of you holy rollers or makers of men will scoff at this, but I would also be willing to wager you don't effect 90% of the kids you think you do with all your leadership classes and that stuff. 7. The lack of anonymity. I've greatly enjoyed being just larrymoe for the past 9 months instead of Coach larrymoe. 8. The idea that you're noble for sacrificing your kids and wife to "save" other kids. Want to save kids? Start with your own. 9. The emphasis on winning is horrific. Over the past two years I've seen such terrible behavior just overlooked so you could "compete" on Friday night I couldn't stomach it anymore. 10. I stopped caring if we won or lost. I just wanted it to be over. I'll stop at 10, but there's a lot more. I won't go into teaching. I never got off on teaching and when I decided I was good with walking away from coaching, it made no sense to stay in a job I despised to make less money than I can at a 40hr a week job that has incredible benefits for my whole family. I haven't been associated with coaching HS football since last October and I haven't missed it a second. Saw some young coach on Twitter calling out coaches for not posting videos of work outs and lifts and how selfish it is not to do that for your program etc.... so many of your points lined up with that tweet it was unreal. I saw that too, and called it out. My comment was that the grind season coaches do nothing for our sport.
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Post by coachks on Aug 1, 2019 19:22:28 GMT -6
... (other than retiring or getting fired), what likely would be the reason? Tired of parents? Higher paying job? Need more time with the family? I've been waiting to post in this thread to try and organize my thoughts as I've recently done just this after 21 years in coaching and education. I don't know if I've really been able to quantify it to just a couple reasons. I think a list would be sufficient. 1. I don't like the direction football has been going for a while. The emphasis on me, me getting a scholarship, me getting my stats, me getting my name in the paper, how does my jersey and helmet look, what are you doing for ME coach? 2. Parents are absolutely abysmal {censored}. 3. I really detest the social media dick sucking that goes on and is expected of you. 4. Kids are {censored}. Those of you that say kids haven't changed are delusional. (And no, I'm not trying to reignite that argument- it's definitely a reason I'm saying adios though) 5. I can not stand this #Grind {censored} everyone is expected to do by kids and their parents. This idea that taking a day off, or more, is weakness is insane and ruining the sport IMO. 6. I detest this notion that we are supposed to be fill in fathers. I did not sign up to teach kids morals and other stuff. If their parents don't do that, I don't agree with the notion that it's on me to do so- same for teaching. I'm just here to coach football. I'm sure some of you holy rollers or makers of men will scoff at this, but I would also be willing to wager you don't effect 90% of the kids you think you do with all your leadership classes and that stuff. 7. The lack of anonymity. I've greatly enjoyed being just larrymoe for the past 9 months instead of Coach larrymoe. 8. The idea that you're noble for sacrificing your kids and wife to "save" other kids. Want to save kids? Start with your own. 9. The emphasis on winning is horrific. Over the past two years I've seen such terrible behavior just overlooked so you could "compete" on Friday night I couldn't stomach it anymore. 10. I stopped caring if we won or lost. I just wanted it to be over. I'll stop at 10, but there's a lot more. I won't go into teaching. I never got off on teaching and when I decided I was good with walking away from coaching, it made no sense to stay in a job I despised to make less money than I can at a 40hr a week job that has incredible benefits for my whole family. I haven't been associated with coaching HS football since last October and I haven't missed it a second. This is a pretty good summary. My big ones are - 1) Getting kids to college. I can't make him taller, and since colleges don't even bother with film much anymore there isn't anything I can do. Heres a camp. They're going to measure him, run him and then put him in a group. It's not my DNA, sorry. 2) College football is not a good thing for most kids. I've seen a lot more kids blow money to play a year of D3 football and realize it sucks then loved playing for 4 years. Why should I promote that? So some parent can feel great that they produced a "college" football player? 3) "Trainers" / "Travel 7 on 7" and everything associated with that. None of that has anything to do with winning on fridays. None of it has anything to do with being a good teammate. It's garbage related to point #1. 4) "Branding" - Why does a high school need a brand? Why does a football team need a brand? Why do I have to tell my story so nobody else does. Its high school football. But if a few mommy and daddys don't think your twitter game is up to snuff, obviously you don't care enough. That's for sure the reason that the 6'1, 290 pound OT isn't good a scholarship atleast.
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Post by 54695469 on Aug 1, 2019 22:14:00 GMT -6
... (other than retiring or getting fired), what likely would be the reason? Tired of parents? Higher paying job? Need more time with the family? I've been waiting to post in this thread to try and organize my thoughts as I've recently done just this after 21 years in coaching and education. I don't know if I've really been able to quantify it to just a couple reasons. I think a list would be sufficient. 1. I don't like the direction football has been going for a while. The emphasis on me, me getting a scholarship, me getting my stats, me getting my name in the paper, how does my jersey and helmet look, what are you doing for ME coach? 2. Parents are absolutely abysmal {censored}. 3. I really detest the social media dick sucking that goes on and is expected of you. 4. Kids are {censored}. Those of you that say kids haven't changed are delusional. (And no, I'm not trying to reignite that argument- it's definitely a reason I'm saying adios though) 5. I can not stand this #Grind {censored} everyone is expected to do by kids and their parents. This idea that taking a day off, or more, is weakness is insane and ruining the sport IMO. 6. I detest this notion that we are supposed to be fill in fathers. I did not sign up to teach kids morals and other stuff. If their parents don't do that, I don't agree with the notion that it's on me to do so- same for teaching. I'm just here to coach football. I'm sure some of you holy rollers or makers of men will scoff at this, but I would also be willing to wager you don't effect 90% of the kids you think you do with all your leadership classes and that stuff. 7. The lack of anonymity. I've greatly enjoyed being just larrymoe for the past 9 months instead of Coach larrymoe. 8. The idea that you're noble for sacrificing your kids and wife to "save" other kids. Want to save kids? Start with your own. 9. The emphasis on winning is horrific. Over the past two years I've seen such terrible behavior just overlooked so you could "compete" on Friday night I couldn't stomach it anymore. 10. I stopped caring if we won or lost. I just wanted it to be over. I'll stop at 10, but there's a lot more. I won't go into teaching. I never got off on teaching and when I decided I was good with walking away from coaching, it made no sense to stay in a job I despised to make less money than I can at a 40hr a week job that has incredible benefits for my whole family. I haven't been associated with coaching HS football since last October and I haven't missed it a second. THIS! HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD!
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Post by larrymoe on Aug 2, 2019 9:15:03 GMT -6
This is a pretty good summary. My big ones are - 4) "Branding" - Why does a high school need a brand? Why does a football team need a brand? Why do I have to tell my story so nobody else does. Its high school football. But if a few mommy and daddys don't think your twitter game is up to snuff, obviously you don't care enough. That's for sure the reason that the 6'1, 290 pound OT isn't good a scholarship atleast The last 2 HC interviews I was in I was asked how I would "work" to brand our program. I answered I wouldn't. I would work to produce a program that would reveal its brand on the field with style of play, toughness and winning. One job I got, the other went to a social media guy who in his first interview with the TV when asked how he was going to make his program successful answered they would play "minute to win it games" throughout practice to entertain kids. I knew immediately why I didn't get that job. The guy went 4-40 something at his last job. Over 9 years I went 47-42 (including an 0-9 at my last HC gig- was supposed to be a long term rebuild, but new superintendent axed my teaching job because he really didn't give a {censored} about football. They're on their 3rd HC since me now- 2 years later). I knew when that happened it was definitely time to walk away. If that's what you're looking for out of a HC is social media and entertainment, I'm too old.
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Post by larrymoe on Aug 2, 2019 9:23:51 GMT -6
Saw some young coach on Twitter calling out coaches for not posting videos of work outs and lifts and how selfish it is not to do that for your program etc.... so many of your points lined up with that tweet it was unreal. I started to run into that from parents a little at the end of my time as a HC. Why don't you have Facebook, why don't you have Instagram, why no Twitter? Um, because that stuff is Satan? In 2013 we went 9-0 and in the first round of playoffs I met the HC to exchange film. He goes "I was looking at stuff about you on the internet. You don't have any social media stuff. How do you do that?" I said it's crazy, we practice 4 days and show up on Friday and play. We beat them 42-14.
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Post by fshamrock on Aug 2, 2019 17:54:22 GMT -6
Teacher meetings. My former school coaches didn’t have to go to any meetings. They filled us in electronically. This new place is the same as the first districts I worked in. Hours and hours of nonsense. It probably has to be done to cover the school and administration but it’s such a waste of energy and resources to sit through people with doctorate degrees reading power points to people with masters and bachelors degrees. We had a hundred educated professionals all making $200+ a day sitting in the library reading or listening to information that could have been sent to us and taken much less time to cover. So basically $25000ish and not one original thought. I hate it so much that when I decide it’s tome to stop coaching it will be those completely unrelated meetings that push me over the edge. ding ding ding, this is the one for me too man maybe it's the natural cynic in me, but the acronyms and re-heated platitudes still get under my skin next week we start the week and half of madness with our "convacation" whatever the hell that means and then we will have talk about our "strategic plan" if your not sure what a "strategic plan" is, it's the same idea some guy made money of a decade ago only then it was a "mission statement" so now...armed with our strategic plan...we now have to not only keep the strategic plan in mind, but actually write up bullet points about how what we are doing in the classroom lines up with our strategic plan i tell no lies we even have to write up purchase orders and such how buying an item aligns with the goals set forth in the strategic plan so instead of just ordering girdles, you have to order them and add "this lines up with strategic plan item A7 - commitment to safety of all students" amazing
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Post by CS on Aug 2, 2019 18:14:08 GMT -6
Teacher meetings. My former school coaches didn’t have to go to any meetings. They filled us in electronically. This new place is the same as the first districts I worked in. Hours and hours of nonsense. It probably has to be done to cover the school and administration but it’s such a waste of energy and resources to sit through people with doctorate degrees reading power points to people with masters and bachelors degrees. We had a hundred educated professionals all making $200+ a day sitting in the library reading or listening to information that could have been sent to us and taken much less time to cover. So basically $25000ish and not one original thought. I hate it so much that when I decide it’s tome to stop coaching it will be those completely unrelated meetings that push me over the edge. ding ding ding, this is the one for me too man maybe it's the natural cynic in me, but the acronyms and re-heated platitudes still get under my skin next week we start the week and half of madness with our "convacation" whatever the hell that means and then we will have talk about our "strategic plan" if your not sure what a "strategic plan" is, it's the same idea some guy made money of a decade ago only then it was a "mission statement" so now...armed with our strategic plan...we now have to not only keep the strategic plan in mind, but actually write up bullet points about how what we are doing in the classroom lines up with our strategic plan i tell no lies we even have to write up purchase orders and such how buying an item aligns with the goals set forth in the strategic plan so instead of just ordering girdles, you have to order them and add "this lines up with strategic plan item A7 - commitment to safety of all students" amazing Yeah. Administrators are fuking morons for the most part
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Post by lochness on Aug 2, 2019 18:56:16 GMT -6
... (other than retiring or getting fired), what likely would be the reason? Tired of parents? Higher paying job? Need more time with the family? I've been waiting to post in this thread to try and organize my thoughts as I've recently done just this after 21 years in coaching and education. I don't know if I've really been able to quantify it to just a couple reasons. I think a list would be sufficient. 1. I don't like the direction football has been going for a while. The emphasis on me, me getting a scholarship, me getting my stats, me getting my name in the paper, how does my jersey and helmet look, what are you doing for ME coach? 2. Parents are absolutely abysmal {censored}. 3. I really detest the social media dick sucking that goes on and is expected of you. 4. Kids are {censored}. Those of you that say kids haven't changed are delusional. (And no, I'm not trying to reignite that argument- it's definitely a reason I'm saying adios though) 5. I can not stand this #Grind {censored} everyone is expected to do by kids and their parents. This idea that taking a day off, or more, is weakness is insane and ruining the sport IMO. 6. I detest this notion that we are supposed to be fill in fathers. I did not sign up to teach kids morals and other stuff. If their parents don't do that, I don't agree with the notion that it's on me to do so- same for teaching. I'm just here to coach football. I'm sure some of you holy rollers or makers of men will scoff at this, but I would also be willing to wager you don't effect 90% of the kids you think you do with all your leadership classes and that stuff. 7. The lack of anonymity. I've greatly enjoyed being just larrymoe for the past 9 months instead of Coach larrymoe. 8. The idea that you're noble for sacrificing your kids and wife to "save" other kids. Want to save kids? Start with your own. 9. The emphasis on winning is horrific. Over the past two years I've seen such terrible behavior just overlooked so you could "compete" on Friday night I couldn't stomach it anymore. 10. I stopped caring if we won or lost. I just wanted it to be over. I'll stop at 10, but there's a lot more. I won't go into teaching. I never got off on teaching and when I decided I was good with walking away from coaching, it made no sense to stay in a job I despised to make less money than I can at a 40hr a week job that has incredible benefits for my whole family. I haven't been associated with coaching HS football since last October and I haven't missed it a second. All these things and more are why I stepped down a couple of years ago after 23 years in the saddle. I'd add: 1. It was exhausting me. I am not a teacher. So balancing a full time career at 45-50 hours per week, plus a HFC job that ran about 40 hours per week in-season, plus having a young family was draining me beyond the healthy physical and mental limit. I was literally ill by the end of every season. 2. I was no longer taking joy in anything. We'd win and I was miserable. We'd lose and I was miserable. Instead of getting energy from my involvement, it started taking my energy. Nope. That's not sustainable. 3. Like larrymoe, I kinda got tired of the whole "cult of personality" image of this "higher calling" and "critical platform" push in football coaching. That's all well and good, but I am not a pastor or a cult leader. I'm a football coach. Teach skills, demand their best, create a safe and healthy environment. Good things happen by themselves. I'm not some GDam savior. 4. I had my fill. I felt like I had seen 2 decades worth of challenges, and there wasn't much more left . I have those memories forever. It was time for the new, real challenge of being a better father and husband 100% of the time.
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Post by jg78 on Aug 2, 2019 19:39:34 GMT -6
I'm in a tough situation with my job.
My team last year finished 4-6 in my first year on the job. This year's team is not as talented as that one and if we do as well or better it will be because of a year of continuity. The '20 team will be about the same and then the bottom is going to fall out. We're a K-12 private school and I don't know that we will even field a junior high team this year. We have 24 kids playing 6-12. If we do have a junior high team, they won't come close to winning a game.
I have been apart of a lot of success in my career and that makes it harder to deal with mediocrity, but we just don't have the horses to compete at a high level and it's only going to get worse and I don't know how I can make it significantly better. Our tuition is about 40-50% higher than most schools we compete against and we have a large international program in which about 20% of our high school enrollment consists of kids from foreign countries - mostly in the Far East. Athletically, they are dead weight but count against our numbers in terms of classification. The school also has pretty high admission and academic standards.
The positive is it pays pretty well and I like the area, but man, we just finished our second day of practice and I am already dreading some of the games we are going to play this year. I'm 40 years old and the son of a coach, so I have been around football all my life and started feeling burned out on it a few years ago even coaching championship teams.
I have started yearning for a job where my success depends more on me than a bunch of kids and what I make is more in line with how hard I work. But coaching football is all I really know, so I'm not sure what I would do professionally if I tried to change. I'm not married, I don't have kids, and I have been all over the country and much of the world, so I would be comfortable going about anywhere for the right job. But I don't really have a marketable skill set beyond what I'm doing now.
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Post by Defcord on Aug 2, 2019 19:47:54 GMT -6
Teacher meetings. My former school coaches didn’t have to go to any meetings. They filled us in electronically. This new place is the same as the first districts I worked in. Hours and hours of nonsense. It probably has to be done to cover the school and administration but it’s such a waste of energy and resources to sit through people with doctorate degrees reading power points to people with masters and bachelors degrees. We had a hundred educated professionals all making $200+ a day sitting in the library reading or listening to information that could have been sent to us and taken much less time to cover. So basically $25000ish and not one original thought. I hate it so much that when I decide it’s tome to stop coaching it will be those completely unrelated meetings that push me over the edge. ding ding ding, this is the one for me too man maybe it's the natural cynic in me, but the acronyms and re-heated platitudes still get under my skin next week we start the week and half of madness with our "convacation" whatever the hell that means and then we will have talk about our "strategic plan" if your not sure what a "strategic plan" is, it's the same idea some guy made money of a decade ago only then it was a "mission statement" so now...armed with our strategic plan...we now have to not only keep the strategic plan in mind, but actually write up bullet points about how what we are doing in the classroom lines up with our strategic plan i tell no lies we even have to write up purchase orders and such how buying an item aligns with the goals set forth in the strategic plan so instead of just ordering girdles, you have to order them and add "this lines up with strategic plan item A7 - commitment to safety of all students" amazing Coach I feel you. Today we had a staff meeting from 3:00 3:30 on the last Friday of pre planning to give us important reminders, one of them being that we are professions and we are expected to be here during our contract time because we are being paid. Yet the last thing we were told as we were walking out was to make sure to Back to School Night we get there 15 minutes before it starts. Completely contradictory to the concept about contract time. Also I was once at a school where we had PD every Monday. They went some big time conference and came back and said they were making lasting change. Their magic bullet. Changing the name of PD to PL. Instead of Professional Development it was going to be Professional Learning. Everything else stayed the same. Same binder, same information, same everything. Just worded what we were doing differently.
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Post by Defcord on Aug 2, 2019 19:55:29 GMT -6
ding ding ding, this is the one for me too man maybe it's the natural cynic in me, but the acronyms and re-heated platitudes still get under my skin next week we start the week and half of madness with our "convacation" whatever the hell that means and then we will have talk about our "strategic plan" if your not sure what a "strategic plan" is, it's the same idea some guy made money of a decade ago only then it was a "mission statement" so now...armed with our strategic plan...we now have to not only keep the strategic plan in mind, but actually write up bullet points about how what we are doing in the classroom lines up with our strategic plan i tell no lies we even have to write up purchase orders and such how buying an item aligns with the goals set forth in the strategic plan so instead of just ordering girdles, you have to order them and add "this lines up with strategic plan item A7 - commitment to safety of all students" amazing Yeah. Administrators are fuking morons for the most part I had a good boss the last two years and left. Might end up regretting it. His philosophy was if what we were doing didn’t directly impact student learning in the classroom he didn’t care. New guy wants us all in a coat and slacks for open house. Old guy didn’t care. I am sure he would have frowned on flip flops, but a long sleeve school tee, khaki shorts and comfortable shoes wouldn’t have been a problem. I wouldn’t know because he let us practice and just put a sign up on our doors instead.
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