WHATSAMATTA U or BUST

Well as I right this a title has not come to me,but give me time. I have been involved with education for 24 years and track just as long.It baffles me as to how some people are allowed to coach when they do absolutely NOTHING for the young people they work with.One of the reasons John Wooden was a success was that he got to know his athletes as people first, Dr Edward Temple had 3 simple demands for his TigerBelles...........now here is what I know about the vast majority of HS,and age-group coaches in my sport:

1) They are all mashuggah( Yiddish look it up)

2) Most of them can spell sprint mechanics and dynamics and they sure as hezmanna don't know what they are

3) Not everybody who was a great athlete in HS/College,will be a great coach....unless of course your coach was someone like Norris Stevenson or Houston Chandler(my icons/role models)

4) Why are you asking them about what college to go to? They only know the ones in your backyard,and do not understand the admissions process at all.

5) They do give a damn about someone with talent.Why......so they can say ride that kids success to a better job(and ya know I is right....think about it). So why would you trust ANYTHING they tell you.


My rant is triggered by a former athlete who went to a school,that I knew would not be a good fit academically and athletically because his mashuggah coach( there's that word again) told him that's where somebody of his talent should be. What this schmuck( more Yiddish...gotta stop watching Mel Brooks movies) didn't tell the kids' parents' is Mr Wonderful gets a kickback from the college coach for every kid he sends to Whatsamatta U( Hey Rocky ,watch me pull a rabbit out my hat). Now this kid is in limbo,because half his credits wont transfer, he may lose a year of eligibility and he owes WU some money............don't think I wont say I told you so( those that know me may chime in now). Here is what I am saying- If you are lucky to have a coach that knows you kid as a person first and is genuinely concerned about their welfare, I wont ever try to disappoint them or you.

OFF TO OZ

Last year around this time I had posted comments with regards to some teams safe scheduling and why other teams fare better when STATE comes around. Another coach and I have said on numerous occaisions,"We play chess ,while everybody else plays checkers( if I got to explain it then I'm talking about you ;-)  ) . If you are gonna be the best you have to run with the best.  I was told a few years back, by the head coach of my school,that we couldn't get into  a certain meet( Henle Holmes) because it was closed......pardonnez-moi ma Francais -BULL....  . The only reason we couldn't get in is because you didn't want folks to know how poorly you coach track. When I  started my HS coaching career at Incarnate Word Academy in St Louis,I had to battle with the AD,Principal and some of the seniors on the team to upgrade the schedule. I wanted to give the program the same level of respect that the BasketBall,VolleyBall,Soccer and even the CheerLeaders had  at the State level......but nooooooooo. The AD even said-"Track is easy to coach". Well I'm going to sit back and watch the schools that go to the KU Relays this weekend come back to Missouri and wreck shop on everybody else....ciao