SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Girls Varsity Soccer Question for the coaches

I wanted to get the other coaches opinions if they were ever in a similar situation:
If the school you are at tells you that they ideally would like to have females coaching girls sports but would not make that move unless it bettered the program and then brings in someone with less experience to be "co-head coach" for this season and tells you that they will take over the following spring. You have been there for 4 years, never had a losing record, made the playoffs each season, and never had any complaints from players or parents. Just wondering how other coaches would feel or react to that situation?

Are you a full-time employee of the school district? Do you teach at the high school where you coach?

Is the young lady that they are bringing in to succeed you a full-time time employee of the school district? Does she teach at the high school where you coach?

Hurst, No to all of the above. Both of us are outside coaches hired by the school

Maybe she is someone's niece or daughter?

Well there isn't enough info to answer the question because it depends. It depends what type of school you're at first of all. Getting to the playoffs and having a winning record wouldn't be the bar if you coached the Wando or Irmo boys for instance. It would be fantastic at a poorly talented school. So that has to be a factor but you probably can't tell us.�

The type of experience matters. I know coaches under 25 who are great. I know coaches over 40 who have coached for over a decade who aren't good. So would it make sense for me to go with the experienced guy there just because he has coached longer? What type of licenses do you both have? That matters. It's impossible to tell who a better coach is simply off experience. That would be one of the last things I look at to be honest. There are a lot of really bad coaches who have been involved in the game a long time. I appreciate the time and effort, but that's it. �

If she is not a significant upgrade over you, I'd be furious and would quit. You are a lame duck coach and they don't want you so no point of wasting their time. The girl coaching girls excuse is pathetic. What's wrong with the best coach coaching girls? If that's a girl or guy who cares. I know some clubs tried the girl with girls thing...didn't work. Not enough good girl coaches. I've also had girl players and parents of girl players tell me they prefer guy coaches (and I'm sure some prefer girls).�

I'll never criticize an ad for trying to upgrade, but that's really uncommon in high school soccer...it doesn't happen. If she is a better coach than you, sucks for you wrong place wrong time can't complain though. But I have a feeling realist is right, she probably knows someone and unfortunately club and high school coaching is too much of the good old boys system.�

Thanks TSO, I agree it would be different at a place like Wando or Irmo. This is a school that only had one playoff appearance in the previous 8 years before the coach got there. The coach that is there does have a coaching license and is under 30 years old. New coach has no license.

Wonder if this will play a part in soccerfan26's question:

Rita Harrell will step down at the end of the semester after nine years as athletic director at Shannon Forest Christian School, according to information released by the school Monday.