Deacon wrote:
http://m.chanute.com/mobile/news/article_c47396ee-fb03-11e2-83d6-0019bb30f31a.htmlHe's going there to be an assistant......
I am a normal reader and not poster on this site. Everyone has given me great insite in looking at available jobs.
However, this article upsets me in many ways. One, yes, the problems at the school that need to be addressed. However, I think that the coach gave in too easily. I've battled very similar problems, no facilities, lack of respect for the team, ever reduced budgets. However, I have hung in at my school for ten years because I believe in helping my athletes..no matter what. Our budget was cut to only $3500 for cross country last year and less than $15000 for indoor/outdoor track. We could not afford to feed the athletes at meets. We could not afford to buy new uniforms or equipment. But I hung on, because I felt we were making a difference to the athletes lives. I did fundraising, which helped get the athletes shoes. But we did without more than we did with.
In the ten years, we have never had our own track. We had a short time spand to use a local high school track between high school practice and club teams practicing on the track. We still managed to have 36 athletes in the last two years qualify for nationals and had several place in the top three..with one national champion.
However, what happen to us, is a little different. Our new president decided he does not like sports. So he cut the club football team and the track team after last season. Left basketball and cross country with no scholarships. You might think it was financial (after reading above). However, the athletic fee is being raised (finally) this fall to cure any financial problems.
I was crushed to find out track was eliminated when we were the only junior college team in our state. That is the sole reason my eyes are now open looking for another coaching job. Technically I still have a cross country team, but the president cut out all scholarships at the last minute. So I could not recruit anyone for fall. But I will help improve whomever comes out for the team, because that is what I do..help my athletes improve on the track and in the classroom.
There are many other junior college coaches out there in similar situations (bad budgets, no facilities) but they hang in there, because they make a difference in their athletes lives. Most people will never know who they are, but they should be congradulated for doing the best they can with what they have.