It seems as if high school XC/track coaches only get fired for explicit wrongdoing, or local politics(someone else needs their job). I’ve never seen a coach fired because the team was bad. Has anyone seen this happen?
It seems as if high school XC/track coaches only get fired for explicit wrongdoing, or local politics(someone else needs their job). I’ve never seen a coach fired because the team was bad. Has anyone seen this happen?
One situation which happens occasionally is when a successful and long serving coach retires, the poor schmuck who tries to replace him doesn’t keep up the great results and gets fired. The new coach is fired for poor performance, although the firing is partially political because the acceptable performance standard is skewed by comparison with the previous coach.
“Don’t be the guy who tries to replace the legend, be the guy who replaces the guy who tries to replace the legend.”
I've mostly been a college coach but of course have known many HS coaches. Can't honestly say I've known of a coach who was fired solely for poor performance--but then the HS coaches I've know have mostly been the better ones, whose kids I was trying to recruit.
I've known of a few cases when a high school coach was apparently fired for *good* performance--and I think others could chime in on that topic.
lease wrote:
I've mostly been a college coach but of course have known many HS coaches. Can't honestly say I've known of a coach who was fired solely for poor performance--but then the HS coaches I've know have mostly been the better ones, whose kids I was trying to recruit.
I've known of a few cases when a high school coach was apparently fired for *good* performance--and I think others could chime in on that topic.
And by "fired" I mean "not renewed."
No head coaches in our league have been fired for poor performance. Only political reasons with more powerful teachers wanting to take over a program already at the top. If you're a walk-on coach with an amazing team your job is in more jeopardy than if your team sucks because there is always someone on campus who is longtime friends with the principal that wants to steal that team away and take all the glory.
Most schools I have been associated with require coaches to also be teachers at the school. This usually prevents much firing, because unless their is already a teacher on staff who wants to coach the team, now the principal has to go find a teacher who can coach. This then can require all kinds of other moves, if say the former track coach taught math and the only replacement available teaches art.
P.A.D. wrote:
One situation which happens occasionally is when a successful and long serving coach retires, the poor schmuck who tries to replace him doesn’t keep up the great results and gets fired. The new coach is fired for poor performance, although the firing is partially political because the acceptable performance standard is skewed by comparison with the previous coach.
“Don’t be the guy who tries to replace the legend, be the guy who replaces the guy who tries to replace the legend.”
This.
I was hired for my current job under this kind of circumstance. Legendary head coach retires, well meaning assistant takes their place, things go downhill, hire a new coach.
Of course, the rarity in this story is the school superintendent is a hall of fame cross country and track coach... how often do you see that?
Toughest interview I've ever had.