Jump to content
Head Coach Openings 2024 ×
  • Current Donation Goals

    • Raised $2,716 of $3,600 target

Goshen Coach Steps Down


Guest

Recommended Posts

Really interesting. The last two years in the NLC thread, I've proposed the question if Coach Park was on the hot seat at all. I figured after going 4-6 this year, it at least cooled off some. Granted, the four teams they beat (Fairfield, SB Clay, Plymouth, Wawasee) had a combined record of 5-34 and Fairfield accounted for 4 of those wins..

I will be interested to see how this plays out. I think there was concern that levels of participation are basically at all time lows within the program. I'm almost positive they had no freshman or JV team this year as a 5A school. Demographics have changed quite a bit the last two decades in Goshen and Elkhart County, and if Coach Park (with all his ties to Goshen) was not able to build a foundation/pipeline for the football program... I'll be surprised who they can get to come in and do otherwise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, NLCTigerFan07 said:

Really interesting. The last two years in the NLC thread, I've proposed the question if Coach Park was on the hot seat at all. I figured after going 4-6 this year, it at least cooled off some. Granted, the four teams they beat (Fairfield, SB Clay, Plymouth, Wawasee) had a combined record of 5-34 and Fairfield accounted for 4 of those wins..

I will be interested to see how this plays out. I think there was concern that levels of participation are basically at all time lows within the program. I'm almost positive they had no freshman or JV team this year as a 5A school. Demographics have changed quite a bit the last two decades in Goshen and Elkhart County, and if Coach Park (with all his ties to Goshen) was not able to build a foundation/pipeline for the football program... I'll be surprised who they can get to come in and do otherwise.

Agreed, he did as well as anyone could there. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Skipping JV or freshman seasons is a HUGE challenge for programs to overcome, especially for freshmen. They spend a season being scout team players and take a beating for that, and when/if a JV game or even a C game, playing time is limited for them. I understand the necessity for doing it, but in classes 4A and above, it can really set a program back. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Irishman said:

Skipping JV or freshman seasons is a HUGE challenge for programs to overcome, especially for freshmen. They spend a season being scout team players and take a beating for that, and when/if a JV game or even a C game, playing time is limited for them. I understand the necessity for doing it, but in classes 4A and above, it can really set a program back. 

For sure. I do not disagree with this at all. My point was more if Coach Park has been struggling to build numbers at the lower levels with all his ties and connections and history at Goshen... good luck to the next guy. Of course, this is only the view as an outsider. For all I know (but highly doubt) the coaching staff was not doing the necessary things to build the ranks. Either way, huge challenge for whoever undertakes this position.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you Coach Park and to the Goshen Football Coaching Staff for your time, effort, and dedication to the Goshen Football Program!

It is a special time when former alumni can come back and coach in a community they grew up in.

Numbers always make the difference . . . It is really too bad that not more kids desire to play football.  However, not everyone is made to play a particular sport.

We appreciate the time you spent away from your family, the dedication in game planning, and time spent in and out of season to help the young men apart of your program be the best they could be.

Best of you luck to you moving forward and best of luck to your successor.

 

as always, the game is better

from_the_sidelines007

 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, Irishman said:

Skipping JV or freshman seasons is a HUGE challenge for programs to overcome, especially for freshmen. They spend a season being scout team players and take a beating for that, and when/if a JV game or even a C game, playing time is limited for them. I understand the necessity for doing it, but in classes 4A and above, it can really set a program back. 

On the flip side…having a freshman team as a 3A school or lower is a huge advantage.  Creates the solution of “reloading not rebuilding” 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/23/2021 at 7:25 PM, NLCTigerFan07 said:

For sure. I do not disagree with this at all. My point was more if Coach Park has been struggling to build numbers at the lower levels with all his ties and connections and history at Goshen... good luck to the next guy. Of course, this is only the view as an outsider. For all I know (but highly doubt) the coaching staff was not doing the necessary things to build the ranks. Either way, huge challenge for whoever undertakes this position.

Kyle Park was one of the best regarded assistant coaches in the HCC (Zionsville) before he took the Goshen job.  Goshen did little to nothing in regards to coaching hires.  You can’t build a 5A program with a staff made up of mostly lay coaches, and small few full time contract people in the building.  I can’t imagine how anyone who knows football thinks you are going to get a better candidate.  Anyone who knows football knows the admin is doing nothing to support the program in the way of getting coaches hired.  You aren’t going to “build” numbers in  5A program when you have  so few coaches teaching in the building.  Firing Coach Park was a way to put the blame on someone else, when the admins won’t put the effort into the program.  

 They fired the best candidate they were going to get.  

Edited by US31
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, DumfriesYMCA said:

On the flip side…having a freshman team as a 3A school or lower is a huge advantage.  Creates the solution of “reloading not rebuilding” 

Sometimes.  I’ve also seen this go horribly wrong.  Elevating frosh playmakers off the team to play varsity and JV leaving the remaining team to get pummeled every week.  Hard enough being a frosh during practice.  Have to be very careful 3A and below in deciding whether on not to field a Frosh team.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/24/2021 at 10:21 PM, US31 said:

Kyle Park was one of the best regarded assistant coaches in the HCC (Zionsville) before he took the Goshen job.  Goshen did little to nothing in regards to coaching hires.  You can’t build a 5A program with a staff made up of mostly lay coaches, and small few full time contract people in the building.  I can’t imagine how anyone who knows football thinks you are going to get a better candidate.  Anyone who knows football knows the admin is doing nothing to support the program in the way of getting coaches hired.  You aren’t going to “build” numbers in  5A program when you have  so few coaches teaching in the building.  Firing Coach Park was a way to put the blame on someone else, when the admins won’t put the effort into the program.  

 They fired the best candidate they were going to get.  

I don't know if he was the best candidate but I agree that he was doing a job that he was asked the impossible of.  Goshen and Plymouth are two communities where soccer has taken over.  I hope that we can withstand Junior High Soccer but I don't know.  If that happens we may never field some of the football teams we have had in the past.  I know that when we played Goshen they played hard and with enthusiasm.  I don't know the specifics at school but from an opponents perspective Coach Park seemed to be doing the right things.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...