Waukegan High School Varsity Softball Coach

[countymounty]

Snoopy

I have found the Nsfpl. Why are your girls playing in the level 3 division? The high school competes against schools (glenviews, newtriers,etc.) in the level 1 division. I hope your playing the best northshore competition out there. Dont give those girls a false sense of what high school competition is going to be, just because the coaches want wins. I hope you will not cheat the kids and get them into the Level 1 play. It will only help them in the long run.

Isnt it football season yet?

[Snoopy]

"I saw a Waukegan team competing in the State Championship, and wish that for all of our Athletic and Academic programs."
I wonder, sir or ma'am how I lost all of my credibility with a statement like that? I wonder if it is not the wish of every dedicated Waukeganite? Sir or ma'am, You may be playing with an amatuer coach but certainly are not confusing me with your "alledged" lack of knowledge of softball in this city.
You made my arguement for me, with the question of why we are not in Division 1. I can only think of one team that would have done very well at that level in Waukegan's history. Many of those happen to be on the high school squad. This should have been a banner year. Been there to see an entire team of dedicated softball players working their hearts out, and many of them were on the team this year. My simple question from this simple minded man, where was the High school staff at, to make a difference in my community for this well paid position? My tax dollars pay for these positions, i wonder if I am wrong to demand my money is spent wisely? Is building a program completely outside of the bounds?
I saw players that have represented Waukegan well, in tears, after their last game of the season. What could have been a feel good moment for the seniors, was not that. I am so uttererly disappointed with witnessing this, I promise I will not go silently into that good night. Even when you have enlightened me with this litigation that could happen. You forgot one part of that, though, ole thoughtful one, I am speaking truth. And the truth shall set you free.
By the way Bruce,
3rd Bn 73rd Armor 82nd Abn Div
Shawn White
224-381-2834

[re-usable]

Interesting point made by Bruce, the school as a whole has many important things to concern itself with. But there is an athletic director whose job it is specifically to pay attention to matters concerning athletics. Looks like the A.D. did a pretty good job with the soccer coach hiring. Training, uniting, building team work, instilling goal setting, devotes a lot of time to the kids. I saw quite a bit in the News Sun about football, soccer, baseball, basketball, etc running summer clinics for the middle and grade school age groups.
Can’t say if a coach that doesn’t do these things needs to be replaced, motivated? Maybe there is a pay scale difference, other incentives, or personal matters involved. Or maybe these coaches that do the extras for their programs are just really committed to the sport and players. What I can say though is that Snoopy has a valid question in asking if we’re getting what we’re paying for. Are we? Seems like a question that we all should be asking about the programs we pay for. Did the parents of the soccer players ask that same question a couple years ago? Does anyone have history on how the change came about in that program or why the new coach was brought in?

[bruce]

Thanks snoopy i will check on you, I have found a great web page where you can find all old buddies and so on, I will forward that on to you. Im a huge suppoter of the Armed forces!

Reusable,

As far as I know the former soccer coach took an administrative position and coach martinez was the assistant and stepped in. The soccer program had a winning record at all levels last year. The youth soccer programs must be outstanding!

Snoopy,

your getting like "freedomisntfree" using this websight to feed your own agenda. At least I hope not

[Snoopy]

Bruce,
Send that info on, I would relly appreciate it. Still get the Army Times after all of these years. I too support our forces.

I am a part of a vocal few, but know many share my views. Many do not. Is that not what makes it great to be American?
Great shot, by the way. I'm really more interested in accountability than this "ousting of a coach". I just want someone dedicated to the sport, and it would be extremely hard to do being a Varsity coach for two sports.
Again, nice shot Bruce, kind of stung. Will tone it down a bit.
Shawn

[re-usable]

You got that right about youth soccer, I bet you could drive through town on any given night and see a hundred + kids out there. The kids sure love that game. That’s why the Wkgn. Park dist. is devoting so much room at the sports complex to fields.

[kermit2112]

This post really upsets me! What exactly did the head coach do wrong? Were the girls crying at the end of season because they lost their final game, or was their coach being vulgar or abusive in some way? You have not given any concrete reasons that this coach is doing a bad job. I believe running a one day camp was decided because of low attendance due to the fact that many softball players are playing travel ball. Is this true? Was the summer league that you are currently volunteering handed over to you by the previous coach? What effort has been made to keep up with the high school team or have you deided to go your own way with that team? When the previous and current head coach of the highschool team formed that travel summer team, what was its purpose and is it still being used for that purpose?

This coach has had nothing but good evaluations and has done a great job in the classroom, the coaurt and the field, dedicating his time with many of our students and our athletes. It saddens me to think that this non issue has now wasted school board time when the focus should be on a dropping graduation rate, failling students, low Prairie State exams, discipline problems, students using drugs, the list goes on.

Instead you are slandering a college educated professional who has worked tirelessly to EARN his position! This head caoch has an undergrduate degree, a masters degree and is a certified coach. He is very knowledgeable with the sports he coaches and has always been an very upstanding man!

I hope that you take a long look at what you are and have done not only to a wonderful coach, but the position that you will put others in as they choose sides. I hope this is not a grudgery against him because you feel that one of your friends should have gotten the job. That would truly be a travesty of injustice!

[countymounty]

It will be interesting to see when the "friend" uses his positon to get his son in as coach. Everyone knows this is whats happening! Bad..Bad..Bad politics if you ask me.

[Snoopy]

Kermitt,
I am sorry to upset you. I am sorry to disrupt the natural order of things, it is much easier to sit back and wish.
I will try to address this line by line, without making a novel out of this.
We will set aside the crying kids later.
Lets talk about a camp for a moment. From what I have seen from the athletics website, there were 46 or so playing softball for the high school last year. 14 varsity, 14 jv, and 18 Freshman. From that maybe 6 varsity played summer ball, don't think any played travel from jv, but for the sake of argument, lets say 1 or 2. The Freshman team had 1 player that I know of that played. Let it also be known that when I was on speaking terms that I requested from the staff to facilitate a 16U team and coach kids that wanted to play, but was unable to assemble enough on my own. Everyone was busy, but would try to make some games this summer. I didn't see anyone from the high school staff at any of the games our team had. There was no interest. So now lets look at the numbers. 46 players maybe 10 played travel, I think my numbers are high. 6 graduated, so doing math 25% of the high school squad played travel. Now lets speak of 30 young ladies that could have learned the fundamentals of softball at a camp. This could have been a great oppertunity to work with less experienced athletes, and compliment the entire organization. We could talk about my discussion with the high school coach that there was nothing and my disgust.He decided to schedule a one day camp. I had many future Waukegan Softball players on my team that would have gladly participated in a summer softball camp. I would have been sure to pay this from our team funds.
I co -created the program I am now participating in. I asked for my girls to participate in this program you speak of, but we were denied because of parental involvement. (By the way, more than 90% of teams in this area are coached by parents.) We supported them at every oppertunity, when we were participating,( made sure we played in the same tournaments as this group you spoke of), in the same tournaments. That is so five years ago....
I agree with you with everything you mention about this good man, with one exception, the tirelessly part.
Here comes the disturbing part of your post,
"Instead you are slandering a college educated professional who has worked tirelessly to EARN his position! This head caoch has an undergrduate degree, a masters degree and is a certified coach. He is very knowledgeable with the sports he coaches and has always been an very upstanding man!"
Slander is an untruthful oral (spoken) statement about a person that harms the person's reputation or standing in the community.
I can substantiate any arguement made about this very good man. Your words are actually slanderous to me.

County Mounty,
You words are slanderous to the ," "friend" uses his positon to get his son in as coach. Everyone knows this is whats happening! Bad..Bad..Bad politics if you ask me."
You use words against a trusted friend and confidant, without a clue. There is no interest in that position by anyone I know, especially me.
Shawn

[kermit2112]

Snoopy,

Please explain why the current head coach IS NOT qualified for this position.