How about some respect for all athletes
File photo
Editor’s note: Bob Clark coached the Tuscola boys and girls discus and shotput athletes for the past three seasons. Prior to that he coached the boys and girls throwers for four seasons at Waynesville Middle School. Six of those seven years he was a volunteer.
This spring Tuscola High School’s principal, accompanied by the athletic director (AD), threw $30,000 of taxpayer money away to change the color suggested for the new Tuscola track.
The principal, when looking at Pisgah’s just-completed brick-colored track, pointed to the surface alongside a fellow Tuscola track coach and said: “They would never forgive me if I used that color.”
On behalf of all the track coaches, the head track coach sent a detailed email to the principal asking that he reconsider his decision. The email contained extensive information explaining that a darker track surface would significantly create more heat-related health, safety and performance issues. The sales representative for the surface company told a coach that it would be easily 10 to 20 degrees hotter and that the color requested by the principal would add $30,000 to the cost of the track as well. The principal’s one sentence response was: “Thank you for the information, I am going to stick with black.”
Why? Why treat our taxpayers and track student-athletes that way while crying about needing more bus drivers for our children’s safety? The color of the track was a choice, and if the administrators and school board actually believe what they say about “doing everything for the kids,” then their actions have now spoken louder than their words. Could it be that track and field and the taxpayers are not respected by the administration?
My first meeting with the AD this past season was when he stopped me in the gym to comment that I had cut two boys and that “we don’t do cuts.” I explained that too many boys had come out for me to coach safely and effectively as I also coached four girls. When I pointed out the other sports at Tuscola that did cuts, his response was: “We don’t do cuts in a sport LIKE (emphasis supplied) track.” I let that slide, continued my pitch, and he repeated: “… not in a sport like track.” When I called him on that language, he stammered: “No, no, that’s not what I mean.” I responded that I had heard him clearly the first time and I left.
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I then reviewed the Tuscola coaching manual to see what rule I had violated and Paragraph 27, headlined “TRYOUTS,” confirmed that I had followed the rules for making final cuts with no teams excepted. Around this same time another, in-office Tuscola administrator during a disagreement with a track coach, stated: “No one grows up playing track.” As soon as pre-school kids are able, virtually every single one of them spends countless hours running, jumping and throwing stuff. That covers every Olympic track and field event.
Early in the season, a meet we were to attend was cancelled on short notice. The head coach scrambled to find a meet to enter so the students wouldn’t miss a week of competition. The choice was between going to Robbinsville High or the Asheville School. The Asheville meet provided stiffer competition and the shorter, safer distance would allow for more families to attend. It was a no-brainer. Coaching manual, Paragraph 20: “In the scheduling process, consideration should ALWAYS (emphasis supplied) be given to minimizing loss of class time and time spent traveling.”
Both the AD and principal told him it was an unacceptable choice because: “We don’t compete with private schools.” When the coach listed a number of Tuscola teams, including ours, that had been competing with private schools over the years, the comeback was: “We don’t compete with them because they try to recruit our athletes.” Our coaching staff was dumbfounded. And, by the way, Pisgah was already entered in the Asheville meet.
If a coach for Tuscola, Pisgah or any high school in any sport is approached by another school’s coach and that school could offer a better academic and/or athletic opportunity, he or she should let the student and parents know about it and support it. After more angst, including a heated argument, the AD and principal allowed us to go.
Note to the AD and principal: We are coaching student-athletes. Ninety-eight, or more, percent of our athletes aren’t going pro or even getting high dollar sports scholarships. Whether one goes to college or not, emphasizing academics over athletics is going to get each and every student a better base to go on to the “next level of life.” It is not about the coach. It is not about winning a game, meet or match. Coaches are mentors and leaders who should only want what is best for each of their respective athletes.
So, there you have it. The $30,000 is gone and our runners on a hotter track for a whole lot of years, despite the experts’ recommendations and an administration that openly places certain sports above other sports, “like track.” I hope that the AD and principal will take 15 minutes to read the school’s coaching manual and support every student-athlete equally and competently. And how about showing some respect for the taxpayers of Haywood County.
