Njcaa nationals

Yeah the kids, and friends are here ruining a lively debate because of personal bias.

Ok Kyle, tell us more.

I will Vince

I’m available to look into this “cat fight” but remember if I do I have full authority to follow anything that smells grizzly.

just ugly wrote:

Degrado is chippy about other teams having older foreign athletes. But there are older foreign athletes at every level. You would never see Wetmore assault or smack talk with someone on NAU's staff. His behavior was unacceptable, and I would be surprised if his career survives this. It's too bad bad too, because despite his ego he has done a decent job developing athletes.

P.S. some (but not all) of Cloud's distance athletes are over age by NCAA rules. NJCAA rules are a little more relaxed. I don't think they are doing anything that would be a violation.

Chippy?? I've heard him say many times he does not mind the international runners because we are a 3rd world country sport. His problem is the age of them, 18 to 21year olds should not have to race 23 to 25yr olds. That is just weak sauce. Decent job developing athletes??? I would go out on a limb and say he does a great job developing athletes year end and year out. Look at the girl who won the 10k last year Kaitlyn Shoemaker i looked her up she was like a 1210 3200 girl in a high school and in 2 years she runs 17:10 and 3524. Not to mention the kid in the 800m this year that caused all the stir. He was only a 156 guy in hs and ran 152 as a freshman and already hit 152 indoors. that kind of drop is not normal. His 4x8 won the last 2 national outdoor titles with what it seemed completely different runners. Hes got range with all events and genders and from what it looks like no assistant coach that helps him. Wetmore takes stabs at all of the other coaches up there in those press conferences. Hes too passive or he would really open up on them, i would love to put a mic in front of Vince just to hear some of his sound bites. Just read his bio, hes pretty much won where ever hes gone. His outspokeness is probably why hes still stuck at NJCAA imagine if he had athletes for 4 years. His actions were very uncalled for and will probably get fired. Hope he can land on his feet after this and possibly grow from it.

forgot to mention youngest coach to ever win both men and womens nationals in the same year. DeGrado has been offered employment at a 4 year. His wife is from Iola (Allen) and they have been helping her father who suffered some sort of head trauma last year and he turned it down to stay and help his family who has alot on their plate right now.

I dont think anyone will find DeGrado worried about a paycheck he doesnt coach because he has to or depends on it...If you truly know DeGrado you know coaching isnt all he has in his life.

checkhisride wrote:

I dont think anyone will find DeGrado worried about a paycheck he doesnt coach because he has to or depends on it...If you truly know DeGrado you know coaching isnt all he has in his life.

Im a former athlete of his and i can confirm what was said about his father in law. Last year he said many times was probably the hardest coaching was on his life. He was helping out his family on one hand while still holding it together with the team. I honestly cant believe he held it together because he didn't have a babysitter for a few days a week because his mother in law watched him 2 to 3 times a week i think. He ended up just bringing him to work. He coached multiple all americans and national champions last year and literally did it all by himself. His assistant was to busy being inappropriate with the females on the team from what i've heard and never was around. They had close to 40 athletes and he was doing it all by himself. I can tell you he and his family are heavily involved in the community and do more behind the scenes then probably any coach at that college. He just doesn't like public attention for anything. Which is why he's very embarrassed and really wants to move forward from this. Allen needs him more than he needs Allen, if he goes that program will die very fast.

If he does not like the attention he needs to hone his professional demeanor. This may be his first assault, but not his first out burst.

It is frustrating that the first thread regarding the NJCAA to gain traction, in as long as I can remember, is focused on this.

So sad he such anger management issues. It only takes a careless moment to ruin a career. Hope he is able to bounce back from this. I would hope he has apologized to the other coach.

Old NJCAA Coach wrote:

If he does not like the attention he needs to hone his professional demeanor. This may be his first assault, but not his first out burst.

It is frustrating that the first thread regarding the NJCAA to gain traction, in as long as I can remember, is focused on this.

So you haven't had an outburst. I was there last year when Hutch coach Pat Becker was running his mouth to everybody at the track meet during multis and other events and nobody said anything because he's old and he's a hall of fame coach. He rides up to Vince after his kid ran a race. Vince is by himself walking back to the bus and Pat verbally attacks him and responds with a lot of choice words and questions his legitimate hall of fame career. Pat being Pat was up in the press box the next day spouting off 'nobody talks to me like that this is my hall of fame' from what i heard. I have spoke to vince many times and he's been very professional with me during meets and outside the office. He was elected 6years in a row as the region 6 coaches association president he fought for our region helped change the way our meet was handled and better'd it. He's loud yes, maybe its the italian side in him but like a previous post check out football/baseball/basketball coaches. He pushed the other coach. They have many outburst and nobody says anything. It is frustrating this thread about NJCAA gained traction. Is it frustrating for you because your not being talked about most coaches act like "athletes first" but its really about him. I know for a fact Vince isn't running his top 2 800m on any 4x8s this year because he wants them to focus on themselves. They would probably win a 3rd straight 4x8 title but its not about him. He should of just went and filed a complaint after the DMR and Pat incident this would of never happened. Maybe this is what he needed to realize you cant speak your mind this day and age with all the softies out there. Just remember not to throw rocks in the glass house you might live in.

Chill Pill wrote:

So sad he such anger management issues. It only takes a careless moment to ruin a career. Hope he is able to bounce back from this. I would hope he has apologized to the other coach.

Seriously anger management issues??? Who has them, him?? What because of his current situation, you obviously have never been around him or known him. Don't pick apart certain situations of a persons life and automatically assume. He's been coaching for 12 to 13yrs I believe. Once of the coolest guys you'll ever be around with one of the nicest families ever. Loyal as can be, will voice his opinion or concern and will stand up for people. Now he might quick to give you the finger if it warrents but thats who he is and maybe that just rubs people the wrong way especially in our event group which seems to have more spineless people every year. I bet you money if he and Masterson was ever around he would apologize to him in person and maybe invite him to have a cold beer to bury the hacket. Would not care if that made him look weak. I know he's already moved on, just waiting for all the punishment to down.

Old NJCAA Coach wrote:

If he does not like the attention he needs to hone his professional demeanor. This may be his first assault, but not his first out burst.

It is frustrating that the first thread regarding the NJCAA to gain traction, in as long as I can remember, is focused on this.

this past cross country season they were at a meet and iowa central coach dee brown I guess was live feeding the event and saw Vince and dee started in on him on the video. He found out afterwards, laughed and said thats creepy, should of just asked me I would of given him an interview. He's not going to care what you think of him unless you're close to him. Heck he should of filed a complaint with NJCAA for harassment that can't be normal.

Vince has helped other coaches out by giving rides to their athletes to meets when the coachs had scheduling, transportation, or budget issues so that the kid could compete, Ive heard he even let another coachs athlete room with his so she could get to the meet on time and be rested. He had an issue where one of his girls in 2015 or 2016 cc season get accussed of doing something can not rember what to another teams girl. I do know he questioned his girl at length watched the footage over and over trying figure out if it was a accident, he said I can not prove it was not an accident but she is on my radar he never said another word but he did not return her the next year and it was not because she was running anywhere else. Vince doesnt air dirty laundry or make excuses for himself he will be the first to say here is what happened and this was my reaction which is not an excuse he will admit fully to anything he says or does which is his problem he won't lie to you about who he is or how he feels. Maybe if he did as some ithers and talk crap about the coach until they walk up than act like best buds than he would win a popularity contest but he truly doesnt care he isn't going to pretend calls it out and will say what other do he just says it to their face. People love to act as if Vince has done nothing for the sport. his athletes, or Allen on top of act as if he is this guy who is terrible to all other coachs and teams. Truth is Vince is normally found at meets tucked away from the crowd minding his own unless his teams running and than he is also running both legs and mouth. Its true if you know him personally you know he doesnt need to work at Allen but he has done enough good and made such postive differance in so many lives show the man respect let him walk away without throwing stones at least he had balls to stand up for other coachs, the sport, and athletes repeatdly and most people wont/dont have courage to even send a email sticking up for another if they think it might get them talked about and Vince does and for all to see

I saw the Coach Becker thing to! Coach DeGrado was by himself walking in the parking lot talking on his phone. You saw Becker drive all crazy slam the breaks on the cart get out yelling and DeGrado lucked really confused and kept saying calm down I dont what your even talking about than Becker gets louder, in his face piinting at DeGrado Becker calls him a piece of sh*t and DeGrado tells him to f%c $ off and def got the deeper harder digs and several from multiple teams got it all on video but Beckers behavior was never questioned only degrado. DeGrados AD should of got all the videos of Becker clearly attacking DeGrado and turned it into NJCAA ethics committee

ha good one about Allens AD shoud of story of allens athletic department they pretty much dont have an AD. Allens mens soccer doubles as the AD. I was on the womens soccer team but dated a track athlete both years at Allen and can tell you when people say DeGrado runs his program alone that is the truth. AD never attended any cross country or track meet at least the two years I was there you could find him at his meets, home basketball games, and the local country club. Maybe if Allen had a real AD not a soccer coach/AD who took more of a AD role established a support system for coachs, had training, and resources for coaches and athletic department you would see more of a professional growth and better behavior.

I to can say the Pat thing was a reason for a witch hunt. Becker didnt go off over a runner or race...a fern yes a fern as in plant. Becker was a jerk and had yelled at some people about trying to move the fern by the steeple which was in a bad location about 20 min later her comes DeGrado his head in his phone he to clips the plant goes to also move in a group of athletes start yelling not to touch the fern Vince goes this plant starts to actually move when someone runs tells them its not a joke people have been getting yelled out and Vince kinda half chuckles shakes his head and and continues to leave and can confirm he really was alone...next thing we know videos of Becker driving a cart all crazy leading those on buses to pull out phones thinking he was going to run Degrado over from behind and you her Becker yelling at DeGrado to not touch his plants probably why DeGrado was so confused looking...than yes doors where not completely closed in the press box when Becker ran up there and still not closed when he left and discusdions took place and that to was shared...those in glass houses really shouldnt even pick up a rock in region 6

Put some respek on his name.

DeGrado has a baseball coachs edge and with the legand of his arm I would say he was a baseball player. His edge has gotten cross country/track followers he has so much energy around him it attracts people may start out because of something he said or did but than they keep following the sport start asking how a meet was how kids ran. So glad Im not in region 6 anymore once you leave it you see how bad it is. Never have I been apart of group so spineless who do act friendly to eachothers face but that smile comes with a knife in the back and some dirty ADs get right in the middle. DeGrado will find if he is no longer part of that region it is a gift not a punishment and once your away from it you really see how bad it is. That region has to many coaches and ads showing lack of class going around doing things to others way worse than verbal or a push but its okay to do more damage to another coach or program as long you do via a lie or back door. Rather have someone cuss me out to my face or call me out to my face than to act friendly to my face than go behind my back trying to damage my career or athletes career which is what many in that region are about. I hope Vince gets out and than starts exposing emails, videos, texts, etc so everyone gets to see just how classy others act yet and its never given a second thought.