Here we go again. Basketball players (girls this time) and their parents are upset with the coaches. Facts from there are a tad hazy (and being held close to the vest). It IS clear that the girls AND the parents complained. That much is factual.
" Both coaches for Sun Prairie High School's varsity girls basketball team have been put on paid leave pending an investigation triggered by complaints from players and their parents, according to Superintendent Tim Culver. "It's clear that there was a meeting last Thursday involving the parents, players, and Athletic Director Jim McClowry. McClowry present a resolution plan; the parents rejected it [ahem...WHO's running this show????] and so plan B--putting the coaches on leave--- was put into place. Ummm...anyone else get the idea that Plan B was exactly what the disgruntled parents wanted in the first place? So, to summarize, McClowry presented some option; parents rejected it, so the coaches suffer.
The bottom line, however, is that in the prime portion of the Big 8 conference play, the head basketball coach (Liz Hrodey) and Assistant Coach (Steve Bartow) were placed on (paid) administrative leave. Of course, Culver wasn't very clear that the suspension is for the rest of the season. Hmmm...even if the coaches are absolved...they still lose, huh?
Sure looks pretty darn close to the way boys varsity BBall coach Jeff Boos was railroaded because of disgruntled parents 2 years ago...right? Not so says Culver:
We're wondering why Culver is so certain about anything being premature. Hmmm?But Culver said that situation appears different than the latest one, and he
denied that some disgruntled parents are running the show.It would be "premature to draw that conclusion," he said.
Here's Our Analysis
1. Administration has screwed up again. Did we learn NOTHING from the Boos fiasco? Didn't the school board say "Never again."?
2. Who got what they wanted? Not the coaches. If the girls wanted the coaches gone...guess what...THEY got what they wanted.
3. It has been verified by the media that the complaints involved are not of a sexual, physical, or criminal nature. So...what's left? And--more to the point-- doesn't this smack directly of a classic winning grievance on the part of the suspended coached? How exactly did they violate their contracts in any way?
4. Newsflash, people. Do any of the administrators actually FOLLOW any sports? Coaches MUST be in complete command of their players. The players aren't in charge. Neither are the parents. This isn't Tee Ball.
5. Here's another newsflash, girls. God forbid you want to play this game beyond high school. Because if you think college coaches will put up with your crap, you have another think coming. And, in college, mommy and daddy can't intimidate the coach or administration.
6. Here's an idea the administration didn't--(but should have)---consider for Plan "A": "Girls...here's the deal. Your coaches are Coach Hrodey and Coach Bartow, If you do not like that, may we point out that the door is over there. You want to walk out? Don't let the door hit your overly pampered keesters on the way out. You walk out? Fine. We'll just a forfeit the rest of the games this season. If you can live with that, so can we."
Aren't we in a budget crisis?
How can we be paying TWO MORE coaches? The suspended coaches are on PAID leave (as they should be). But what about the two replacement coaches? As SPEA members, their contract specifies a coaching stipend. You're not telling us that they VOLUNTEERED without pay...are you? We doubt the union would approve of THAT. So where is that--unbudgeted-- expense coming from?
And it's clear that Coach Hrodey has retained an attorney. Good for her! Excellent move. You don't really think the district is going to win on this, do you? So HOW much in legal fees is it going to cost us THIS time? School Board? Ferris Bueller? Anyone?
What does our spinally challenged school board say?
...the school board president said he worries about a perception that parents are telling administrators what to do. John Whalen said the coaches' paid leave could send that kind of message, and he said he finds the whole thing "troubling."You're worried about PERCEPTION, John? Good grief! How about being a little concerned that the administrative staff of YOUR employee [Culver] has screwed this up again. Look...if you had reason to replace either/both basketball coaches, don't you think that should have been done BEFORE or AFTER the season? Once in it, unless violations of a sexual/physical/criminal nature are alleged, administration's job is to BACK their people.
You find it "troubling", do you, John? How about "unacceptable"?
"The coaching community is pretty tight, think a lot of us want stories like this to come out so that people know the kinds of things we deal with."What the community is saying (Are you LISTENING School Board )?
--suspended coach Steve Bartow (who resigned Monday
"Our AD and administration is hanging this woman out to dry in the community and our employees deserve better that this. Plus the $4,000.00 they are paying the two interim coaches also [frustrates the hell out of me]. Just when I think they can't screw something up any worse they prove me wrong !!!"
" The S.P. Administration needs to get a backbone and stop feeding into parents egos. I
understand ,from personal experience, how hurtful untrue accusations by the district can ruin good teachers for everyone. Hang in there Mrs. Hrodey."
" This is just typical, gutless cowering by the SP Schools Admin. The people in charge of the district need to tell the cry baby parents, whose precious little gem athlete isn't really all that good, to go screw themselves when faced with complaints about their kid....As usual, the SP Schools Admin. acted gutlessly and copped out. Absolute stoneless milque toasts running the Admin. that make these kinds of gutless decisions!! "
" 99% of coaching complaints on ANY level come from disgruntled parents who are delusional about their child's actual ability. Good Luck, Coaches Hrodey and Bartow...hoping you stay in the game and coach at place where you are actually appreciated and respected. Shame on you Sun Prairie! "
"...the administrators are afraid to make" mommy & daddy" mad or are uncomfortable doing the right thing and support the coaching staff because they may feel uncomfortable in social settings in a small town? Get over it and do the right thing this time- because it seems as though you totally screwed up on the Boos situation. "
" Money, power and politics = Sun Prairie "
" We don't even know what the complaints are; yet, they suspend these coaches w/o a hearing. It gives the appearance of something serious even if it is not and ruins these peoples reputations even before it is know if they have done anything wrong. If you are going to name the coaches then you also need to name the parents that are complaining. "
" Sun Prairie has a long history of letting power-charged parents throw fits and RUN the school. Isn't the first coach they've tried to run out of town and sadly won't be the last. "
" Sure sounds to me like a bunch of over-involved parents having a hissy fit because their daughters didn't get enough playing time. If the issue is not of a sexual, physical, or criminal nature, what else could it be? "
" While it is true that the players had some legit concerns and complaints (I had heard that the players went as a whole to the admin and said they wouldn't play for Hrodey anymore), there is no way admin can get rid of her. The complaints were about her coaching style and her coaching in general, not over the safety of the players. This sets an awful precedent that the coach is not in control, what happens when players in the future don't like a coach, does that mean every coach in Sun Prairie will get run out of town? Of course what do you expect from admin that thought it was a good idea to have co-coaches in the boys basketball program a few years back. Shows a high level of incompetency in the Sun Prairie admin. "
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