How many bad...

[Gunz41!]

How many bad coaches are there in Virginia? Or going off of the tone on here this year, it may be easier to say how many good coaches there are (i am not asking for names).

The point of this post is simple, there have been SO MANY complaints on here this season in regards to teams having terrible coaching. In fact, some of these complaints have come about teams who are UNDEFEATED. I must not be a bright person, because I thought that is the idea is to win every game. Others with 1 or 2 losses. And then you see others with bad records taking up for theirs.

I realize there are some who need an upgrade. That is different than what has been portrayed on here by some.

And what takes the cake for me, is even when some are complaining about their coaching (or offensive coaching), when someone makes a prediction on their team, they tell that person they are wrong because their team would not score so little.

 

[Baseball215]

Coaching today is not near as good as in years past (As a whole). I wouldn't be afraid to say most of coach casto's wins at Riverheads he out coach the other coach. That including prep work and game day.

 

[hawknation92]

I think the biggest problem is younger coaches trying to mimic college schemes. High school is a little different game and most schools do not have the athletic ability nor player knowledge to try to run all the complicated schemes. I know we had been running all kind of zone coverages and over half the time even middle linebackers stepping back in coverages when most high school teams run the ball 90% of the time. When most plays are running plays not good to be playing back on your heels.

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

I recall a coach who was retiring, once when asked "was there any pressure from the community" ? He stated that if you go undefeated and win state championship, there will be pressure from community.
I saw a high school coach in Alabama once get fired for going 9-1.
Almost every game I attend, I hear fans in the bleachers complain about play calling, and it's mostly "why are they running ball up the middle on every play" ?. This is evident most everywhere, statewide, except those schools that have been running ball for years, i.e. Giles, Riverheads and places like that. For most teams, running ball up middle every down, is a wasted play. If I were an OC, only play I would run up middle is a QB Draw.

 

[catchtds]

Most young coaches don't have an idea of the time and effort that goes into getting a team ready for Friday nights.....its a year long job not just weekly. Rapport and relationships should be priority one....the rest will follow..imo! I think coaching in VA isn't as bad as fans make it....how about, How many bad fans are there?

 

[oldfool]

I'm very happy with Doug Smith and his staff from day one at Appo. He caught hell first few years too.

 

[Gunz41!]

Most young coaches don't have an idea of the time and effort that goes into getting a team ready for Friday nights.....its a year long job not just weekly. Rapport and relationships should be priority one....the rest will follow..imo! I think coaching in VA isn't as bad as fans make it....how about, How many bad fans are there?

I think you sir got the point I was trying to make with the last part of post.

This wasn't a post to talk about how bad coaching is. It was about how there is so much talk about how bad coaching is, even when teams are successful.

Maybe it's just like HR6 and his wanting to see high action games. While I dont agree with him, that isn't really the same thing. What gets me is when teams are winning, and have complaints. Then reading a score prediction, and hearing we won't score that little. Then there seems as there is no problem.

Great coaching is hard to find, good coaching is more easy to see, but teams can't be successful year after year with bad coaching

 

[Gunz41!]

I'm very happy with Doug Smith and his staff from day one at Appo. He caught hell first few years too.

That to me is right attitude to have. But I have read over the boards complaining about teams who are doing well. Or reading about coaches should lose their job, etc.

This just all seems crazy to me.

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

I'll never forget the phone call I got at midnight after Gretna ended a season undefeated, a few years ago. We had won the final game of regular season 38-0. A guy called me, mad as a hornet, because we only won by 38-0. He said entire coaching staff should be fired.
There are some bad fans everywhere.

 

[Xcross]

That to me is right attitude to have. But I have read over the boards complaining about teams who are doing well. Or reading about coaches should lose their job, etc.

This just all seems crazy to me.

It's easy to see you are wanting to jab at the Red Team ! IMO Riverheads coaching is middle of the road . They just have better athletes in Greenville ! Casto has been lucky to have these kids every year . I think his assistants are less than par . That part of the county is just full of talent . Looks like from little league there more of the same !

 

[Gunz41!]

It's easy to see you are wanting to jab at the Red Team ! IMO Riverheads coaching is middle of the road . They just have better athletes in Greenville ! Casto has been lucky to have these kids every year . I think his assistants are less than par . That part of the county is just full of talent . Looks like from little league there more of the same !

You are just a miserable person and this is asinine. Casto and crew are great, they certainly don't have the number of athletes the city schools have, and not what other areas of the state have.

I have absolutely nothing but respect for Casto and crew.

Congrats, you just proved everyone's point that every school has terrible and idiotic fans

 

[Gunz41!]

I'll never forget the phone call I got at midnight after Gretna ended a season undefeated, a few years ago. We had won the final game of regular season 38-0. A guy called me, mad as a hornet, because we only won by 38-0. He said entire coaching staff should be fired.
There are some bad fans everywhere.

That is just wrong. From the recent teams, I bet that guy would love to have that coach back. But hey, you are undefeated this year, even if you do run the ball up the middle

 

[longtimerhsfan]

I think some (maybe most) of the time when people complain about coaching, the real root of the problem is that their particular son (or daughter) should be the star of the team in their eyes, and when they are not, it of course HAS to be the coach's fault. Sometimes it might be about the team's lack of success, but in many cases, they just want to see their own kid shine.

A few years ago, we at Riverheads had the best basketball coach we had ever had. He won the district tournament seven out of eight years in one span, whereas we had only won it once ever in the 35 or so years before he arrived, and he even took us to the state championship game for the first time ever.

Throughout all of that successful run, there was one fan who would get on here and complain endlessly about him, saying he was the worst coach ever, he did not know what he was doing, a monkey could coach the team better, and all sorts of other mind-boggling crap, when the proof was surely in the pudding.

I was a little dense at the time and thought this anonymous fan was one parent, only to eventually learn that it was in fact another. I personally never saw anything wrong with the coaching his kid got or the success he had on the team, but this parent certainly did, and of course once the kid graduated, they stopped attending games.

My point being...if you are going to criticize the coaching, at least do it when your team is struggling, certainly not when you are enjoying success. And don't lose sight of the fact that these are TEAM sports, not individual competitions.

 

[schoolboard]

I think you sir got the point I was trying to make with the last part of post.

This wasn't a post to talk about how bad coaching is. It was about how there is so much talk about how bad coaching is, even when teams are successful.

Maybe it's just like HR6 and his wanting to see high action games. While I dont agree with him, that isn't really the same thing. What gets me is when teams are winning, and have complaints. Then reading a score prediction, and hearing we won't score that little. Then there seems as there is no problem.

Great coaching is hard to find, good coaching is more easy to see, but teams can't be successful year after year with bad coaching

I think people like to complain about their own team, but they don't like when other people criticize their team. Just like it is ok for me to complain about my wife, but it is not ok for you to complain about my wife.

 

[Baseball215]

I think some (maybe most) of the time when people complain about coaching, the real root of the problem is that their particular son (or daughter) should be the star of the team in their eyes, and when they are not, it of course HAS to be the coach's fault. Sometimes it might be about the team's lack of success, but in many cases, they just want to see their own kid shine.

A few years ago, we at Riverheads had the best basketball coach we had ever had. He won the district tournament seven out of eight years in one span, whereas we had only won it once ever in the 35 or so years before he arrived, and he even took us to the state championship game for the first time ever.

Throughout all of that successful run, there was one fan who would get on here and complain endlessly about him, saying he was the worst coach ever, he did not know what he was doing, a monkey could coach the team better, and all sorts of other mind-boggling crap, when the proof was surely in the pudding.

I was a little dense at the time and thought this anonymous fan was one parent, only to eventually learn that it was in fact another. I personally never saw anything wrong with the coaching his kid got or the success he had on the team, but this parent certainly did, and of course once the kid graduated, they stopped attending games.

My point being...if you are going to criticize the coaching, at least do it when your team is struggling, certainly not when you are enjoying success. And don't lose sight of the fact that these are TEAM sports, not individual competitions.

Anybody can when with good talent he had very good talent and kids that played year round. A good coach is one that can coach up talent.

 

[Gunz41!]

Anybody can when with good talent he had very good talent and kids that played year round. A good coach is one that can coach up talent.

You guys at Riverheads are lucky you have the coaching you have. If anyone actually knows the troll known as Xcross you might want to explain this to him.

I think I will try and start the process of trying to get a section of the board dedicated only to Riverheads since anything posted on here has to be about them according to him. It is ridiculous that I say way more positive things about Riverheads (a rival) than one of their own fans.

But I digress. To me this coaching thing is simple and I don't know about the many areas I have seen complain this season, so I will use my own school for example. If i had no issue with the coaching last season when going 13-1, what would make me have an issue this year? Did the coaches get worse? Sure not every play call is the same, but that doesn't mean it's on the coaches.

You know what the difference is? They lost a lot of seniors who started or contributed. What I dont get is when people complain as much when they are struggling, but once they are doing well (in some cases over the years undefeated) that is when they complain.

I guess since they aren't undefeated that Bill Belichick is no longer a good coach. Or they lost to Oklahoma, so THE Ohio State University should get rid of Urban. Or since Georgia Tech has been competing more since Paul Johnson arrived they need to get rid of him because he runs a different offense and runs "up the middle" a lot

 

[Baseball215]

Gunz I reiterate what I said before a good coach coaches up the players he has on team the only constant on a team year in and year out is the coach. You were 13-1 last year you had good players. This is different year you got to coach them up and put them in position to be successful.

 

[Baseball215]

Xcross just likes getting everyone's dandruff up he knows we are lucky to have coach like Casto.

 

[Gunz41!]

Gunz I reiterate what I said before a good coach coaches up the players he has on team the only constant on a team year in and year out is the coach. You were 13-1 last year you had good players. This is different year you got to coach them up and put them in position to be successful.

Huh? I am not complaining about the coaching at all. The constant is the coach, that is EXACTLY my point. Just because they were 13-1 last year doesn't mean they will be every year. The best coach in the world can only do so much though

 

[Baseball215]

A good coach gets the most out of every team win or lose but he also builds program and he replaces players and doesn't rebuild.

 

[Gunz41!]

A good coach gets the most out of every team win or lose but he also builds program and he replaces players and doesn't rebuild.

Not exactly true. Not a full rebuild, but their success in wins and losses can fluctuate. There is a reason no team in playing for a championship year after year. Casto wasn't a worse coach the years he didn't make it, he didn't have the same team as the other seasons.

Not saying they don't get most out of them, but if you don't believe the players matter in success I can't help you

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

I have seen teams loaded with talent go one and out come playoff time.

 

[Xcross]

It's the talent ! South Augusta Co. Greenville area is full of young kids that are superior . People moving here want to live in the Riverheads District . If and when Riverheads makes it to 2A they will be better than the other 2A schools . Coaching has little to do with how good the talent is . I sell homes to families and the ones with young kids almost always want their kids to go to Riverheads ! Talent brings more talent .

 

[catchtds]

Jimmy and Joes matter

 

[Gunz41!]

It's the talent ! South Augusta Co. Greenville area is full of young kids that are superior . People moving here want to live in the Riverheads District . If and when Riverheads makes it to 2A they will be better than the other 2A schools . Coaching has little to do with how good the talent is . I sell homes to families and the ones with young kids almost always want their kids to go to Riverheads ! Talent brings more talent .

What does a move to 2a have to do with this? Nobody ever said Riverheads doesn't have talent, but they DO NOT HAVE the same amount of ATHLETES as the city schools or a team like Appomattox. And I don't keep up with the record books at Riverheads, but unless something changed in last couple years with Schaffer, the leading rusher in school history was the least talented running back to come through there in last 20 years. That equated to coaching and great line play.

Casto matters. Norcross matters. Wassick matters. If you need anymore proof than that, look at Riverheads little league before the last handful of years, did not win very much, but they get to high school and win consistently. If i remember correctly, the Andrew Hemp years in little league had a lot of losing, but he was the best back on the first state championship team in Greenville.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Do you think that sometimes what makes a coach great is more than his record?

I can tell you that with a very, very, very, rare exception, not a single kid we watch this Friday night will make their living playing football. But, every single one of them must go out in this world and make a living.

 

[Xcross]

What does a move to 2a have to do with this? Nobody ever said Riverheads doesn't have talent, but they DO NOT HAVE the same amount of ATHLETES as the city schools or a team like Appomattox. And I don't keep up with the record books at Riverheads, but unless something changed in last couple years with Schaffer, the leading rusher in school history was the least talented running back to come through there in last 20 years. That equated to coaching and great line play.

Casto matters. Norcross matters. Wassick matters. If you need anymore proof than that, look at Riverheads little league before the last handful of years, did not win very much, but they get to high school and win consistently. If i remember correctly, the Andrew Hemp years in little league had a lot of losing, but he was the best back on the first state championship team in Greenville.

With the talent they have had , Bullwinkle could have coached them to four State Championships !

 

[Gunz41!]

Do you think that sometimes what makes a coach great is more than his record?

I can tell you that with a very, very, very, rare exception, not a single kid we watch this Friday night will make their living playing football. But, every single one of them must go out in this world and make a living.

Of course I do. And that makes it even worse when they are being blasted

 

[Gunz41!]

With the talent they have had , Bullwinkle could have coached them to four State Championships !

Next time I talk to Casto, I'll make sure to let him know he is Bullwinkle, I guess that makes Norcross Rocky?

 

[Baseball215]

You not going to win state title every year if you are the greatest coach in the world. I can tell you this I bet there are not loses many on Casto's record that lesser team won. That's coaching

 

[aimhighveteran]

@Gunz41, that is a great question and post. Coaching is one of the hardest professions. Everything you do is under the microscope. Pressure comes from everywhere; play this kid or why did you play that kid, run this play or don't run that play, why did you do this/that, etc. If they call a play and it works they are heroes, if it doesn't they are idiots.
Two things I learned when I was coaching. 1.) It is massively time consuming. From July until November I literally had no personal life, or time for my family. 2.) There are hundreds of thousands of people that have an opinion about the team.
Coaching is a whole lot more than what people see on Fridays. The players become your kids. Their issues become your issues. Who needs help in class, who needs help at home, who needs rides to school/practice, who needs someone to just listen. Or, the one that gets me the most...which kid just needs a hug because his family missed his game again. Personally, I thank every coach for their time and effort. Without them we would not be able to enjoy this great game

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

Coaching football is a 365 days a year job.

 

[Baseball215]

@Gunz41, that is a great question and post. Coaching is one of the hardest professions. Everything you do is under the microscope. Pressure comes from everywhere; play this kid or why did you play that kid, run this play or don't run that play, why did you do this/that, etc. If they call a play and it works they are heroes, if it doesn't they are idiots.
Two things I learned when I was coaching. 1.) It is massively time consuming. From July until November I literally had no personal life, or time for my family. 2.) There are hundreds of thousands of people that have an opinion about the team.
Coaching is a whole lot more than what people see on Fridays. The players become your kids. Their issues become your issues. Who needs help in class, who needs help at home, who needs rides to school/practice, who needs someone to just listen. Or, the one that gets me the most...which kid just needs a hug because his family missed his game again. Personally, I thank every coach for their time and effort. Without them we would not be able to enjoy this great game

I agree with you whole heartedly that's why The coaches Who love coaching are successful.

 

[gtownfencecrew]

Riverheads made it to 2A a while back........Gretna sent them packing

 

[Gunz41!]

You not going to win state title every year if you are the greatest coach in the world. I can tell you this I bet there are not loses many on Casto's record that lesser team won. That's coaching

I don't question how important a coach is. I have been saying that. You are starting to make me think you are another account for Xcross, as I have said multiple times in this thread how important coaches are, yet you still keep telling me how important it is.

 

[Baseball215]

I think this thread ask question about how bad coaches are I'm simply giving an opinion of what makes a good coach don't think it started saying are coaches important and no this is not xcross.

 

[longtimerhsfan]

Gtown:

Riverheads held its own in that Gretna game. The Hawks had to work for it. Same thing for the other playoff losses I can recall on the 2-A level. They lost to King William on a missed PAT and they gave Giles a decent game considering that the quarterback was hurt and that Giles probably had the best team it had ever had that year. (There was probably a fourth year in 2-A but without being able to check my records at home, I can't recall who we played and how the run might have ended that year.)

 

[Baseball215]

I believe Gretna went on to win state title that year

 

[gtownfencecrew]

Gtown:

Riverheads held its own in that Gretna game. The Hawks had to work for it. Same thing for the other playoff losses I can recall on the 2-A level. They lost to King William on a missed PAT and they gave Giles a decent game considering that the quarterback was hurt and that Giles probably had the best team it had ever had that year. (There was probably a fourth year in 2-A but without being able to check my records at home, I can't recall who we played and how the run might have ended that year.)

Had to work the 1st half up 14-7. Hawks came out in 3rd quarter and were dominant going up 28-7. And yes, Gretna won the state title that year.

 

[Baseball215]

I believe final 28 - 14?