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There are three easy ways to give a player - win or lose - some positive pub:
312-321-2247
312-321-0122 (fax)
preps@chicagosuntimes.com/joetrost@hotmail.com
But we have a number of coaches out there who continue not to do it. They're either:
A. Lazy and don't care
B. Haven't thought about allowing a parent or player to phone in results
C. Don't have a clue
D. Just forgot one time
When I first started covering high school soccer as a college freshman, I always wondered why a high school coach couldn't take a few minutes to give a player or two some positive pub - win or lose. Even when a team loses, there is always a player or two a coach can plug. Coaches would complain soccer wasn't covered as much as football and basketball, but yet they weren't helping their own cause by making sure results and highlights got in.
What I started to learn was that after I listed coaches who weren't reporting results, coaches were ticked off I was calling them out.
But I'll never forget taking a call from John Burke, former boys and girls soccer coach at Richards. Richards was known more for its football, basketball and softball teams, and many thought Burke was just going through the motions collecting a paycheck. I called him out in a column for being lazy, along with a number of other coaches throughout the South Suburbs.
Burke called me every name in the book when he called to ask what the heck I was doing? I explained, he called me an idiot and slammed the phone down. All of a sudden though, Burke starting calling in results - and most of them were losses at first.
But...the following season, Richards' players were calling in results. Giving names of goal scorers, who had assists, made saves in goal or just played a strong game. Richards reported every result from there on out - win or lose. Burke had players calling me directly instead of the results line to prove a point to me (I think).
When he retired from teaching and moved to Las Vegas in 1998, he wrote me a two-page handwritten letter. In there, Burke thanked me for opening his eyes to why it was important to report results.
"I never realized how it could make a child's day seeing or hearing from someone that their name was in the paper for everyone to see," Burke said. "The kids actually wanted to be the ones to call the score in. We weren't Lincoln-Way or Sandburg, but the kids felt just as special."
I still have the letter to this day. High school coaches say it's important for kids to play and represent their community. Well, it's also important for coaches to let the community know how they are doing.
Here is the list of coaches who didn't report scores on Wednesday night. The reminders are now over. This will run every day from now on:
Fenton - Victor Ruiz
Immaculate Conception - Brian Frank
North Chicago - James A. Hentschel
Antioch - Hannah Drye
Hoffman Estates - Rob Schmidt
Palatine - Willie Filian
- Joe Trost
Cell Phone Alerts
Great article - Great Point! This is part of what being involved in High School Sports is about!
"High school coaches say it's important for kids to play and represent their community. Well, it's also important for coaches to let the community know how they are doing."
I loved your article. I wish coaches would give credit to more players on the teams, not just the ones who score. It takes teamwork to score!
It was hard to call in a game that had been rescheduled and played earlier. I had called in the results of that game on the 14th (when it was played). After hearing that Mac did not score, the person on the phone gave me the 'thanks for calling coach' and hung up. I was not even able to give the saves for our keeper much less any other information. Hard to give props to someone when you can't even get the basic stats.
I will be the first to say our desk isn't perfect. Never has been, never will be. Christ, I'm far from perfect. With that said, do this - when you report, get a name. If you don't see something in the next day, let me know. I'm going to take care of it. There are 1,001 scores coming in from different sports. But still, our goal is to be perfect.
Hard to believe that these coaches can't find someone on the team to handle this for them . But it's hardly surprising in some cases.
Overheard at one girl's soccer high school pre-season practice :
" Remember , ladies , this is only girl's soccer "
You know Joe , I’m writing you this because you’ll look at it and read it ( but probably not publish it ).
Let me say first that I would generally agree with you that Coaches that don’t call in their score probably “don’t have a clue” but we must NOT assume that all coaches that DO call in their scores also DO have a clue. As a matter of fact I would say that there is at least one high school soccer coach in this state that is very timely at calling in scores that has to be the ultimate definition of “clueless” . And just as calling in scores is not necessarily related to “having a clue” , a coaches won/loss record also beard no necessary relationship as , again, I know at least one coach who has been relatively successful in winning a good percentage of games who would also fit the definition of “clueless” to a “T”. Some coaches are simply blessed with getting a good number of advanced club players on their teams and a certain number of wins becomes almost preordained. But it really has nothing to with them as a coach. And I should say that even very personable coaches many not necessarily have a “clue” either. “Nice Guys” are not necessarily good high school coaches. They just got the job playing the “political” high school game very well. And high school coaches that gain personal coaching accolades may also be “clueless”. So please, Joe, don’t be fooled.
I said it before earlier in the year. Good coaches INSPIRE players…… not by fear and intimidation and with mind games by getting players to play as a cohesive unit and as a TEAM. By being honest and fair and as good teachers of the skills of the game. By encouraging all players and getting them to perform at their highest level because they LOVE the game and they want to bring out the best that EVERY ( not just their star players) player can be.
Look, Joe, unfortunately in many high schools accountability extends only as far as the coaches won/lost record and if he or she is in “good” with the right people in the school administration. A lot of “crap” get swept under the rug. But even if it’s under the rug…, the crap is still there.
Earlier in the year you were on a tear about how players should play on their high school teams…. And I sort of agreed with you. But as of today I can’t any more. Club coaches have a very real level of accountability……. If they are jerks and bad coaches …… players go to another club…. And/or they get fired. Parents and players complain and are heard and their opinions considered. But high school coaches can be in their positions for years and years and if they stroke the right people they will be there as long as they want. And parents and players are in a “no win” situation. Complain….... And you kid doesn’t get to play. And unless you want to go to a private school ( who may not have a good team or coach either ) you have no alternative. Except just to have you kid play club all year. ( Which a lot do.)
So Joe….. I’m telling you this for two reasons. One…. I’ve been reading your sports writing in the paper for many, many years and I respect you as a writer. You try to write about good things and have a reasonable and honest opinion. And I respect that. Second, I’ll tell you this…. There is at least one high school girls soccer coach that I believe you think is a “good guy” that is not such a good guy and not really such a good coach. Please,….. Journalism should be about the facts….. About putting friends aside and really finding out the truth. Find the truth Joe….. Find the truth.
I really have no control over what is posted.