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Is this a problem in any other schools. Were a D1 school and we have 1 coach in all the sports boys and girls that isn't a teacher. Wandering if this is a reason for the losing record for so many years? Is this a money thing?
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It is a union thing. Most teachers unions have a clause in the contract stating that a teacher has priority in being hired for any supplemental position over anybody who is not in their local union.
This does have it's benefits because, theoretically, they are hiring someone who they are familiar with and can trust with the kids (there are things more important than a winning record). Also keep in mind that most hs coaches are teachers and they find a way to win on a consistent basis. Hiring within the system is not the cause for bad records.
However, winning is important. If a school has no teachers who can coach well, then the school needs to change it's hiring procedure. Quite a few schools hire teachers using the age old "we don't hire coaches" mentality. This is a shame because there are plenty of good teachers who are also good coaches. The problem is that there are a lot of lazy administrators who do not actively recruit talented teacher/coaches. If they did, then your school would not have the losing records they have.
This does have it's benefits because, theoretically, they are hiring someone who they are familiar with and can trust with the kids (there are things more important than a winning record). Also keep in mind that most hs coaches are teachers and they find a way to win on a consistent basis. Hiring within the system is not the cause for bad records.
However, winning is important. If a school has no teachers who can coach well, then the school needs to change it's hiring procedure. Quite a few schools hire teachers using the age old "we don't hire coaches" mentality. This is a shame because there are plenty of good teachers who are also good coaches. The problem is that there are a lot of lazy administrators who do not actively recruit talented teacher/coaches. If they did, then your school would not have the losing records they have.
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?unfortunately , like sgf67 said, the school unions have a big part in someone like this getting that position. ?i was the varsity coach at my dd's h.s. as a parent (played 4 nights myself, coached rec ball for yrs) for 2 yrs that noone wanted the job. ?and had a good core of younger girls (soph) and even better freshman coming in. ?well, as soon as we had a winning season, a teacher figured he'd try his hand at coaching (he coaches 2 other sports, badly) even tho he never set foot on a field before or knew anything about the game. example: his idea of teaching how to play outfield was print off things on the net and pass them out like a english test. i saw this same guy throw up the ball 3 times before getting a dribbler hit to s.s. in practice. anyway, being a member of the teachers union, he had priority over me, and was handed the job, no questions asked. needless to say the program went to hell, half the girls now dont play for school, ?school ball is a waste of time under someone like this, you dont learn anything but bad habits. so i definitly feel for you and hope things work out for the best...
DISCLAIMER:
this in no way means that all teacher/coaches are bad, just relaying my experience with it.
DISCLAIMER:
this in no way means that all teacher/coaches are bad, just relaying my experience with it.
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You guys should feel lucky. I'm AD at a school where most of the coaches AREN'T teachers. Teachers don't want to put in all the time for the small paycheck. Coaching has become a year round job. So now we have to hire either a parent or some Joe Shmoe from the local factory looking to prove he's the next Joe Torre. Neither situation ever works out. When you get a parent or community member, usually they aren't willing to put in all of that extra time that it takes to develop a program, and from an AD's perspective communication with a non-teaching coach is a PAIN!!!!!
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My whole point is hire the best person for the job, whether its a teacher, parent, or a "joe schmoe". i dont think flashing a union card makes you the most qualified. in the end, only the players lose.
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Hiring the right person is what should be the object. Hire the coach that will be fair,teach the game and be a good leader.
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I made the comment earlier that it was a "union thing". Well everyone needs to remember that the contract has to be agreed upon by the school board also. So it would have been more accurate to say that it a "contract thing".
Another thing that people do not realize is that quite a few coaching positions are taken by teachers because no one has applied for the job. If these teachers had not stepped forward and filled the position, that sport would have been eliminated from the school.
Most teachers take a coaching position for the right reasons. But, as with anything, there are some exceptions to the rule. Like Bill_Vasko said, the paychecks for doing a coaching job the way it should be done are very meager. I have coached plenty at the high school level and get very depressed every time I figure out my hourly rate. If a teacher is taking a coaching position for the money, he will not be there very long once he sees what type of commitment (and headaches) are involved.
Another thing that people do not realize is that quite a few coaching positions are taken by teachers because no one has applied for the job. If these teachers had not stepped forward and filled the position, that sport would have been eliminated from the school.
Most teachers take a coaching position for the right reasons. But, as with anything, there are some exceptions to the rule. Like Bill_Vasko said, the paychecks for doing a coaching job the way it should be done are very meager. I have coached plenty at the high school level and get very depressed every time I figure out my hourly rate. If a teacher is taking a coaching position for the money, he will not be there very long once he sees what type of commitment (and headaches) are involved.
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If anyone knows someone who wants to coach a school team with no softball talent with a few exceptions, be made into the anti-christ by a couple of mothers for not doing things exactly the way that makes their DD's happy, and is just a general glutton for punishment then have I got the school for you to coach at. ;D
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Hey, been there, done that, gave away the tshirts. Tell your daughter I said Hi!
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You would think the AD would take the time and interview the coaches applying. Ant type of experience? How long you been involved? All I'm saying that when the coach is a teacher it sure doesn't look like they are there for the same reason everybody else is. They look like they're there for just a paycheck regardless of amount. Doing the job poorly makes the AD look foolish also.Believe me I know 1st hand; I've been watching this teacher/coach and AD at GMHS for a few years now,pretty lowsy.
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I've seen AD's put a lot of effort in hiring football coaches but lowly softball seems to go under the radar and with the exception of the players and their parents most people don't seem to care.
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Where is the difference between a teacher becoming a softball coach due to the "contract thing" and a daddy becoming a coach because of the "darling daughter" thing? It's the system that you need to understand to play the game. I have seen alot of high school coaches that are just as good as travel ball coaches. How many travel ball coaches have credentials prior to little Sally starting to play travel or roster ball. The bottom line is without coaches, weather it be travel ball or high school ball, there would not be a sport. Alot of the smaller schools don't have alot to choose from due to the "contract thing". In most cases, darling daughter is not going to go to college because of high school softball, she will go because of the effort she puts in with the travel ball team. And without the teachers to help them maintain a very good GPA there won't be college ball to worry about. I take off my hat to anyone who puts in the time and effort to help these young ladies become good adults. Softball is just a game that helps with learning lifes lessons. Very few will use softball to earn a living for their families.
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Excellent post Blazer.
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blazer, there isnt a union saying a "daddy" cant have the travel job. anyone can coach, where the union can shut out qualified candidates or the school jobs. ( did i really have to explain this???)
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Your right, anyone can coach, but it takes special people to help young ladies become responsible adults weather it's high school or travel ball.
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Unions also help protect jobs in this great country for which we celebrate Labor Day.
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Maybe so, but unions do harm too. I've seen a number of teachers who arn't held as accountable as they should be because they can hide behind their union and these clowns get first shot at coaching? Most of the time they are as poor at coaching as they are at being teachers. The school with one of the if not the longest loosing streak in football on record in Ohio had a teacher as the coach and I know firsthand how poor a teacher he was too.
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Everything has it's good and bad. But the older I get, the more good things I see the union doing. When you have co-workers mistreated and then have it set right by a union, you tend to start having a more favorable opinion about them.
Maybe we should start a thread regarding the THOUSANDS of good teachers who are also good coaches in this country.
Maybe we should start a thread regarding the THOUSANDS of good teachers who are also good coaches in this country.
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I agree sgf67. I hear travel ball coaches put down high school coaches all the time. There are just as many good high school coaches as there are travel ball coaches. Something that is interesting that separates the two is; in high school ball individules stand out more for the accomplishments of the team where as in travel ball it's more of a team accomplishment. Most travel ball teams are solid top to bottom, but in high school ball you can win a state championship with less talent. I'll say again, if any athlete is going to college to play softball it will be because of travel ball, but you better have a 3.2 GPA or better before a scout will even look at you.
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I wasn't nessairly trying to put down unions because everything has it's good and bad points but I know some people who lost their jobs when a company had to choose between keeping a factory in Columbus or Iowa and one of the deciding factors was the Columbus union had demanded a lot more concessions from the company over the years so Iowa won out.
