Volunteer Coaches: Good or Bad?

  

Not keeping up with the cutting edge of high school athletics, we had never heard of a "volunteer" coach until around 15 years ago. The first such coach we read of was arrested for taking long breaks with students...to discuss...oh, you know, whatever. That Lauderdale volunteer coach soon went to prison.

One of the next was the Lauderdale volunteer who countermanded anything the actual coach said. He was ultimately banned from campus. He then attempted to place all the blame on others and tried to get much of the administration fired.

Of course, we can't forget one volunteer coach in Colbert County. He, due to the nature of his work description, kept irregular hours and no one missed him until the next day...when he had already been shot, stabbed, and thrown off a bridge.

We also heard of another Colbert County situation:

Paid coach: Okay, kids, I know it 998.4 degrees on that field, but our first game is in three weeks. Let's hang in there no matter how much you puke.

Volunteer coach: Ooh, look at the time. I have a hair stylist appointment this afternoon and then I start a four-week vacation in Vancouver. I'll see you...oh, around 68 degree weather. Y'all hang tough!

That's not to say that no volunteer coaches out there are working, but a great many simply aren't. If a person's only affiliation with a school is merely volunteering to assist the paid coaches, it might not be anything worth putting on one's resume', much less suggesting the ability to serve on a school board.

*****

We see Dick Jordan is commenting on people's ethical standards. Does he even know what that term means?

Volunteer Coaches?

Doesn't the news of selfless volunteers helping local schools sound good? Is there a downside? Maybe.

While our heading today says “coaches,” we may as well throw in chaplains as well. The Russellville schools system was roundly criticized for having a football chaplain; however, it seems the gentleman was just someone who showed up one day and volunteered his services. Hmmmm. So if you're a minister, you're good to go with any school programs? Think Jeff Eddy.

On to coaches, it's only been a few years since a woman who volunteered her services to a rural Lauderdale County school went to prison for having sex with some of the students at that institution. Were there any lawsuits? We have no idea, but we haven't bothered to check.

Then we come to Deshler. We usually hear only great things about that high school. We believe Brioni Rutland had only the best intentions toward his former high school, yet he was murdered only a short time after leaving a football practice. We don't know how involved Mr. Rutland was in the illegal world of gambling, and now that he is no longer with us, the defense attorney representing his killer is free to accuse the former Deshler standout of all manner of evil. On the flip side, did no one at the school know of Rutland's little money making endeavor? Surely someone knew something, but did nothing.

Now we've had a complaint about another volunteer high school coach, a young man who is still in college. Our advice is to report all qualms about this “coach” to the school board. Obviously the school itself knows most of the problems in this man's life and simply doesn't care.

These are your children. If you're concerned about people who just show up to “help out,” make your voice heard. File a written complaint and we'll publish it.



Shoalanda