CoachPeo

I always used my best players if they could help us on special teams.  In 2006 our best player at KV was our running back who also started as a safety. He returned kicks and punts.  Against Calumet he had 435 all purpose yards with 4 td's. That is an impact I cannot keep on the bench.  Was there a chance he could get hurt absolutely, just like there is a chance to get hurt on any play.  If they have a change to make an impact you use them.  We had the same philosophy when I coached at Brebeuf and our star running back returned kicks as well.  

After the flood at the Brickie Bowl, they did embrace it by painting fish in the end zones.

I am 100 percent alright with that.  My job as an educator is to educate my students.  I want the best teachers in my building.  Football which is a a sport that I hold dearly,however, it  is an extracurricular.  If that means out sports programs are at a disadvantage, but they receive a great education, I can sleep just fine at night.

I taught Economics and Us History when I was a head coach.  You show up early to make sure you have grading/ lessons finished.  You can manage just fine. Now as an administrator, I want my coaches to be full time teachers.  I believe that good coaches are great teachers.  If you cannot teach how can you be a good coach?  Coaching and teaching are very similar if you cannot teach the game you will fail as a coach, if you can not deliver content you will fail as a teacher.  

   As far as competing with others that do not have the same teaching load, it definitely is an advantage for them.  They have more time for game planning, reviewing film, meeting with players etc.  Not that that always leads to more success, but they have more time to devote to coaching.

Regardless where he fits in, Congratulations to a great player, I enjoyed watching him play the past two season, and wish him the best moving forward.

Having coached against Coach Radtke you can see why he is so successful.  His teams are focused on details, and play with a level of energy like no other.  He gets his players to buy into his program and the results speak for themselves. 

I was not a professional football player, I played Division 3 and suffered numerous injuries.  My Junior year after three knee injuries, two shoulder injuries and a recent back injury, I went to my Head coach to discuss if I wanted to continue playing.  The process of working out in the off season, starting the season, getting hurt, then rehabbing, only to get hurt again wears on you.  You can easily get to a dark place.  I continued to play, but four surgeries by age 36 has really made things difficult.  Everyday I am in pain so I get why Luck walked away.  

Injuries take their toll, and when it is time it is time.  

Coach Nowlin,

That looks to be a pretty special night.  Great Job and I hope you come away with a big W.

This is similar to the Kankakee Valley School Board in Northwest Indiana.

well said

To me coaching is still a big factor.  I want my coaches to be in the building working with my kids in the classroom and on the field/court.  However, when I have few candidates I go with who will be the best for the kids in the classroom first.  I cannot speak of other administrators, but I can see through a dog and pony show.  I use my network to find out more about candidates.  Just like when I apply for a job I reach out to people I know who work at a school, or have connections to the school to get a better picture of things.  Coaching has allowed me to develop a large network and it is helpful when making a hire.  As for people getting passed over, I know the feeling firsthand, every administrator has their way and what they are looking for.  

Good points, I am one of those former coaches/teachers that moved into administration.  I value the teachers that coach and I agree on their impact.  The fact is there is a shortage of teachers.  We try to hire the best teachers and many do not coach.  It is unfortunate, but when I have 3 candidates for an open position we take the best teacher regardless if they coach.  That has forced us to look for coaches from outside the school.  I do not like it and hope things change soon.

Congratulations Coach Prescott.  He will work hard to get the program in the right direction.

As a society we are not very patient, if things do not improve overnight then we want change.  I still believe it takes close to 7 years to build a program.  You have to get the youth program on board, and the middle school teams implementing your system.  It takes time and if you do not have enough success they pull the plug or a school board member comes after you.  Coaching is tough and the days of seeing one coach at a school for a long period of time is not common anymore.