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Post by jmorgret07 on Mar 14, 2017 7:20:20 GMT -5
Per the Norwalk Reflector...
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2017 8:10:25 GMT -5
I can't wait to see the list of applicants for this job.
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Post by BellevueBuckeye on Mar 14, 2017 8:34:40 GMT -5
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Post by concernedcitizen on Mar 14, 2017 8:46:36 GMT -5
I heard through the grapevine that Nic Venerucci has thrown his hat into the ring before any public type of decision was made on Long. It is rumored that he has approached several individuals to be his assistant and JV coaches(a few that would be worse than he is/was). Other rumors involve a 7th grade coach whose basketball knowledge is questionable at best. It is also rumored that a youth AAU guy (no organized school coaching past) has asked about how to apply for the open Head Coaching position. The scary thing to me as a Willard citizen and avid athletic backer is, with the way the Willard Administration is, they would actually entertain the idea of hiring the above individuals. It will be interesting to say the least.
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bigox
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Post by bigox on Mar 14, 2017 8:51:34 GMT -5
I have known Chris for over 30 years and to see something like this happen to a guy who has his heart in the right spot and to hear people talk about high school sports like it's a damn business is ridiculous! And to read the comments for the "community youth director". Bad look for Willard on a whole. The whole program should be scraped and start over both those guys weren't helping.
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dumpp
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Post by dumpp on Mar 14, 2017 8:59:36 GMT -5
It doesn't matter who coaches at Willard because starting next year they will get to lose to my Tigers not just once but twice in one season.
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Post by 43bigdogg on Mar 14, 2017 9:20:55 GMT -5
The "community Youth director" aka Davey Lawrence, has had an agenda from day 1 to get Long out as Coach of Willard. I personally think that High School athletes are made in the early years. In my opinion, he must not have been doing a very good job along with his Willard Youth Sports associates of developing the young talent. Maybe he should consider giving that position up and allowing someone more competent and less reckless to run our youth programs.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2017 9:41:06 GMT -5
How long has Lawrence held his position and how does he get evaluated and or replaced?
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Post by greenman on Mar 14, 2017 10:01:43 GMT -5
I've often written in support of coaches/teachers here when a dismissal causes controversy, whether it's a general discussion about hypotheticals or a real-life case, a la T. Tucker or Z. Reer. I don't have much contact w/ anything Willard these days, safe for what I observe here. I know the town's famous for its yuuuuge influx of "Spanish folk" as their city mgr. calls them, as well as their famous "drug problem," which I think is an unfair singling-out of one town in a region where the same is as true in any town in North Central OH.
Willard Crimson Flashes Varsity Boys Basketball Coach Hirschy's last campaign '12 - '13: 18W -7L Coach Long's first campaign '13 - '14: 15W - 9L *Still a solid year. '14 - '15: 12W - 13L *Ok, so below .500, but it happens. '15 - '16: 8W - 17L *Wait, what? '16 - '17: 3W - 20L *Ouch.
Before I'm bombarded with the obligatory "talent pool," "entitled kids," "other interests," "open enrollment," etc. arguments (which I should know about, and AGREE with), I should say that pointing the finger of blame entirely at Long is 100% wrong. Ask Jeremiah Diebler and Al Mielcarek if you don't agree with the "talent pool" argument, especially, although I imagine the latter would still be very tight-lipped about it as he is yet employed. That being said, at some point, the HC does hold the responsibility of keeping the plane in the air, even if he just holds steady rather than aims for the moon. Even if factors such as unsupportive administration/boards conspire to force the program to go south, there's no reason someone who's qualified to coach in the first place should allow things to fall apart so completely so quickly.
That being said, if we are indeed going to start running HS Varsity sports like a business, we need to do it with integrity. In the business world, if the department in which you work is not producing, lower-level and middle management will not likely be the only sacrificial lambs. It's the grunts that are released, as well. In the business, they are replaced; if no suitable replacements can be reasonably found, that sector of the company is one way or another done away with - folded into another division, whose responsibilities are broadened to include those of the lost department, or shut down, or sold off. Mgmt. can be replaced because of their failure to motivate and teach, but labor is also responsible, and should be accountable. Right?
For too long, we've kept hold of our two different minds about coaches and youth sports. When the team loses, the coach takes responsibility in the papers and in the locker rooms. If the team loses enough, the coach is railroaded out of town. When the team wins, it's thanks to a great group of kids, and a coach's hint that he/she might be good at teaching and motivating is considered "tasteless," and can earn the disapproval of the community no matter how true it is or how well the team does under that coach's leadership.
If losing is the entirely the coach's fault, winning should be a feather only in his or her own cap. If a team of high schoolers is mature enough to have the plaudits of victory heaped on them for winning, they should be mature enough to respond to the critics, and I daresay the press post-game, after a loss. If we continue on this road, our coaches and teachers will be little more than glorified baby-sitters, if they're not already.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2017 10:56:10 GMT -5
I little research has Willard having 31 head basketball coaches since 1912. In that time only 4 have winning records. But this school has a "winning tradition". Of those 4 coaches, two were there only 1 season. So of the coaches with multiple years of coaching basketball at Willard, Haas and Nossaman are the only with winning records and they arguably had the best talent to ever pass thru the Willard gyms.
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Post by decodable on Mar 14, 2017 11:21:06 GMT -5
greenman, Agree with a lot that you said. The one thing that strikes me as funny regarding this issue at Willard. I am not real positive, but didn't Willard only have 1 gym for 2 years while they were building their new school. It is hard to get players the time to get better, when all programs had to split the minimal gym time. This is taking the talent pool out of the discussion that you brought up, this means they were behind every other program that they played. This time is hard to make up when it was taking place April-July and then again September-November.
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Post by Observer on Mar 14, 2017 11:57:14 GMT -5
Dude and greenman, well put. It seems that Willard does not have a good pool of talent to choose from. Their glory years came under Haas when the "talent" seemed to somehow move into the district. I think Long might have a better chance at success someplace else.
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Post by greenman on Mar 14, 2017 12:16:57 GMT -5
I little research has Willard having 31 head basketball coaches since 1912. In that time only 4 have winning records. But this school has a "winning tradition". Of those 4 coaches, two were there only 1 season. So of the coaches with multiple years of coaching basketball at Willard, Haas and Nossaman are the only with winning records and they arguably had the best talent to ever pass thru the Willard gyms. Sounds about right. That Willard's "winning tradition" isn't really Willard's, but rather belongs two coaches over the years (and presumably the kids who played for them) may be the school's dirty little secret.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2017 14:03:12 GMT -5
Why would any young person want to coach in this era?
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Post by Willard Fillmore on Mar 14, 2017 15:04:03 GMT -5
I heard through the grapevine that Nic Venerucci has thrown his hat into the ring before any public type of decision was made on Long. It is rumored that he has approached several individuals to be his assistant and JV coaches(a few that would be worse than he is/was). Other rumors involve a 7th grade coach whose basketball knowledge is questionable at best. It is also rumored that a youth AAU guy (no organized school coaching past) has asked about how to apply for the open Head Coaching position. The scary thing to me as a Willard citizen and avid athletic backer is, with the way the Willard Administration is, they would actually entertain the idea of hiring the above individuals. It will be interesting to say the least. Who is Nic Venerucci? What does his resume look like?
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Post by Willard Fillmore on Mar 14, 2017 15:06:23 GMT -5
Enrollment is something that has been at the heart of our sports issues in comparing previous years. A quick fact check on the OHSAA website shows Bellevue--246 Boys Shelby----228 Boys Willard---143 Boys All the mud slinging aside,,,this might be a large part of the problem. I've always felt Willard Bellevue and Shelby were pretty similar towns in many ways. But with a 100 boy difference in the size of the talent pool to begin with now,,is there any wonder we are where we are. NOW, there is no "transferring" into Willard as in the past, just "transferring" out.
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Post by Willard Fillmore on Mar 14, 2017 15:23:23 GMT -5
I little research has Willard having 31 head basketball coaches since 1912. In that time only 4 have winning records. But this school has a "winning tradition". Of those 4 coaches, two were there only 1 season. So of the coaches with multiple years of coaching basketball at Willard, Haas and Nossaman are the only with winning records and they arguably had the best talent to ever pass thru the Willard gyms. Sounds about right. That Willard's "winning tradition" isn't really Willard's, but rather belongs two coaches over the years (and presumably the kids who played for them) may be the school's dirty little secret. My observations after watching the Willard/Ontario Varsity, JV and 8th grade games this year and last year. Watching the players warm up it looks like the athletic abilities are similar. Once the games start and progress there is a noticeable difference. Watching games early in the year vs games later in the year, there is a notice difference. Watching teams last year vs this year there's a difference. That's when coaching becomes a larger part of the equation. The differences would have been more in favor of Willard in the Hass and Nossaman years. Sitting in the stands watching those games, I found myself wondering what differences there would have been with the same players coached by Hass or Nossaman. With that being said, finding another Haas or Nossaman for Willard these days is unlikely. JMO
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2017 15:49:03 GMT -5
I heard through the grapevine that Nic Venerucci has thrown his hat into the ring before any public type of decision was made on Long. It is rumored that he has approached several individuals to be his assistant and JV coaches(a few that would be worse than he is/was). Other rumors involve a 7th grade coach whose basketball knowledge is questionable at best. It is also rumored that a youth AAU guy (no organized school coaching past) has asked about how to apply for the open Head Coaching position. The scary thing to me as a Willard citizen and avid athletic backer is, with the way the Willard Administration is, they would actually entertain the idea of hiring the above individuals. It will be interesting to say the least. Who is Nic Venerucci? What does his resume look like? You would be going in the wrong direction with that choice.
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Post by Willard Fillmore on Mar 14, 2017 15:59:11 GMT -5
Who is Nic Venerucci? What does his resume look like? You would be going in the wrong direction with that choice. Wrong direction?? That choice?? Neither answers the query posed. Who and what?
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Post by tommygunn on Mar 14, 2017 17:43:42 GMT -5
In all honesty, who could of produced better than Long. I mean he isn't Haas (which is all Willard ever talks about), but he also didn't have one solid basketball player that even remotely could play in the collegiate level. I think one tried, and quit after a year. The talent in Willard is bottom of the barrel. Kids want to show up and win during the season and do the minimal amount of work in the off season, where championships are won. Want to be the next Dials, Langhurst, then you have to put the time in like they did or it won't pan out. Willards BOE and certain parental groups are single handily Willard's worst enemy. They seem to set traps down and literally walk right into them. Axes to grind = Willard BOE to fire Hawkins (one of Willard's best FB coaches), Fox (one of Willard's best overall coaches in multiple sports) and they even put pressure on Noss and he left (many do not know this).
Then you have idiots like Heath don't know Poop Poladick showing up at meetings acting like Willard's savior. He has all the answers. Just ask anyone who ever let him rent their house to him and his family. Hey Heath, how many of your kids are going to Division 1 college? Raise your hand if you have heard that story over and over again from him throughout the years and when it doesn't even remotely pan out, it's always the coaches fault. Good luck with ruining the Varsity Club. What the hell is Jerry Stackhouse thinking.
As for the rest, or a large majority of sport parents. SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUP! Your kid isn't the Poop. When he goes 1-10 beyond the arch and Willard gets blown out by 20, getting on facebook and posting how its not about wins and losses and how good your kid played for likes from other moms who are doing the exact same stuff, isn't doing Poop but giving your kid this false premonition that they are actually good and doing something right. When your kid sucks, he needs to know it. Parenting isn't always pixie dust and unicorns.
Good luck Willard. I am glad that I am much older and don't have kids in the system of chaos known as Willard.
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Post by Willard Fillmore on Mar 14, 2017 18:17:37 GMT -5
JMO, but I think the vast majority in Willard would be MORE than happy with a NEW SBC Bay division title in the not to distant future. Which would not take a DI player, would not take a DII player, not even a DIII player. It would take a good coach with a good program teaching great offensive and defensive fundamentals and toughness. That should engender the desire for a core group of players to work on their game year round. Which is all that is required
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Post by buckeyekid on Mar 14, 2017 18:43:16 GMT -5
I agree Willard Fillmore.
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Post by ScarletFever on Mar 14, 2017 18:54:55 GMT -5
Dude and greenman, well put. It seems that Willard does not have a good pool of talent to choose from. Their glory years came under Haas when the "talent" seemed to somehow move into the district. I think Long might have a better chance at success someplace else. Common complaint, but there was a ton of talent grown here already and a random 'move in' here and there didn't make a garbage team good. They made a great team elite. Take away all the move in gang, Haas still wins a bajillion games.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2017 19:30:45 GMT -5
Dude and greenman, well put. It seems that Willard does not have a good pool of talent to choose from. Their glory years came under Haas when the "talent" seemed to somehow move into the district. I think Long might have a better chance at success someplace else. Common complaint, but there was a ton of talent grown here already and a random 'move in' here and there didn't make a garbage team good. They made a great team elite. Take away all the move in gang, Haas still wins a bajillion games. You are probably right SF, but it does not change the fact that in the History of Willard basketball success has come to 2 coaches. 87% of the Willard head basketball coaches have not won. Blaming Coach Long for something that appears to be the normal could be argued as wrong. Also he was dealing with drastically declining enrollment.
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Post by ScarletFever on Mar 14, 2017 20:24:28 GMT -5
Common complaint, but there was a ton of talent grown here already and a random 'move in' here and there didn't make a garbage team good. They made a great team elite. Take away all the move in gang, Haas still wins a bajillion games. You are probably right SF, but it does not change the fact that in the History of Willard basketball success has come to 2 coaches. 87% of the Willard head basketball coaches have not won. Blaming Coach Long for something that appears to be the normal could be argued as wrong. Also he was dealing with drastically declining enrollment. I'm kind of over the entire argument. Whoever's fault it is completely depends on which side of the fence you are standing. All fingers are pointing in every direction but they all have one thing in common. They point outward.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 14, 2017 21:27:10 GMT -5
I think you are correct. The fingers should be pointing in many directions and not just one place.
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Post by tommygunn on Mar 15, 2017 6:49:52 GMT -5
Is Long the best coach? No. I would imagine even he knows that. There is always someone better, somewhere.
Willard, move on past Haas. If you are going to hold every coach against him, they all will fail unless Willard sprouts up some unreal talent. Winning gives Willard's fanbase amnesia! Willard older fans, move on past Haas. We all know you grew up going to games, winning, Until Willard and its fanbase can stop saying "Well, when I was in school and Haas was there" nothing will change. Winning gives this fanbase amnesia but they are quick to remember and remind when you are losing. WIllard kids, you want it? Ain't nobody going to hand it to you, so you can cry to mommy all you want. She can post on facebook all she wants, your picture of you scoring 2 pts for the night may get 100 likes, but likes do not equate wins. The next Willard coach. You aren't coach Haas, or Noss, nor should want to be, so stop wanting to bring Willard back to those times, they will never be here again. Tell your wife, girlfriend, mom, dad, relatives to stay off facebook and not attack others who question your hire, your wins vs losses, etc! BOE. Hopeless. Needs a complete revamp. Just a bunch of yes people, bobble heads. You have single handily created this mess by your firing of good coaches which has attributed to this conundrum of losses and losing programs and the constant sad emoji known as Willard students.
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dump
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Post by dump on Mar 15, 2017 8:12:37 GMT -5
Ryan
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Hagen
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Post by Hagen on Mar 15, 2017 11:09:36 GMT -5
greenman, Agree with a lot that you said. The one thing that strikes me as funny regarding this issue at Willard. I am not real positive, but didn't Willard only have 1 gym for 2 years while they were building their new school. It is hard to get players the time to get better, when all programs had to split the minimal gym time. This is taking the talent pool out of the discussion that you brought up, this means they were behind every other program that they played. This time is hard to make up when it was taking place April-July and then again September-November. There are plenty of schools in the area with only one gym available & they compete/win just fine. Willard's girls had the same setup and they've done ok the past few years.
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Hagen
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Post by Hagen on Mar 15, 2017 11:11:41 GMT -5
The "community Youth director" aka Davey Lawrence, has had an agenda from day 1 to get Long out as Coach of Willard. I personally think that High School athletes are made in the early years. In my opinion, he must not have been doing a very good job along with his Willard Youth Sports associates of developing the young talent. Maybe he should consider giving that position up and allowing someone more competent and less reckless to run our youth programs. Solely from reading the article, he sounds bitter that he wasn't named to the high school staff. Anyone validate?
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