Waukegan Talk

There has been a lot of talk on another discussion regarding the softball coach, but wondered if this is not a deeper problem with the athletic director?

In June Perkins re-appointed the Girls HS swim coach (who has held the job for 30 years), but in August posted the position as open. Problem, is after someone is appointed a position the job cannot be posted. In fact it is illegal and Perkins was fired from a previous position for doing the same thing. By the way, the same AD refused an offer for a free pool pump last year when the HS was broken which delayed the start of the season during an Olympic year when interested in swimming was at a high. Who is watching the AD department?

Wow.......he was fired from another place and old WHS hired him? And you think this is new, just look at the Lincoln Center.

Coach Hewitt(sp) has been an active member in my community since I can remember. Great PE teacher and coach for many years. I happen to know he spends his summer working with the youth to try to build his program, and has done so for many years!
Shawn

Shawn are you sure hes ok? The swim team hasnt won a state championship, or a meet in years. Coach Hewitt works hard year around as does several other coaches who do not have great win loss records. Waukegan is not a turn-key opporation when it comes to coaching. I know coaches who have been very excited for their season and boom, a playere is inelgible, a player moves, a player gets kicked off, or all three at once. And then there going into the toughest conference in the state with a bunch of underclassmen again. You will understand one day that coaching a great program is more than wins and losses and state championships. Oh..and dont say the basketball team either, they had two division 1 players. When was the last division 1 college athlete to come out of the softball program, probably NEVER

countymounty Wrote:Shawn are you sure hes ok? The swim team hasnt won a state championship, or a meet in years. Coach Hewitt works hard year around as does several other coaches who do not have great win loss records. Waukegan is not a turn-key opporation when it comes to coaching. I know coaches who have been very excited for their season and boom, a playere is inelgible, a player moves, a player gets kicked off, or all three at once. And then there going into the toughest conference in the state with a bunch of underclassmen again. You will understand one day that coaching a great program is more than wins and losses and state championships. Oh..and dont say the basketball team either, they had two division 1 players. When was the last division 1 college athlete to come out of the softball program, probably NEVER

Good afternoon, countymounty. Been quite busy and missed your reply.
What I do know of the coach, that year after year, for as long as I can remember he has been busy trying to better the swimming program during the summer. I remember a good swimming team way back in the 80's he coached. Honestly, I haven't scruntinized his seasons, but know his program is not succeeding due to lack of effort on his part.
I hope this good man gets his "stud" players as many of our programs have, and that he can utilize his vast experience and take these kids to the next level.
I appreciate you trying to enlighten me about the difficulties of program building, something I do happen to know first hand with both recreational softball and travel softball in Waukegan. Have remained with both since I have been involved with my community, something that most involved cannot say.
At this very moment we are trying to build one program in Waukegan. If its success and its chances of succeeding as one unified program hinges upon my involvement or not, let me be the first to say, I will gladly step aside to improve the chances of our wonderful girls. They are much bigger and the game is much bigger than what I bring.
We have very talented athletes in Waukegan, and they deserve the best we can offer them.
Have a wonderful rest of your weekend.
Shawn White
224-381-2834

My opionion is this - you took a shot at the high school coach in a public setting. If your ultimate goal was to build ONE program that was not the way to do it. You should have met with him and all came together. Im glad you know you need to step away and get someone in the youth level who is going to promote a good relationship with the high school, not an adversarial one. Good luck to that program, what was done at the board meeting set the program back ten years. Relationships between coach and player, the forming of a 18u travel team (which im sure will run in direct conflict with the high school) will make kids choose, and overall bad relations with the youth programs. Good luck to all involved with that.

countymounty Wrote:My opionion is this - you took a shot at the high school coach in a public setting. If your ultimate goal was to build ONE program that was not the way to do it. You should have met with him and all came together. Im glad you know you need to step away and get someone in the youth level who is going to promote a good relationship with the high school, not an adversarial one. Good luck to that program, what was done at the board meeting set the program back ten years. Relationships between coach and player, the forming of a 18u travel team (which im sure will run in direct conflict with the high school) will make kids choose, and overall bad relations with the youth programs. Good luck to all involved with that.

You are entitled to your opinion, as I am certainly entitled to mine. I took a shot at the coach in a public setting. I also let this coach know I would be doing so, so he could prepare his defense, Unlike some cowards would suggest that the next time it should be done anonymously. You obviously have great feelings for this man. He is a good man.
For the first time Waukegan will have 10,12, 14, 16, and 18U travel teams. This is good for his program.
Conversations were had. I still contend it is very demanding for one person to effectively build two Varsity programs.
Have a great week.
Shawn White
224-381-2834

maybe there are reasons people don't want to be one program - maybe there are reasons people have left your program - maybe there are reasons don't want to be associated with you - maybe people aren't using kids for their personal agendas - maybe there are some good things going on - maybe the grass is greener somewhere else - maybe people don't want to go back to the brown grass - maybe the people you are praising should take cover, you are about to stab them in the back - maybe maybe maybe

make me sick Wrote:maybe there are reasons people don't want to be one program - maybe there are reasons people have left your program - maybe there are reasons don't want to be associated with you - maybe people aren't using kids for their personal agendas - maybe there are some good things going on - maybe the grass is greener somewhere else - maybe people don't want to go back to the brown grass - maybe the people you are praising should take cover, you are about to stab them in the back - maybe maybe maybe

You make some good points. It is too bad you sit as a coward behind a screen name. I let everyone know where the shots were coming from. You are a coward.

Shawn White
224-381-2834