Fairland Non-Renews Coach Wilcoxon

[bucking red]

Pooper how many games did you attend? Are your talking about the boys playing now winning if every thing but football?

[farmer]

Until the board decides to support the program and not try to tell the coach what to do the programs will never win. To many board members have the Al Davis Owner of Oakland approach to football having to control things. If the board wants to be involved then they should develop a plan and put it in writting then the coaches, players, parents, fans and board members know what is going on and what needs to be done. That way they can not just change their mind for whatever reason. That is not the best way to do things but if the board wants to be involved then have the plan and I would also suggest show up to practice during the 90 degree days. Maybe help hold some of the pads for players to hit.

If you ever go to a high school football game where you have no affilation to either team just listen to the crowd. Many think they know exactly what needs done. But for people who know the game and something about the team most of what is said is just something to laugh about. Many times coaches do things for many reasons that most fans in the seats just do not have the football knowledge or even the inside knowledge of how the players play.

Coaches coach and players play board members should support the teams but without becoming to involved. For a board memeber to say he only showed up at one game is appalling. Even if you are not a football fan this is the time when you get more people that supports your school in one place. Great time to interact with the supporters. To many times Board members do not have the common sense as a old board laying around on the farm.

Many fans have questioned why the crowd does not get into the game and just sits there during football and basketball games. Part of that is they do not like the boards involvement or some parents who get their way. Fairland is not alone in trying to get a program going just look up the river at River Valley. There is talent at both schools but not the right support by those outside of the team that will allow the coaches and players to succede to the extint of the talent that is on the field.

[getagrip]

Until the board decides to support the program and not try to tell the coach what to do the programs will never win. To many board members have the Al Davis Owner of Oakland approach to football having to control things. If the board wants to be involved then they should develop a plan and put it in writting then the coaches, players, parents, fans and board members know what is going on and what needs to be done. That way they can not just change their mind for whatever reason. That is not the best way to do things but if the board wants to be involved then have the plan and I would also suggest show up to practice during the 90 degree days. Maybe help hold some of the pads for players to hit.

Oh yes, just what I want. School board members who participate in practice. But Farmer, I'm glad you at least agree the players should do some hitting in practice.

The diehard Wilcoxon supporters consistently make the argument that if you don't like how things are being done, then you should get more involved. The implication is that if you're not on the field coaching, you're not involved; if you're not attending every practice, you're not involved; if you can't make it to every game, you don't care enough, and you don't have the right to say anything.

I would say a lot of people who have complained about Wilcoxon are involved to some degree. They don't like what's going on, and they've complained to some board members. I'm sure the board heard complaints from a good cross-section of the community. I don't have a problem with people complaining to the board. Even last year's team underachieved quite a bit.

And the lack of discipline was appalling. More than once I saw players throw down a helmet, and the coaches did nothing. Kids will do immature things (Lord knows I did), but I don't expect coaches to tolerate such behavior. It doesn't help the players, and the immaturity shows in other aspects of the game. But that's what happens when you have an unqualified coaching staff of parents.

But back to my main point. There are a lot of people who care a lot about the school and the football program even though their lives don't revolve around practice schedules and where Fairland is playing every Friday night.

[earp]

Hey everybody on here says they want to support these kids.The 3 players mentioned in this thread play basketball and they are playing in this thing called "THE SWEET 16!"So if everybody wants to support them as much as they say then turn all of this into something positive and come to the Convo wed night and try to get these kids into the final 8.

[bgmonster]

Football is an emotional sport by the very nature of the game and punishments for "discipline" problems are taken care of during practice not in a game. It doesn't sound like you were at practice or every game so I'm just wondering where you're getting your information that the team had a discipline problem. You never saw a Fairland player making late or dirty hits even though they took their share of them during the season. As a matter of fact, Fairland was repeatedly complimented by other coaches on the class demonstrated by the team. Isn't it funny how some people seem to want to focus on an incident where a kid threw his helmet down? And as for complaints, the only complaints I heard of were from a small number of parents who didn't mind their kids playing Friday night but didn't want contact during practice. By the way Earp, you're right on about the support for the basketball team.

[getagrip]

By the way Earp, you're right on about the support for the basketball team.

Bg, we agree on something. Earp is right. I can't make it to Athens on Wednesday night, but I'll be there if they make it to the regional championship.

[tigermama]

I have been reading this thread and it sounds so familiar.
If a player does something that needs to be addressed, doesn't the punishment usually take place at practice? At least they do at the practices in Ironton. I know I have watched some kids stay after and do grass drills and running and asked my son why they were doing that and he told me it was punishment. Whether they got in trouble at school or a game, it was handled by the coaches at practice or in the locker room at half-time during a game. Just because fans don't always see the punishment doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

[bucking red]

Right on Tigermama most of these people either don't know what their talking about or are making things up.

[the pooper]

there is an obvious reason the man has bounced around school to school across the county. i understand all the people on here are the daddys or coaches so its only natural you have a different point of view. i can honestly say i have talked to a lot of people and don't know anyone who thinks the board made a bad decision. im done with this subject now. good luck in the sweet 16 guys. at least your talent seems to be being utilized in basketball.

[sportsnut mom]

All of this talk about bad behavior and acting immature-I'd like to know if anyone has stats as to how many penalties FHS had last year compared to their opponents. Also-if Pooper and Gripit have problems with the "daddies" being involved are you complaining about other Fairland sports as well? Should the BOE clear out all the Daddies? I know several men who are "involved" and believe they are very knowlegdable of the given sports. Just because you don't have a degree (or a winning record) doesn't mean you can't offer something to the program. I wish all the Sweet 16 boys had to worry about was basketball.

[earp]

Thats kinda what I was getting at with my last post mom!Kids read this stuff and it would be good if they could get on here and read something positive for a change.I said some things a couple of years ago stating my opinion and I then realized that it was wrong because kids were getting on here and responding to me ina negative fashion.My thinking is that we probably need to put as little stress on these kids as possible right now.Thats all I am saying.

[BlindWhiteHat]

there is an obvious reason the man has bounced around school to school across the county. i understand all the people on here are the daddys or coaches so its only natural you have a different point of view. i can honestly say i have talked to a lot of people and don't know anyone who thinks the board made a bad decision. im done with this subject now. good luck in the sweet 16 guys. at least your talent seems to be being utilized in basketball.

Isn't "bounced around school to school across the county" a bit of an exaggeration? Also, since you don't know anyone who thinks the board made a bad decision, does that automatically make it a good decision? Sounds like you are just going to say and do whatever you have to in order to justify the decision.

[PIGSKIN]

Emotions running high on this thread. I've gotta go with Earp on this one. Kids gotta hear something positive.. I know alot liked Wilcoxen and alot didn't. Fact of the matter is the elected board made a decision. His record speaks volumes. Although his fan support was awesome during his tenure at FHS (especially the Chesapeake game). How many times in your daily work routine throughout your life have you been told something or someone is changing. Option A change jobs----Option B ---See what the new person has to offer. Kids take alot of lead from the adults in their lives. I can't see leaving a school for a sport or coach but I'm certain some are considering it. I've seen it done before. (I've also seen them transfer out to transfer right back). As for the talent and behavior at Fairland. Certain things happen and I would hope that it would be taken care of by the coaches at the time of incident. I've not seen anything out of line by these players that hasn't been taken care of in a timely manner. The talent within the junior class alone is outstanding! There are alot of talented student athletes at FHS and their academic and sports records show for it. Good Luck to the students and coaches at FHS.

[sportsnut mom]

OVCfan 32 where'd ya go???

[bgmonster]

The heated discussions on this forum have been the result of the misrepresentations and downright lies told with regard to the Wilcoxen situation. I don't understand why people can't agree/disagree with the Board's decision without adding rumors and lies in the mix. Whether he was a good or bad coach is a matter of opinion. The other stuff is simply bull. The man hasn't "bounced" from job to job as pooper would like everyone to believe. He was an assistant coach at Gallipolis and left to take a head coaching position. He left South Point because a teaching job wasn't available. I don't know if he left SV because of the drive or a better position. Regardless, he was never fired or non-renewed and each job was simply for a better position. The man does have a family to support. I believe he was also a grad assistant in the Ohio University football program while attending there too. Pooper seems to have a real problem with the three parents helping too since he tries to work the "daddy" phrase into every post. Lamb's daddy was a standout high school player and played at Marshall. I believe Duty's daddy still holds rushing records at South Point, and Fisher's daddy was a standout player at Fairland and has about 25 years' coaching experience. Is pooper implying that these three kids only played because of their daddies? The decision's been made. If it is based on the record, the new guy has about 4 years to make something happen or until a kid throws a helmet and then he's out too. Good luck.

[sportsnut mom]

I hope everyone can put their differences aside tonight and come cheer on the whole DRAGON team in Athens! I hope the boys have only one thing on their minds and that is beating Garaway and being one step closer to the finals! Everyone wear your green and white and cheer this team on. I hope to see many people from the county up there supporting FHS.

[rat]

I saw Mclung on the basketball bench at OU, is he going to be the next football coach? Why is he all of a sudden on the basketball bench?

[Raiderball]

there is an obvious reason the man has bounced around school to school across the county. i understand all the people on here are the daddys or coaches so its only natural you have a different point of view. i can honestly say i have talked to a lot of people and don't know anyone who thinks the board made a bad decision. im done with this subject now. good luck in the sweet 16 guys. at least your talent seems to be being utilized in basketball.

Isn't "bounced around school to school across the county" a bit of an exaggeration? Also, since you don't know anyone who thinks the board made a bad decision, does that automatically make it a good decision? Sounds like you are just going to say and do whatever you have to in order to justify the decision.

I asked in an earlier post and got no response. Some of the answer I already knew. Wilcoxen has been asst bkball at Chesapeake. Went to SV to take the head boys bkball job there. Was head football at SP. I know he spent a year as asst fb at Gallia and then to Fairland as head fb coach. I wouldnt consider that "bouncing around the county."

[OVCfan32]

no thrash to any of the fairland kids. . .
just dont feed the bs about their future college fortunes being thumped by the evil board members
yeah its crap they have to deal with it. . and yeah a lot of descent athletes can play small division ball, fairland just hasn't had a good team since 03. . . you cant blame the talent pool on the coach. . . .look what peake is going through. . . it happens

[sandman]

I find the notion that the Fairland school board would hold non-renewal over a coach's head to be very interesting.

I was talking to some school board members I know from another district, and they said that they more or less give thumbs-up or thumbs down to the recommendations of the district's administration; they don't actively make policy.

How do most districts really work?

Actually the only functions of a school board are to make policy, to hire and fire the superintendent and treasurer and to act as an overseeing governing body by approving or not approving recommendations of the super. They are to be non-partisan and are encouraged to conduct themselves as good representatives of the district as a whole.

How things really work is very different. It is often like the short game of Monopoly when you exchange properties to gain advantage and shorten the game. Often things are traded away to achieve what members consider to be a greater good. It is unfortunate but true. Different districts have different priorities. Some have academics, some sports, some facilities, etc. There are always casualties. These are hard facts and it sounds as though someone may have just been given a dose of them.