[P. Fanning]

If Ratliff stays as head coach at Pike Central, I could definitely see Derrick Newsome showing interest in this job and Shelby Valley making Derrick Newsome their #1 choice.  Derrick has been too successful to stay an assistant coach.

In his last coaching position he resigned after 8 kids quit the team. Normally I'd think if a couple of kids quit that it could have been sour grapes for a few kids. But 8 kids walking away sounds like something other than playing time issues. That was half of a roster. Something similar happened at Floyd Central a few years back. With kids already leaving SV, I'm sure they don't need more. They should look elsewhere.

The Betsy Layne situation was troubling, though without the media firestorm that happened like it did with Spurlock at Floyd Central. I think if it was something very sinister, the "mama bears" would have had WYMT and the newspapers out on location. 

The Spurlock situation was interesting in the fact some of the kids quit the team a second time after Shawn Hager took over for Spurlock. It was interesting though how the Betsy Layne community as a whole was behind Derrick when he was hired, then all of a sudden they weren't. I think with Kevin Spurlock, the Floyd Central community was largely upset Justin Holbrook didn't get the job and I am sure some of the Allen Central side thought Brad Short should have gotten a shot. 

I would love to know the full story of what happened to Derrick at Betsy Layne. Was it something awful, or was it a case of players not responding to his style of coaching. Which from what I've seen of Mike Howard, he appears to coach hard as well, so it remains a mystery.