2017 College Track & Field Open Coaching Positions Discussion

Low Volume 800 wrote:

I work for a terrible director wrote:

The non-loyal assistant is going to get canned whether right or wrong 10 times out of 10. Unless we're talking about ethical/illegal issues here. And yes, because loyalty is so important in this profession, that's the way it should be. Not excusing bad head coaches. But the assistant has to let that take care of itself. The assistant's only job description is "Make the Head Coach's Job Easier." Any assistant needs to acknowledge this before signing up. The assistant who gains a reputation for disloyalty won't be in this profession (at least at a high level) long. And If I'm ever head coach, I won't go near an assistant known for disloyalty no matter how good they are. And all this is coming from an assistant who works for a very well know sh!tty head coach.

That's your opinion, disloyalty to a head coach can be perceived differently between the two parties, anyone who thinks otherwise is a fool. The assistant coach has to be disloyal to the University and Athletic Department before disloyalty to a head coach occurs. I left a program as an assistant where "Make the Head Coach's Job Easier" was ignored by the head coach because he refused to listen to I said on everything ranging from meet management to how to treat athletes. Was I disloyal to him for how I left and how I differ from him on almost everything? From my perspective the answer is no, I could have tried a mutiny and perhaps succeeded. I played peacemaker and kept the athletes from quitting until the XC season ended and they had a meeting with the Head Coach/Director.

Now, after I left only a few people know exactly what went on from my perspective, but then after I learned more in the intervening months about how I was lied to and figured out the reason for marginalization of my role. I then tore into him indirectly and will continue to do so. Let's put it this way, I handed him an All-American and Conference Champion (school's first) and another who was a conference champ (school's first) upon his hiring and finished off the best and largest recruiting class the school had ever had after it's best ever finish in XC. Then he proceeded to turn that team into the last place team at the conference meet with the All-American quitting or technically making herself ineligible so he couldn't force her to run and it wouldn't have mattered if she ran or not. After I left, the attrition rate went through the roof, 50% to be exact.

Did I play a role in the attrition rate? No. I left quietly, I was disappointed by the conference results, but as I was recruiting the state XC meet I realized I could no longer effectively fulfill my duties as assistant coach. I just couldn't recruit like I knew how to recruit, which includes making promises I could keep on culture and lifestyle, I just couldn't bring myself to lying to athletes and parents. What happened to that team can be directly attributed to the AD and the Head Coach. I will not mince words there. I absolutely adore, the students, the faculty, and the University's President and Provost, but the AD and Head Coach have to get their heads screwed on straight or that program will not become what it can be. So, if those two feel I was disloyal, then that's their error. Was my way the absolute best? I don't know, my philosophy and advice were relegated whenever possible, but results are hard to ignore even in small sample sizes when the differences in results are so large. Thus, just heeding my advice would have been at least prudent instead of just brushing it off. I would probably be more harsh if the Head Coach had any experience approaching mine, he's young and he has time to learn, but some of the best lessons taught are in absentia.

Sorry about the long post, just sick of the typical bullshittery posted about loyalty, honor, integrity, committment, or other shit people think they know about leadership. If a coach/school wouldn't hire me over what happened then I am fine with because they know shit about leadership and I would probably end up in a similar circumstance. Regardless, I am happy where I am at now with 2 Head Coaches I have tremendous respect for even though I may have slightly different philosophies in some areas, but core philosophies are similar and we love to have fun! The simple thing is if you are an assistant coach at a place where the culture and atmosphere don't fit you, then it's best to get out and do it quietly. Some people are going to think you are disloyal or are a quitter, or a malcontent, or a possible cancer regardless. The thing is you can't control what people think, just be sure of yourself and control what you can control.

I work for a terrible director wrote:

You actually did exactly what my post basically recommended. If you couldn't be loyal than you needed to get out - which is what you did. Makes no difference who was "right" whatever your perspective is. I also didn't describe the way the job *should* be in an ideal world...I described the job as it IS. Hopefully that's helpful to any young assistants who think they are going to get in somewhere and shake things up for the better...they "shake things up," they're going to end up unemployed very quickly. Sounds like your situation was indeed toxic if we're going to only take your side of things (not saying you're lying, just implying that there are two sides to every story), so you made the right decision to walk away. Be careful how sabotaging things from a distance can blow back on you & future job prospects. It's not that hard to trace the source and it's a small world out there...