Now that this dismal 2008-09 girls basketball season has ended at 1-20 it's time to ask the question. Should Coach Wolf step down? The Forum respects
the coach, her service to the program and Ross High. This is not meant to be any kind of personal attack against the person. But the program is suffering and
it seems to be in need of a new direction. So the Forum poses the simple question. Should Coach Wolf step down as girls head basketball coach?
Is it time for a change in our girls basketball program?
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 Ksm624 |
Is it time for a change in our girls basketball program? |
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Posts: 6126 02/25/09 06:35 |
Should Coach Wolf resign? (Total Votes: 22) - ClosedYes (19 / 86.4%) No (3 / 13.6%) |
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 tatner |
#1 | |||
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Posts: 1311 02/25/09 08:32 |
While I would not directly call for a resignation, i think the AD and school board need to take a hard look at the whole program and then come to a conclusion.
What is the status of the Jr. Hi program, how about elementary, summer programs and camps. What do the players think the problems are. What is the relationship
with the YMCA, city rec program, etc.
There is much more here than just the coach. After a complete review of the whole system and how to rebuild it, only then should they make coaching decisions. They would also need to check the quality of all the coaches from 5th/6th to high school. |
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ladyannabella |
#2 | |||
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Posts: 10 02/25/09 09:25 |
True, it is not just the coach. I also think that the community needs to encourage more girls to go out for basketball, if they wish, and build up them up from
5th grade and on. I know that the rec dept has seen a decline in numbers within all sports, but the rec is a great place to start. You don't necessarily
need the traveling leagues to build great players. It is also important to teach young girls that being an athlete is great and it is ok to be tough on the
court. But getting back to coaching, the girls need a coach who is going to provide direction. I think that Timmy Kidwell might be the one to do it and if she
does succeed Coach Wolf, she needs to be left alone to coach.
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KyleT |
#3 | |||
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Posts: 2725 02/25/09 09:29 |
I totally agree. I would never bash coach Wolf; however, her coaching style has kept many from playing the game over the last several years. Add the
pay-to-play, lack of talent, girls having other priorities (swimming), its been difficult. However, other schools have the same thing competing for their
attention and they find ways to win.
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JakeGiant |
#4 | |||
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Posts: 393 02/25/09 10:47 |
I think Kyle points out something that is totally out of Wolf's control; Swimming.
It seems like I had this discussion last year with Bellevue Boy's Basketball Program in relation to longtime Coach(and successful for awhile), Lyle Falknor. He ended up resigning, and a Bellevue product, Mike Raifsnider, took over, and has led the Redmen to a 14-5 record thus far. Perhaps it's a matter of a fresh face taking over like this example. |
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tatner |
#5 | |||
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Posts: 1312 02/25/09 05:56 |
There are 502 girls at Ross (540 boys) according to OHSAA. There are 24-26 girls on the swim team (4 grades) and spots for 24 -36 on the basketball teams (3
levels 4 grades). That means there are between 442-452 girls sitting on their duffs.
There has been girls teams in both those sports since the late 70's, with swimming picking up maybe 10-12 since the new pool was built. Findlay runs great programs in both sports as do Perkins and Napoleon and the Sylvania schools. It is not one sport over another. There are only 12 girls out of 502 on the varsity. As ladyannabbel says, there is more to it. My concern is that we are not getting girls, and to a lesser degree boys involved at an early age. We let kids drop out cause its to hard or they get a new video game or since high school PE is joke or what ever the reason. Girls and parents need to know that girls can still be feminine and play sports and they also need to know there is a lot of scholarship money out there for girls that range from fair to pretty good. As I said, we need to get them off their duffs when they are young and not let them quit regardless of the sport. Maybe this is why we have an obesity problem!!! As one executive told me, if two candidates are equal in ability, the one who has played sports, worked as a team, knows what hard work is, knows how to budget their time, that person usually will be the top choice.
Last Edited By: tatner 02/25/09 06:04.
Edited 2 times.
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trooperden |
#6 | |||
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Posts: 353 02/26/09 02:00 |
I would hope Coach Wolf has thought long and hard about this and will do what is best for the school and the sport. We were so fortunate to have turned the
football program around so quickly and this was done by placing the right people in the positions to make the change from a negative to a big positive. These
girls at most(usually) have only 3 years to play, please give them that chance
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LittleGiantSupporter78 |
coaches | #7 | ||
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Posts: 667 02/26/09 02:57 |
A few items to consider during this discussion:
Why would the Board of Education look at an individual athletic coach? Wouldn't that be micro managing. Isn't the responsibility of the board to hire the Superintendent, Treasurer, and set policy? Aren't those hired by the board responsible for all other personal matters? Do you so soon forget what happened in the past when the "board" got in the middle of some coaching decisions? What about some of the "successful" programs that don't have a lot of off season participation or activities? If I was going to apply for a coaching position and knew that the board, or a board member, was influential regarding a coach and had gone beyond the superintendent or AD I would not even apply to that organization. On the personal side, if a kid doesn't go out for a sport because the coach is "mean" who is going to hold Johnny or Suzie's hand when they graduate into the "real" world of college or work? Mean professors, college coaches, or bosses don't give two hoots about mommy or daddy! Where does the problem start, with the coach, boss, or at home with mommy and daddy not teaching tough life lessons? |
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trooperden |
girls basketball | #8 | ||
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Posts: 355 02/26/09 03:34 |
can anyone please provide the coaching record for Coach Wolf since she has been head coach or for the past 10 years if that makes it easier
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LittleGiantSupporter78 |
#9 | |||
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Posts: 668 02/26/09 04:00 |
As of 11-30-08 Coach Wolf is rated on the coaches association web site as 43rd in the state at 358 - 341 - 31 .512
I guess 1-20 this year would make her 359 - 361 - 31 |
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KyleT |
#10 | |||
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Posts: 2732 02/26/09 06:20 |
LGS, that is correct.
While she had the 43rd best in wins, her losses are what is really hurting the program lately. She is a very friendly person off the court, but the girls don't want to play for her. As for "who will hold Suzie's hand..." well, in my experience, if you have a job and you can't stand your boss, you either quit or you get removed. It usually isn't successful during the period of time where you are still working there. In this case, I don't think it is her "meanness" anymore as she has lightened up a lot. I honestly think that she should consider retiring from coaching because she's been around long enough and a "fresh" face to the program might do it good. |
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trooperden |
girls basketball | #11 | ||
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Posts: 356 02/26/09 09:12 |
thank you LGS78
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foghorn leghorn |
#12 | |||
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Posts: 12 02/26/09 10:58 |
maybe ross needs to look at both basketball programs ..................
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Mal Mackey |
#13 | |||
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Posts: 402 02/27/09 08:55 |
Coach should step down when she decides. She has worked hard and devoted more time and energy to our youngsters than most people could ever hope to. If she
wants to stay head coach then I say go for it.
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ladyannabella |
#14 | |||
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Posts: 15 02/27/09 11:58 |
Oh, yes she is a yeller and a mean person. There is is a difference in not playing because someone is mean vs. someone who just isn't friendly at all. It
is not about holding your kid's hand; a coach also has to be a role model and a mentor and she is not. Maybe in her heyday, but not now.
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trooperden |
girls basketball | #15 | ||
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Posts: 357 02/27/09 08:43 |
this is not about the coach per se. More importantly it is about the girls basketball program. Why would the community want the Ross girls to be the laughing
stock of the league or area.. Ross teams are not even competitive any longer, pretty much cellar dwellers. Coach is 50% after all these years. This is high
school not college. If they continue on this path they will be lucky if any girl shows up to play. Time to pass the baton Coach, you have had your turn and
have served your school and community with honor and grace. I personally THANK YOU and I trust you will make the correct decision
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KyleT |
#16 | |||
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Posts: 2735 02/27/09 11:01 |
Mal_Mackey,
Wait a minute.... If a teacher works hard and is dedicated for 25 years and produces great students by teaching well and sending them on their way, but then all of a sudden stops preparing lessons, giving a care about teaching, etc, should that teacher continue to teach just because they put in 25 good years? You should give it 110% every year, not until you are ready to give up. If you are ready to give up, give up. |
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thequietman |
#17 | |||
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Posts: 42 02/27/09 11:29 |
I have to believe that the recent results and issues with the girls basketball team would not be tolerated if it were a boys sport.
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KyleT |
#18 | |||
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Posts: 2737 02/27/09 11:33 |
hmm.... excellent point.
It wouldn't be tolerated anywhere at a Division I school. |
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Mal Mackey |
#19 | |||
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Posts: 403 02/28/09 08:05 |
KyleT wrote:So Kyle since you apparently know it all...please fill us all in on how coach has stopped caring about the kids. Please, how about you and Keith give us all the inside details about how she doesn't prepare for the games, isn't ready, and is mean to those poor kids. Let's run a good and decent person out the door simply because a few folks on this forum don't think she should be there anymore. |
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KyleT |
#20 | |||
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Posts: 2738 02/28/09 10:34 |
Mal_Mackey,
One, I didn't say she stopped caring about the kids. And, I never said I know it all; however, if you want info.... 1. I've been writing since the late 1990's. Most of the time, after each game, I'll interview coach Wolf and I rarely get any nice words about any players. It's usually, we flat out stunk, stuff like that. 2. One year, after senior night, I asked for some quotes about the seniors on the team. The game was ugly but I thought it would be nice to at least write something about the character of the girls on/off the court. When I asked for some comments, well, let's put it this way, I made up my own because there wasn't much. 3. If you can't tell her level of caring (not for the girls, but for the team) has gone down, you haven't been to a game in several years. She used to be intense, wanting the girls to win (no, demanding a win) - while her approach wasn't the "nicest" I could tell she wanted more than anything then for her team to win. Again, I never implied she doesn't care about the girls - I know that's not true as I see her at graduation parties, etc. Coach W. is a wonderful person, a very friendly person to me over the years, but from my witnessing of many games over the years, it is my HONEST assessment that either (1) she is just finishing up her final years, (2) she's "given up" on the hope that her girls can win anymore, or (3) she just doesn't care. I hope all three are wrong. I'm not making comments as a casual fan, I'm also basing them on how I've heard her respond to questions over the long-run, how (well, I don't know about this year) but recently, she'd just walk right off the court and head to her office and not go in and talk to the girls, etc. following a game. Want more? |
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