By Chad Courrier
Free Press Staff Writer
MANKATO
Thu, May 15 2008
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Mankato East activities director Todd Waterbury has four coaching vacancies, which seems like a lot. Mankato West activities director Sharon Euerle has openings to fill in volleyball and girls basketball.
Maybe it’s just the “resignation” season, but it sure seems like a lot of coaches have had enough.
For whatever reason.
And who can blame them?
Coaching has become a year-round commitment at part-time pay. If you want to keep up with the competition, you have to strongly encourage kids to practice as much out of season as they do during the season.
Which is tough when coaching isn’t your full-time profession.
Last week, East lost football and baseball coach Eric Davis, who took a part-time job coaching football at Minnesota State. Besides being an outstanding coach in two sports, he fit the perfect profile of a young, single man with no children who had plenty of time to devote to teaching and coaching.
Many other coaches have spouses and families, which makes it tough to set aside time for coaching and work and home.
Mark Schmiesing was part of a state championship team at East, and he helped West win a Big Nine Conference championship. Now, he’s done, having coached for 17 seasons at the two schools.
We may never see another career coach, someone willing to stay at the same school in the same sport for the 40 or so years they teach. Which means that programs will lack consistency, a cornerstone of success for the school and the athletes.
It’s become too much.
To be a successful basketball coach, you need to coordinate a youth program, organize summer camps and leagues, deal with parents ... and that’s before you choose a starting lineup.
In some cases, passion can only carry you so far. The distractions and frustrations can cause far more pain than the victories cause joy.
Turnover is inevitable, not only at the top but throughout all levels of the program. Younger grades might be taught by Minnesota State students who move on once they graduate. Young teachers might want to get acclimated to the school before they consider coaching.
In almost every case, it’s best to have coaches who teach in the building. It’s tough to coach when you only have two hours of contact per day, not in tune to what’s happening around the school at other times.
It’s time to appreciate these coaches, not second-guess them. We’re losing good ones every year, and it won’t be long before there aren’t enough to fill all of the jobs.
Who can blame them?
Chad Courrier is a Free Press staff writer. To contact him, call (507) 344-6353 or e-mail at ccourrier@mankatofreepress.com.
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