Open Coaching Positions

[Football Guru 25]

There sure are a lot of HC coaching positions open.... will be interesting if any more will be resigning since the Christmas / new year break is over.... obviously some  more will open if coaches leave their program for one already open.   Just seems like many openings again this year!!!

[Irishman]

33 minutes ago, Football Guru 25 said:

There sure are a lot of HC coaching positions open.... will be interesting if any more will be resigning since the Christmas / new year break is over.... obviously some  more will open if coaches leave their program for one already open.   Just seems like many openings again this year!!!

There is typically a ripple effect, but any more it hinges on what teaching openings a school will have. Those start popping up in larger numbers in February. 

[Wedgebuster]

14 hours ago, Irishman said:

There is typically a ripple effect, but any more it hinges on what teaching openings a school will have. Those start popping up in larger numbers in February. 

I don't think most people understand that most schools are somewhat limited when hiring a new HC with what teaching positions the school has open.  Coaches typically need a teaching salary to make a move, and schools have budgets, teachers unions, and the constant nagging questions of other sport coaches and parents of "why did football get X,Y, or Z?"  

It's not always as simple as "the best coach that applies gets the job". 

[Sparty]

8 minutes ago, Wedgebuster said:

I don't think most people understand that most schools are somewhat limited when hiring a new HC with what teaching positions the school has open.  Coaches typically need a teaching salary to make a move, and schools have budgets, teachers unions, and the constant nagging questions of other sport coaches and parents of "why did football get X,Y, or Z?"  

It's not always as simple as "the best coach that applies gets the job". 

Or you can just hire a lay coach. 

[foxbat]

1 hour ago, Sparty said:

Or you can just hire a lay coach. 

Some lay coaches can make it work, but most need another job if they don't have the teacher job or something else in the building to feed the family and keep the lights on.

The other issue that I've heard some folks also talk about is, when you have a coach full-time in the classrooms and on the field, that "in-building" presence for building the team is beneficial to the program.

[Sparty]

1 hour ago, foxbat said:

Some lay coaches can make it work, but most need another job if they don't have the teacher job or something else in the building to feed the family and keep the lights on.

The other issue that I've heard some folks also talk about is, when you have a coach full-time in the classrooms and on the field, that "in-building" presence for building the team is beneficial to the program.

Very well aware.  Just tossed a different possibility out there.  I’m 100% against lay coaches.  

[Wedgebuster]

At some point, does HS football cross into a space where it's "just different"?   In some sports....and no offense intended here, you can roll the balls or mat out and it will at least look like that sport.  The numbers are smaller, the sport is more intuitive, the demand for organization, schematic knowledge, solid assistant coaches, the difference in position specific skills, etc, etc is all lesser than football.  

Example:  A school has their head basketball job open, and they can't find someone that fits any teaching opening they have.  They can hire a lay coach, maybe a parent that has a kid that is in the MS and wants the program to be good when their child comes through so they apply and take the job.  They aren't a coach, they played the sport in HS and that's about as deep as their schematic knowledge goes.   They will roll the balls out and it will at least LOOK like basketball.  That's not ideal, but its not the end of the world.   The kids will go and compete, and as long as you can find 5 kids with a talent level close enough to most of your competition, you stand a chance to be somewhat competitive. 

Same scenario in Football, and you're talking about 1-2 wins, getting beat by 35+ in most of your losses, kids getting put in a position where they could possibly have an increased chance of injury, etc.   

Football, without someone that really KNOWS what they're doing schematically, and has had the experience of being on a Varsity level staff before, seen that kind of organization and attention to detail, is set up for failure....no matter how talented or committed the kids of that school system may be.  

If we can agree that football is "different", how many school districts treat the hiring of that position differently than another Varsity coaching opening?  Where they would possibly "create" a position for the right candidate,  put together a pay package that is more than just a few thousand dollars greater than another sport that only works with kids 3 months out of the year (Varsity Football HC is now a year round gig), tailor the candidates schedule to allow them to do all "the things" that have to happen in order for a football program to be successful, etc? 

 We know that some schools do treat football "differently" but why do so many act like its the same as any other sport? 

[Coach Dowell]

And it is hard for us old guys to find a job these days.  There are openings but districts wont pay for an "Experienced Coach"  Or if you want to be an assistant you get, "I would love to hire you but the admin says we cannot afford you."  Also if you teach in a "good paying district" you cannot go home to your wife and say good news!  I am now the head coach.  it only cost me 30 to 40 grand in teaching salary.  There are a lot of coaches post 50 who can still get it done. And they are experienced educators.

[Sparty]

1 hour ago, Coach Dowell said:

And it is hard for us old guys to find a job these days.  There are openings but districts wont pay for an "Experienced Coach"  Or if you want to be an assistant you get, "I would love to hire you but the admin says we cannot afford you."  Also if you teach in a "good paying district" you cannot go home to your wife and say good news!  I am now the head coach.  it only cost me 30 to 40 grand in teaching salary.  There are a lot of coaches post 50 who can still get it done. And they are experienced educators.

Age discrimination at its finest.  

[wabashalwaysfights]

13 hours ago, Wedgebuster said:

I don't think most people understand that most schools are somewhat limited when hiring a new HC with what teaching positions the school has open.  Coaches typically need a teaching salary to make a move, and schools have budgets, teachers unions, and the constant nagging questions of other sport coaches and parents of "why did football get X,Y, or Z?"  

It's not always as simple as "the best coach that applies gets the job". 

Absolutely. This is especially true at smaller schools where staffs get smaller and teaching loads get heavier. 

As to hiring lay coaches: that's also not as straightforward as it seems, but again, this is by school district. There are some districts that will hire lay coaches as head coaches, but there are some places that place restrictions on what head coaching jobs can be filled by coaches with teaching contracts. 

[Goose Liver]

15 hours ago, Sparty said:

Age discrimination at its finest.  

No respect for experience... ageism is a real problem.

[oldtimeqb]

19 hours ago, Wedgebuster said:

 

Same scenario in Football, and you're talking about 1-2 wins, getting beat by 35+ in most of your losses, kids getting put in a position where they could possibly have an increased chance of injury, etc.   

Football, without someone that really KNOWS what they're doing schematically, and has had the experience of being on a Varsity level staff before, seen that kind of organization and attention to detail, is set up for failure....no matter how talented or committed the kids of that school system may be.  

If we can agree that football is "different", how many school districts treat the hiring of that position differently than another Varsity coaching opening?  Where they would possibly "create" a position for the right candidate,  put together a pay package that is more than just a few thousand dollars greater than another sport that only works with kids 3 months out of the year (Varsity Football HC is now a year round gig), tailor the candidates schedule to allow them to do all "the things" that have to happen in order for a football program to be successful, etc? 

 We know that some schools do treat football "differently" but why do so many act like its the same as any other sport? 

You also cannot take an existing teacher in the building and throw them into the position with minimal background.  Might work with individual/team sports like XC, track, tennis, golf, etc.  Never would work for football. I've seen schools try this.  Bad move. 

[Sparty]

1 hour ago, oldtimeqb said:

You also cannot take an existing teacher in the building and throw them into the position with minimal background.  Might work with individual/team sports like XC, track, tennis, golf, etc.  Never would work for football. I've seen schools try this.  Bad move. 

Or anyone for that matter.  Going through it now.  

[Muda69]

This just in:  Lebanon coach steps down after 8 seasons:  https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2025/01/07/lebanon-has-ihsaa-football-coach-opening-after-jeff-smock-steps-down-indiana-high-school/77517238007/?tbref=hp

Guess Mr. Smock realized the Tigers will now have a tougher row to hoe after the 5 smaller schools have left the Sagamore. No more Crawfordsville's, Frankfort's, and North Montgomery's to beat up on.

 

[vicvinegar]

9 hours ago, Muda69 said:

This just in:  Lebanon coach steps down after 8 seasons:  https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2025/01/07/lebanon-has-ihsaa-football-coach-opening-after-jeff-smock-steps-down-indiana-high-school/77517238007/?tbref=hp

Guess Mr. Smock realized the Tigers will now have a tougher row to hoe after the 5 smaller schools have left the Sagamore. No more Crawfordsville's, Frankfort's, and North Montgomery's to beat up on.

 

Well that's just an ignorant comment. Coach Smock is a good coach. He just came off a 9-3 season. Which only lost to Guerin (by 4), Danville and Huntington North in OT. I doubt he was worried about a "tougher row to hoe" when he made that decision. 

[WCGrad92]

3 hours ago, vicvinegar said:

Well that's just an ignorant comment. Coach Smock is a good coach. He just came off a 9-3 season. Which only lost to Guerin (by 4), Danville and Huntington North in OT. I doubt he was worried about a "tougher row to hoe" when he made that decision. 

took the words right out of my mouth.

[coachkj]

12 hours ago, Muda69 said:

This just in:  Lebanon coach steps down after 8 seasons:  https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2025/01/07/lebanon-has-ihsaa-football-coach-opening-after-jeff-smock-steps-down-indiana-high-school/77517238007/?tbref=hp

Guess Mr. Smock realized the Tigers will now have a tougher row to hoe after the 5 smaller schools have left the Sagamore. No more Crawfordsville's, Frankfort's, and North Montgomery's to beat up on.

 

Ignorant statement.

[Irishman]

There are so many reasons coaches step down. It’s ridiculous to speculate as to why one coach did, especially when it’s a ridiculous notion that it was based on the level of competition his program will face in the future. 

[Football Guru 25]

Also more and more kids are transferring to neighboring schools!  

[Coach Nowlin]

Terry Peebles has stepped down at Harrison 

Great guy, still will be part of IFCA and region 4 I am sure, as he is VP at the IFCA state board.  

 

[1st_and_10]

15 minutes ago, Coach Nowlin said:

Terry Peebles has stepped down at Harrison 

Great guy, still will be part of IFCA and region 4 I am sure, as he is VP at the IFCA state board.  

 

Agree, Great guy.  Have had the pleasure to work the Harrison SOS camps in the Springs.  He turned the program around at Harrison.

[Coach Nowlin]

Added DC positions for Columbia City and Bloomington North on IFCA 

[JeffO2]

On 1/6/2025 at 10:48 AM, foxbat said:

Some lay coaches can make it work, but most need another job if they don't have the teacher job or something else in the building to feed the family and keep the lights on.

The other issue that I've heard some folks also talk about is, when you have a coach full-time in the classrooms and on the field, that "in-building" presence for building the team is beneficial to the program.

Being in the building can help with visits from recruiters. Many programs have an opportunity for the coach to be involved with the weight room, monitoring attendance and behavior along with recruiting the hallways. Many schools have different needs. We've turned coaching into year-round fulltime side job. I'm worried about turnover and the loss of good coaches. 

[foxbat]

On 1/14/2025 at 1:27 PM, Coach Nowlin said:

Terry Peebles has stepped down at Harrison 

Great guy, still will be part of IFCA and region 4 I am sure, as he is VP at the IFCA state board.  

 

Does this mean that he's taken a position somewhere in Region 4 or can he, at least, still retain that VP on the IFCA state board without taking the reigns somewhere?

[1st_and_10]

On 1/7/2025 at 8:18 PM, Muda69 said:

This just in:  Lebanon coach steps down after 8 seasons:  https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/high-school/2025/01/07/lebanon-has-ihsaa-football-coach-opening-after-jeff-smock-steps-down-indiana-high-school/77517238007/?tbref=hp

Guess Mr. Smock realized the Tigers will now have a tougher row to hoe after the 5 smaller schools have left the Sagamore. No more Crawfordsville's, Frankfort's, and North Montgomery's to beat up on.

 

Josh Yoder Hired at Lebanon

Yoder named new coach of Lebanon football | Sports | reporter.net