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quote:
In the four years junior has been playing at the high school I have never witnessed any politics or bad feelings parents might have towards each other or any of the kids.
We have three youth baseball programs feeding one high school. Some of the parents haven't gotten over there's only one #1 pitcher, shortstop, etc.. I'm happy my son is in the starting lineup. He doesn't care what position he plays as long as he's playing. Our attitude came from him competing for positions on travel teams. Others don't feel the same way.
Last edited by RJM
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You're a good man coach...and a good teacher, and a good coach as well. I know this. I also know that your students, teams, and community are very well served by you.

If some can not respect you and your contributions then that is sad...and that is their loss.

You've got my respect coach. My kids, I'm positively sure, would love to have you as both a teacher and coach.

Do you need directions to the Chicago area?




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Last edited by gotwood4sale
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We have probably a hundred or so teachers at our high school with an enrollment under 1500 students. The average salary is around $86,000/year. Several teachers are paid in excess of $120,000 each year.
Given these tough economic times something, in our high school district, will have to give. I'm guessing it won't be the taxpayers. Not this time.



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Last edited by gotwood4sale
Gotwood and RJM,

Wow, my wife has been a teacher for 30+ years and makes 73K with all the extra degrees and 120 units+. No new contracts or raises in the next 3 years.

Last I heard the most in our area for Sups. was $260,000 and we thought that was high.

Whoever said all the golds in California. Do they have commuter flights from Cal. to your areas?
quote:
Originally posted by gotwood4sale:
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You're a good man coach...and a good teacher, and a good coach as well. I know this. I also know that your students, teams, and community are very well served by you.

If some can not respect you and your contributions then that is sad...and that is their loss.

You've got my respect coach. My kids, I'm positively sure, would love to have you as both a teacher and coach.

Do you need directions to the Chicago area?




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Thanks for the kind words Woody - I really do appreciate them.

I love the Chicago area and have been a Cubs fan for well over 20 years. I was up there a few years ago to take in a couple of games at Wrigley and the Sox field. I can't explain how awesome it was to be in Chicago. Only problem is I absolutely hate the cold weather.
Anyone who would look down on a good teacher is a fool! Teaching is one of the most important jobs in the world. A real opportunity to make a difference in a young persons life.

Problem is... We need more good teachers and coaches rather than those who just show up, collect a pay check and don't really care about their students or athletes.
My wife the school teacher earns something like $36,000/year. She has two master's degrees and is certified for gifted education. Though she doesn't coach, I think the typical stipend per sport in our area is around $2,000-2,500 max.

Guess we should've set up shop in Chicago?

Na, not worth it. Too cold and windy for me!

Though maybe we could hack it there for just a few years prior to retirement ....
Calling all REALLY GOOD COACHES! YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!!!

As the woodman said, at the last school board meeting, the SB voted to remove the current AD. We are looking for a REALLY GOOD ATHLETIC DIRECTOR! YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!

The job, posted, is for .60 FTE. The current AD, at 60% made $83,000. BUT WAIT! There's more!

I recently acquired the stipend list from the interim (it's a long and obscene story) superintendent by way of the guy who is leading the charge to "take back" our school from the thugs (think Crook County, the State of Illinois, "the Chicago Way", and the current occupants of the WH.....

The Head Coach for each sport makes $7,940. The assistant coaches make $6,200. Let's review. The baseball/softball season goes from March 1 through the 3rd week in May. 12 weeks? That's it. And most of them aren't good, they are "friends of" the AD.

In April 2008 (when the economic troubles had reared it's ugly head), the old school board offered the teachers a guaranteed 5 percent per year for FIVE YEARS. A 25% increase. Crazy.

Oh, we have one "teacher" who is the chairman of the two Language departments (English and foreign) teaches ONE CLASS and makes $160,000.

All of you REALLY GOOD COACHES AND TEACHERS! PLEASE COME TO MY SCHOOL! WE NEED YOU!!!!! I'M NOT KIDDING!!!!!!

Oh, I should add the weather is Chicago is always perfect. Sunny, warm, delightful.
Last edited by play baseball
quote:
How sad is it when someone who is highly educated, gets oustanding reports on observations and coaches two sports can't make ends meet?


It's not just teachers. It's many professions and depending where you live, people are getting taxed out and it don't matter what you do for a living unless you're loaded. This is not a problem limited to teachers even though they want the public to believe it is. We know better. Teachers got a good gig and great bennies. Better than those in the private sector. Now he game's up and the voters are waking up. Not that it will matter much because the school districts will go back to the municipalities and will get their budgets approved anyway and the teachers will get thoese raises they should be freezing so they can save teaching jobs and keep quality education for the kids.

However, for real reform, politicians need to grow a set and go after the fat cat administrators with their rididculous 6-figure salaries, golden parachuets, accrued unused sick time which is a joke raping the pension system and bringing in their relatives for high paying bogus positions. This is where real reform will occur.
Last edited by zombywoof
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I agree with you zombywoof...we're all in this mess together and we need all of us pulling together to get out of it. Problems should be honestly identified and honest efforts should be put forth to correct them. We owe this to future generations. Simple really.

And RJM...where did you get that picture? It sure looks like an early evening snapshot of Chicago Harbor following our June Dairy Month Motorboat Regatta.

It's really amazing what 10,000 cartons of this...




along with 50 of these...



can do to a small freshwater harbor!





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Last edited by gotwood4sale
If a person is coaching hs sports for the money then the chances are pretty good your not going to have a very good coach. The coaches I know that are good at what they do would do it for free. The fact is many of us lose money after it is all said and done by coaching. The last year I was a HC I got 3,500. If you want to maintain your field at a high level "like most good coaches do" many times you have to have things that the school simply will not pay for. If you want enough baseballs and other things like T's , batting cages , nets , L screens , etc etc the school is not going to pony up. We get 5,000 a year to run the baseball program. That includes paying the umpires , gate keepers , baseballs to practice with and game balls , etc etc.

We do have a dugout club to help us out. And we do have a concession stand as well. If a coach only runs his program from the start of the hs season to the end of the hs season the pay is probably not too bad. If you do it the right way and run your program year round what are you really getting paid as far as a salary goes? So the fact is the good ones are way underpaid as far as dollars go. And the not so good ones are fairly compensated as far as dollars go. If your doing it right and doing it for the right reasons your pay comes in other ways. And that can not have a price tag put on it.

All summer / fall and through the winter spending countless hours working on the field , strength agility and conditioning training , working with young men on the game - you are not paid in dollars. You get out of it what you put in it and so do the players. If you are doing it for the right reasons and doing it the right way you will never be paid in dollars an amount that is fair. And if that bothers you you are in it for the wrong reasons to start with imo.

You build a program by working 12 months out of the year just like players become players by working at the game 12 months out of the year. You do it not because your going to get paid to do it in dollars but because you love the game and those that play it. The ones that do it for the check are easy to spot. And they are over paid many times. jmho
First of all, to make an assumption that all "team Moms" - something I've never been, have an ulterior motive, is an insult to all the moms who do this for the team. I suppose I could say that all daddys that coach their sons/daughters have an ulterior motive as well. There are plenty of people who do these things for the right reasons.

Coach May pretty much describes what our coach does. Field work is year around, summer ball, 8 man work outs etc. He does a lot. Giving him a small gift is not outrageous. Maybe it's a Southern thing? Last year it was less than $100 for each of 3 coaches.

As to why I volunteer - sold programs, concessions, I guess everyone else is too busy being PC, it wouldn't get done. As to this busy somebody, yes, I got stuck with handing the cards out last year. I placed them at their place at the table. I didn't say a word.

My son plays regardless. We have been pleased with what he has done and is doing. Like I said, there have been a few team issues, but nothing personal towards my son.
55mom I would love to have more parents like you. There is nothing wrong imo but everything right about parents wanting to help the program and the kids that play. You only get to do this one time and allowing the parents to be a part of it is the right thing to do imo. Yes there will always be parents that have ulterior motives. But that shouldnt stop the ones that dont from getting the chance to help the kids and the program. The coach has to have character and the ability to not allow anything that goes out outside the lines to have anything to do with goes on inside the lines.

Many Moms have cooked me pies , cakes and brought us stuff to eat after games. I appreciate the heck out of it. And from my experience and this is only mine , the Dads are way more likely to try and play games than the moms.
Thanks for the compliment coach - I appreciate it.

I agree that there are several moms who help because it's the right thing to do and it has to be done. What I've found over the years is that typically parents fall into one of three categories

1. Small group who will do anything that needs to be done because they just want to help out. They have no ulterior motives although it may look that way. Without these people programs will really struggle.

2. Small group who will do volunteer themselves to do things or come up with things on their own to do. Whole purpose is to look good and get some special favors for their sons. This group will turn on a coach at the drop of a hat if they feel their son is being "cheated"

3. Largest group are the ones who will help out when asked. They don't step up and volunteer much but if you ask them to do something they jump right up and do it.

If you think you can run a program without parents being involved you are in for a lot of work that will never get done. Like coach said you welcome them with open arms but lay down the rules as what the roles are for each person who helps out. Set specific limits as to what they can or cannot do. If they want to follow the rules then things are great. If they don't want to follow the rules then do what needs to be done.

A successful program is made up of players, coaches AND parents. Besides it's their kids - how can you expect to keep them from being a part of their baseball life?
Good post coach. I have always believed I was the lucky guy for getting a chance to be a part of their baseball life. I talk to parents and tell them I have been through this twice with 2 sons. I know how they are feeling.

"I am going to borrow your kids for the next four years for a few hours a day. I am going to treat them just like they are my own because in my eyes they are. I am going to work for them just like they are mine. I am going to demand from them just like I demand from my own kids. I will never expect anything from them that I have not already given to this program and Im still giving. So if you allow me to do this I will. If you want to be a part of this I want you to. And I think its important for your son to know you are there for him and this program and ALL the players. I will handle what goes on in the dugout and on the field. And you are more than welcome to help me and the other coaches anyway you can. And if you can not no problem. Because nothing anyone does that does not wear a uniform on this team will ever have anything to do with what goes on on that field."

Some of my very best friends are former players parents. And I have many kids out there still playing the game. Many kids out there in the military. Many kids out there working jobs and raising families. And I am equally proud of every one of them. Do not let parents that you know are doing things for the program and trying to manipulate the situation for their kid stop you from enjoying your sons hs experience. If you want to help and be a part of it for the right reasons - do it. Its no different than going to church and putting your focus on the people that you know are fakes and phony people. YOU end up not getting the real message your there for and enjoying what you are doing and end up spending your time POed at the other people. JMHO
quote:
Originally posted by Coach_May:
Good post coach. I have always believed I was the lucky guy for getting a chance to be a part of their baseball life. I talk to parents and tell them I have been through this twice with 2 sons. I know how they are feeling.

"I am going to borrow your kids for the next four years for a few hours a day. I am going to treat them just like they are my own because in my eyes they are. I am going to work for them just like they are mine. I am going to demand from them just like I demand from my own kids. I will never expect anything from them that I have not already given to this program and Im still giving. So if you allow me to do this I will. If you want to be a part of this I want you to. And I think its important for your son to know you are there for him and this program and ALL the players. I will handle what goes on in the dugout and on the field. And you are more than welcome to help me and the other coaches anyway you can. And if you can not no problem. Because nothing anyone does that does not wear a uniform on this team will ever have anything to do with what goes on on that field."

Some of my very best friends are former players parents. And I have many kids out there still playing the game. Many kids out there in the military. Many kids out there working jobs and raising families. And I am equally proud of every one of them. Do not let parents that you know are doing things for the program and trying to manipulate the situation for their kid stop you from enjoying your sons hs experience. If you want to help and be a part of it for the right reasons - do it. Its no different than going to church and putting your focus on the people that you know are fakes and phony people. YOU end up not getting the real message your there for and enjoying what you are doing and end up spending your time POed at the other people. JMHO



Wisdom Is something I can recognize, I see it here, the challenge is practicing it all the time.

The above is playing as we speak in our program.

Fortunately, I have a head coach like Coach May.
And I have confidence on the correct outcomes. because of it.
Coach May, I have to tell you this. I posted it somewhere else, but...

I THOUGHT polictics were being played on our team this year. Partly because of the articles being published in the local newspaper. I just couldn't BELIEVE our coach would submit what was being printed. So finally, (being the scorekeeper and thinking I had some sort of right to question the sportswriter) I called the newspaper and asked where he was getting his info. You know what he responded? "From your website." The website that I - yes I - was hosting. After every game I'd give a play by play on the website. It wasn't intended as a stats thing, but that's what he was using to report from.

Brother, I haven't eaten a meal in 3 days, still full from the crow! And I won't be posting any more play-by-plays, just box scores.

I told the head coach this and he laughed and said he was wondering the same thing! And so were a lot of other people, I'm sure.

Be careful what you accuse people of. The Lord may decide you need a lesson in humility Smile
Last edited by gamedayrocks
"I am going to borrow your kids for the next four years for a few hours a day. I am going to treat them just like they are my own because in my eyes they are. I am going to work for them just like they are mine. I am going to demand from them just like I demand from my own kids. I will never expect anything from them that I have not already given to this program and Im still giving. So if you allow me to do this I will. If you want to be a part of this I want you to. And I think its important for your son to know you are there for him and this program and ALL the players. I will handle what goes on in the dugout and on the field. And you are more than welcome to help me and the other coaches anyway you can. And if you can not no problem. Because nothing anyone does that does not wear a uniform on this team will ever have anything to do with what goes on on that field."

Beautiful sentiment. It is everything that is right about HS baseball. The only problem is that it is very rare.

For every Coach May, you get 1000 political, lazy, clueless, idiot coaches.

Coach May is the 1 out of 1000. Unfortunatley, we only have 565 or so coaches in AZ. Pretty bad odds.
quote:
Originally posted by Doughnutman:
For every Coach May, you get 1000 political, lazy, clueless, idiot coaches.


I'm sure Doughnutman used the 1000:1 as an "eye-opener" but IMO the vast majority of coaches do their job, some "go-beyond", and a few don't carry the weight. Those who "don't" stick out and carry a bad name for the whole bunch. It's kind of dis-heartening to hear post after post of parents/players who at times state the case with a personal touch and the then "dog pile" begins. All of a sudden the situation becomes ingrained in everyone's mind and they look for the same faults regardless of the degree from every coach. Not every coach has the make-up to be great, but you don't see a line forming to replace them.

The way I look at it, all through life we deal with different personalities, some we like, some we don't. While some situations may be disgusting in our minds I would rather look at them as a kids opportunities to make a bad situation good and leave it at that. These coaching relationships are but a sliver in the big life picture but sometimes I feel that we are more critical of them and give others as worthy a pass.

JMO
Last edited by rz1
The only thing is his number great coaches 1- 1000. Probably more like 1-100. I in fifty being really good, 1 on 15 being good, and 1 of 2, passable.

Baseball a game of statistics this is just another one, part of the reality they face trying to play ball.

The odds of being a great baseball coach are pretty low, kinda like being a Great baseball player, it just a hard thing to achieve.
Last edited by showme
quote:
Originally posted by showme:
The only thing is his number great coaches 1- 1000. Probably more like 1-100. I in fifty being really good, 1 on 15 being good, and 1 of 2, passable.

While we are all entitled to our opinions, even I had one once, I don't think any of us are in a position to make a baseball wide assumptions of categorizing coaches. Besides the criteria of what makes a "good coach" is in the eye of a beholder, our personal knowledge is usually based purely on our local knowledge and personal experiences from behind a fence.
Last edited by rz1
I am willing to give Doughnutman the benefit of the doubt on this one and guessing he was just venting because of his personal frustrations with his son's coach. I'll go out on a limb and guess that Doughnutman does not even know 1000 coaches let alone what the statistics may be on the number of good ones there are per thousand.
The only thing we have to go on - our own experiences - what we have been told - what we have seen - what we percieve.

There are a lot of good coaches. There are some not so good ones. And there are some clowns.

But the only thing that matters to the parent are the ones their sons have played for and do play for. If those experiences have been bad then that is what they know.

Rise above a tough situation. And take advantage of a good one.
Along the lines of what Coach M said - if you play the game for awhile - you will wind up playing for some great coaches - some OK coaches and some morons.

Just the way goes - sort of like working in the real world.

Whichever one you have at the time shouldnt change your approach to the game.

Work real hard and play real hard whenever you get the chance. Regardless of who your coach is or isnt.
I believe there are more good high school coaches than bad coaches. A good high school coach has a reasonable understanding of the game, treats the players as they deserve to be treated and doesn't let politics invade the process.

An exception high school coach has a deep understanding of the game, isn't intimidated by outside forces like travel ball and private instructors and will do what it takes to help a player get to the next level. These coaches are probably about 1 in 25.
Last edited by RJM
IMO if you ask a parent why he/she considers their HS coach bad, most of the honest answers would have to do with playing time or which team he made. I don't think the answer would be over "x's and O's".

In our area, in public schools, all of the coaches are teachers who might have played in HS. All we can ask is that they make honest decisions on players and treat the kids like RJM says above.
quote:
Originally posted by peskynats:
I'm absolutely disgusted with our HS coach and I can't for the season to be over. My son is handling it well, but I know deep down that he can't wait for college ball to start. This is a first year coach, who replaced another terrible coach. The previous terrible coach was not good at Xs and Os. The new terrible coach is also not good at Xs and Os as well as plays his own awful son at a key infield position. Many players have left the team because the coach hasn't given them a fair shake. The coaches son leads the team in errors (by far) and bragging throughout the school. I'm waiting for somebody to kick his *ss, but we'll have to wait for the end of the baseball season for that to happen. I have no idea where the Athletic Director is in all of this.

I thought this coach was going to really change things for the better, but I'm just left with bitter disappointment. Daddy ball at the high school level leads to POLITICS and a lot of questions. I'm looking forward to the end and closing this chapter on High School baseball. The end can't come quick enough!

pesky - welcome to the hsbbweb. I wouldn't be encouraging any as*-kickings as that could lead to someone getting seriously injured/maimed/killed and someone else going to prison. Just a few years ago, a single punch was thrown between teammates at Charleston Southern - a religious school, that wound up in death and another going to prison.

As far as politics goes, it exists at all levels of baseball imho including college and pros. There are college players all over this country who are starting day 1 as frehmen whose Dad's are the head coaches for their respective programs. Some programs have high-profile names, high profile connections, and/or multi-million dollar doners whose kids are getting looks over others who perhaps may be more deserving. Your son needs to learn how to ignore what he cannot control and focus on those things he can. If he cannot, his college career could be a short one imho.
ClevelandDad,

Thanks, I'm a long time HSBaseball Web lurker. I'm absolutely not advocating violence, however I noticed a resentment towards the coaches' son that has escalated since the beginning of the year when it was clear he was not at a Varsity level. Based upon some things he has allegedly said, I wouldn't be surprised if someone "pops" him, and soon.

Yes, I've seen politics at LL, HS, Travel, Elite Travel, and I expect to see it at College too. My son could care less what happens over the next 3-4 weeks in High School. I respect him for sticking around as others have decided it is not worth their time. He blames the coach for not putting the best possible team on the field. He and a couple others play hard 100% despite their coach. These kids are the true grownups IMO for this situation. I'm having a tougher time with this POLITICS than he is, because I was expecting more from the coach during my son's senior year. He is only a senior once. My son is a mentally tough and talented kid, and I think he has already moved into "college baseball mode" where he will be prepared for even more challenges. He is not going to let this HS coach distract him from his goals.
Last edited by peskynats

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