BY DR. JACK WELCH
At this time of the year, we see lots of head football positions become a revolving door. Most of the time a coach is fired because of their won-loss record or a coach leaves because of discontentment. Who oversees hiring of the head football coach?
Hiring a new coach brings excitement. A new coach gives direction and focus. Then in only a short period of time, we find out the coach is being replaced or they have left for another job. School districts being described in this scenario are usually not successful.
How ridiculous is it to hire a new head football coach every few years? If it is because they are incompetent, or if it is because a coach decides this is not the right place to be then a review of hiring practices is needed. Has the new head coach been given the proper tools to be successful?
Should school board members be involved in the hiring process of the new head football coach? School board members are advised their duties involve setting policy. Furthermore, they are instructed the superintendent is in control of the day-to-day district operations. I agree with this for the most part, but I am witnessing some districts flounder in the hiring process of head football coaches.
Superintendents like to have a run of the district with little or no interference from the board. I have seen lots of top-notch superintendents be masters in the hiring process. These superintendents keep the district employees and boards of education well informed.
I have also witnessed some superintendents continually having turn over in the central office, administration, and with the head football coach. The day-to-day hiring and firing rest on their shoulders. Does it make sense if they are having a revolving door in key positions, then they should be questioned.
The traditional trustee and superintendent relationship must be questioned if the head football position is turning over in relative short amounts of time. Trustee’s answer to the community and must not be left out of the picture of the school business at hand.
The rubber stamp board member is not looking out for the best interest of the children and community. Surely, if the there is a preponderance of having a revolving door at the head coach position, then the superintendent should be held responsible.
Trustees must be prepared and expected to perform as caring, competent, consensus-based leaders. Superintendents must be held to accountability for their decision-making process. If superintendents are not held accountable for their hiring and firing practices, then they will remain powerful enough to destroy years of painstaking reform work at the school and classroom levels.
Thought for the week,
“Success is never final. Failure is never fatal.”
-Joe Paterno
Dr. Jack Welch is a college football coach. He holds a Doctor of Education degree and has been a college and high school football coach for 39 years. He is author of the book titled Foundations of Coaching (2020). He can be reached at [email protected].
