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They assume coaches know the game...but most point to the ability to connect over competitive zeal.
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We've gone here before!
When we published "What Do You Want In A Coach" two years ago, we asked a dozen people in and around Miami County about the attributes they'd most like to see from their son's or daughter's coach...without respect to a particular sport.
And while the responses were varied, many were consistent in terms of expectations the average high school coach could meet.
For instance, many of those surveyed said that they wanted a coach that had a competitive nature...and that could instill such a competitive zeal in their youngster. That's not unrealistic, and in fact, something most coaches regard as their number one goal in coaching...even above winning. More than one have told us that if they can create competitive attitudes winning will take care of itself.
On the other hand, the same people said they'd like for coaches to have a more personal relationship with their youngster...to spend more time in explaining coaching and personnel decisions and do more towards understanding the other factors that may be affecting a player's performance.
In reality, that mindset borders on hand-holding and most area coaches lack the time and staff to adequately give such one-on-one attention to their athletes. Coaches are often faced with making a decision and hopefully, everyone falls in step with it for the good of the group. There may not be time for personal consultation and explanation, given the shortage of time and staff that hinders many coaches. Obviously, each one handles these matters differently...as differently as their individual personalities.
Recently, we decided to address the issue of coaching from a different angle...not what you want in a coach, but what you like about the one you have!
You go to the average high school game and sit in the stands. It's amazing to hear how much sound basketball strategy actually sits behind the bench...all the way to the top row. In some cases, if you watch closely you'll occasionally see a player on the end of the bench turn and agree with a reaction they hear from the stands. Little wonder those players on the end of the bench see such limited playing time...'cause coaches aren't stupid!
FanFile surveyed fans and parents at several area games over recent weeks and asked the question. "How good is your coach?" In part, we sought to separate general criticism from a specific disagreement that people may have had with a particular coach.
First reaction in most cases were typical. "You mean about basketball?"
Well, yes! After all, these people are coaching basketball and the stands are abuzz with opinions about the way the game is managed. And truthfully, many people confessed that they really didn't have an opinon...or, that their opinion was probably more a matter of emotion than objectivity. We understand that...and appreciate them being so personally introspective.
In fact, very few people really had hard-core basketball issues about which to criticize. There were some, and here's a sampling:
1) Substitution patterns...subbing your best scorer out of the lineup for defense when you're down 7 with two minutes to go.
2) Strategy. For instance, "...we should be playing man to man and he (the coach) wants to play zone."
3) The offense doesn't get the ball to the right shooter...or, he (the coach) lets so-and-so shoot too much!
You get the idea.
But the real crux of opinon about the quality of coaching more often fell upon issues of personal connection between coach and player, coach and community...in some cases, coach and parent. In reality, it's the intangible over the tangible. Understandably, nearly all who shared their view did so on the premise of anonymity.
For instance, more than one person polled mentioned that from a basketball point of view they had no problems with their son's or daugther's coach. More than one said, "...Frankly, I think he or she's a heckuva coach because they want to win and I'm certain they know basketball. My issues have nothing to do with basketball!"
Oh?
One offered, "...He's a good basketball coach. He's just not a people person."
Another said. "...I'm sure he knows his basketball. He just doesn't connect with the kids."
Now lest you think we've manufactured individual scenarios to solicit such responses...think again. In fact, ask yourself if you haven't had some of the same issues about a particular coach at one time or another. If not, you most assuredly know someone that does...or you could find someone in pretty short order.
No, the fact is most of the dissatisfaction we found people to have with area coaches was more about personality...than basketball. But because of basketball, and the fact of the emotional relationship that goes with a child who plays (or doesn't play), the issues become more personal...and often the reason for hard feelings.
One parent said, "...I wish I believed that there weren't chosen people in the program...people that were going to play regardless of how hard others work in practice to earn playing time. But I just can't get beyond believing that."
From their standpoint, when asked, coaches point to the fact of talent, instinct and ability to rise above a given challenge that some players have...and some don't. "Those that have it...you see at an early age," says one coach. "Unfortunately, a lot of kids never figure it out."
Another community member said, "...I wish they didn't play mind games with the kids. For instance, they always take a positive and end up making it a negative."
Interpretation...in the words of this person coaches too often encourage the work of players in practice, promising them playing time, and yet the "right" game situation never quite seems to come about.
"It's always mop-up time," he says, "...when we're up 20 or down 20 when my kid gets in the game...and trust me, the margin has to be 20 points. And that's discouraging. Kids aren't stupid. They start to believe that they'll never get to the point where coaches trust you enough to play in critical situations."
Another parent says, "...They do play mind games with the kids, even the starters. They respect him for what he knows about basketball, but they sure don't like him personally."
"The coach here just doesn't connect with the kids...," was an opinion we heard more than once. "And for the amount of time they spend together you'd think they'd have a better relationship."
"That's sad," says one Darke County parent. "I looked up to my high school coach to the point of asking his advice long after I got married and had kids of my own. He was a trusted friend for life. I wish more kids could say that today...but it is different!"
To the contrary, in one program we heard the complaint that the kids had more influence over the program than the coach...the fact of the tail wagging the dog!
One basketball issue that we did hear pertained to coaches who only seem to coach effectively with the right roster makeup.
"You check it out," said one. "When we have good guards we might win 15 games. But if the strength is in the frontcourt we might lose 15. Been that way for years!"
And then, there are the comments to the positive about area coaches who, regardless of individual differences, parents and community members point to as being more significant than personal issues. Several, among them Russia's Paul Bremigan, Troy's Keith Culley and Minster's Mike Lee, get particularly high marks.
"Paul's been here so long every kid grows up looking forward to playing for him on Friday nights. He could run for mayor...but he won't," laughs one die-hard Raider fan.
One Tipp City resident is particularly positive about Red Devil coach, Matt Pond. "...He's the man and the kids really seem to buy what he's selling."
One Anna resident smirks over the irony of Mike Lee's success at Minster, who took his program to the state semi-finals in Columbus last spring.
"They didn't know a good thing here when they had it," he says, in reference to Lee's short, but successful tenure as coach at Anna. "We've been through a lot of coaches since he left."
And perhaps the final word on how "good" your coach is...or isn't...can be summed up by this remark.
"Some years we win more than others," said a retired school board member in Lawrence County, where the Ironton Tigers reign supreme. "But we never question that the kids are winners for having played basketball here...or any sport for that matter."
If you can say that you can answer your own question. How good is...your coach!
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