[Tight End]

Well Ive been reading these posts for two months now and I think they need to get on with it no matter who they choose. I would like to give my personal thoughts on this matter. I do not have a problem with hiring a proven coach from outside our district providing they understand the nature of our problems and have a valid plan to solve the issues we have. My guess is there is not an "outside" guy who will stick around long enough to help us build the type of program we want. (I may be wrong)...Our lack of a consistent program starts at the eementary level. Last year we had two schools who did not even field a team and another that had to play 4th graders just to have enough to say they fielded a team. Thats a problem gentlemen. And it only gets worse as these kids get older. Out of the 20 eight graders who played last year we will be lucky to get 10-12 out for the team as freshmen and of that group only a handful will play all four years. This must change if we want to build a successful program. I honestly dont see how an out-of-towner will change this? We need total community involvement. We need the QB Club to get more involved. We need a staff who understands our issues and make it a priority to change them. We need an elementary sports group get together and see what options we can come up with to fix our program. We need our middle school to get their numbers up. If transportation is the issue then lets get them a ride home. Our problems can be solved by us. Why do we think we need someone from Bell, Laurel, Whitley, Knox, Leslie, Magoffin or Breathitt county to come in here and be our savior. This is OUR problem and we should be men enough to fix it...

I am going to put forth this from experience this comment and then it's going to be Arrivederci Roma for me - because I don't have a dog in this fight other than hoping CC can build a good program for this area.

What you need is a youngish type Coach, that can catch your area 'on fire for football'. A good HS program is built from the bottom up. Fall youth sports will happen in your community with or without a good HS coach. They and they alone usually have the power to take away, or drive away, your best future players. They have the power to brainwash your future players into believing that they have no hope of defeating opponents. Or, with the RIGHT Coach you can get some thoughtful effort from the right coaches part, they can serve as an excellent recruiting and training mechanism for your whole program & build it from the youth league on up.

Think about it this way: Youth tackle veterans are about two years ahead of their rookie peers when they get to high school. A good youth feeder program can inculcate confidence, love of the game, teach kids the rules and rhythms of football, get rookies over their fear of hitting, and deliver seasoned veterans who can lead by example on your freshman and J.V. teams. The choice is tuff to find the right Coach that can set a program on fire to BUILD a GREAT program!! Good luck to you in finding that fire builder for your program!! inglepar