I’m currently the JV HC in HS and I’m going out on a limb here.
I’m reasonably sure that neither the program HC nor the AD visit this forum and I have not mentioned it to either of them. It’s a bit wordy/long and requires some background. So here goes.
Background – We have 2 HS’s in our town I will call them “A” and “B”. I was invited to join a highly successful HS “A” program 10 years ago by the head JV coach. He saw me coaching a rec team and liked what I was doing in the way of drills and teaching skills. Very luckily my boss was open to me moving my hours during the season so I was in. Note - I was a volunteer that first year. I had to prove myself to the HC and other AC’s who had been there for 15 years.
At that time we had enough players (usually in the 40’s) to field 3 teams (Varsity, JV, and Freshman). At that time the program had won 5 conference titles in a row, made, 2 state appearances. In many years our JV team was better than most of the other conference varsities. It was a program that was always ranked near or at the top in our division (school enrollment).
The HC was also the football HC who ran a successful program also with conference and state championships. He had everyone’s respect. At the beginning of 2016 the AD hired a female teacher who played D3 softball as varsity AC. I never found out why but he did. After the 2016 season the JV HC at the time suffered a heart attack and passed away. I then became the JV HC. But even more unfortunate the HC contracted Leukemia and passed away during the season in 2017. One of the varsity AC’s ran the program for the rest of the year. In the winter of 2017, I got a call from the female teacher/coach. She tells me that she is the new HC and that the varsity AC’s had been dismissed. Let me say the varsity AC’s were good guys. I got along great with them, so I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. She grills me about my relationship with them. The conversation takes 20 minutes and I’m quite truthful because I figure I’m about to be let go. At the end of the 20 minutes she says if I ask you to stay on can you be loyal to me as the HC? After another 20 minute discussion I am (I believe conditionally) rehired. I guess I proved myself to her as I’m still here 4 years later.
After her first year the program begins to go downhill. By now we are now lucky to get 25 girls to go out, and many TB girls don’t go out. Worse yet HS “B” has become one of the top programs in the state. They have no problem with numbers.
Fast forward to today. I am having a beer with a couple of parents of recently graduated players. I am lamenting about the reduction in the number players when they drop the bomb. They tell me the reason the TB girls don’t go out is because they can’t stand the HC. She’s petty, points out individual errors, expects the players to mourn after each loss, and her AC is the same. I had no idea the players hated them and it’s not going to change because players talk. These parents say get rid of her and the numbers will go back up.
I don’t know what to do, if anything. I hate to see the program suffer but is it my place to say something? If they let her go am I tainted goods?
Help!
I’m reasonably sure that neither the program HC nor the AD visit this forum and I have not mentioned it to either of them. It’s a bit wordy/long and requires some background. So here goes.
Background – We have 2 HS’s in our town I will call them “A” and “B”. I was invited to join a highly successful HS “A” program 10 years ago by the head JV coach. He saw me coaching a rec team and liked what I was doing in the way of drills and teaching skills. Very luckily my boss was open to me moving my hours during the season so I was in. Note - I was a volunteer that first year. I had to prove myself to the HC and other AC’s who had been there for 15 years.
At that time we had enough players (usually in the 40’s) to field 3 teams (Varsity, JV, and Freshman). At that time the program had won 5 conference titles in a row, made, 2 state appearances. In many years our JV team was better than most of the other conference varsities. It was a program that was always ranked near or at the top in our division (school enrollment).
The HC was also the football HC who ran a successful program also with conference and state championships. He had everyone’s respect. At the beginning of 2016 the AD hired a female teacher who played D3 softball as varsity AC. I never found out why but he did. After the 2016 season the JV HC at the time suffered a heart attack and passed away. I then became the JV HC. But even more unfortunate the HC contracted Leukemia and passed away during the season in 2017. One of the varsity AC’s ran the program for the rest of the year. In the winter of 2017, I got a call from the female teacher/coach. She tells me that she is the new HC and that the varsity AC’s had been dismissed. Let me say the varsity AC’s were good guys. I got along great with them, so I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop. She grills me about my relationship with them. The conversation takes 20 minutes and I’m quite truthful because I figure I’m about to be let go. At the end of the 20 minutes she says if I ask you to stay on can you be loyal to me as the HC? After another 20 minute discussion I am (I believe conditionally) rehired. I guess I proved myself to her as I’m still here 4 years later.
After her first year the program begins to go downhill. By now we are now lucky to get 25 girls to go out, and many TB girls don’t go out. Worse yet HS “B” has become one of the top programs in the state. They have no problem with numbers.
Fast forward to today. I am having a beer with a couple of parents of recently graduated players. I am lamenting about the reduction in the number players when they drop the bomb. They tell me the reason the TB girls don’t go out is because they can’t stand the HC. She’s petty, points out individual errors, expects the players to mourn after each loss, and her AC is the same. I had no idea the players hated them and it’s not going to change because players talk. These parents say get rid of her and the numbers will go back up.
I don’t know what to do, if anything. I hate to see the program suffer but is it my place to say something? If they let her go am I tainted goods?
Help!