Smithville

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waynecountybball

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Anyone know what the heck is going on at Smithville? AD resigns and HC is non renewed after 9 years thanks to some bad apples on the board and a few parents. Who is going after the coaching job. Looks like an assistant principal is taking over the AD duties.
 
 
farnsworth420 said:
Anyone know what the heck is going on at Smithville? AD resigns and HC is non renewed after 9 years thanks to some bad apples on the board and a few parents. Who is going after the coaching job. Looks like an assistant principal is taking over the AD duties.
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Bad apples on the board and a few parents?! It is certainly hard to coach in today’s society when parents are always questioning coaching decisions and kids have so many other things to do with their time. With that being said...9 years is MORE than enough time. A change was needed a long time ago. Coach took over a state-ranked program and essentially has run it into the ground. He never competed for a WCAL or district title and although he didn’t have the talent that Snowbarger had - he did have a handful of All-Ohioans and 1000 point scorers. The buzz surrounding the program is gone and it may take some time to build it back into something special - if that is going to happen. Smithville has tremendous girls basketball tradition - but good boys teams have been few and far in between.
 
Welcome to the new milinium. It’s been a 10 year process. Only gonna get worse. Hopefully you’re are in a good place or grab both checks and hang on. They’re very few miracle there. The splineless in charge need to be accountable !!!
 
Greenday........ I dont think a change in coaching is going to bring back those once in a generation players that the previous coach had. Nor is it going to bring back "buzz" to the program. not much buzz for the WCAL. Girls programs can succeed with 1 good shooter and a girl that can dribble with both hands. you can not compare the 2. I do agree with 1 time, sounds like their newly instituted "coaches survey" is going to cause havoc for numerous programs each year. I guess coaches should start asking parents how much playing time their kid should get each game going forward. seems to be the way it is going. dont play my kid and I will give you a bad review and you will be gone next season. pretty stable environment.
 
Was he truly non renewed? Or is this just what had to be done to move one of the dads into the head coaching position? Who are some leading candidates to become the next head coach? Seems pretty late in the spring to be starting a coaching search.
 
believe he was truly non-renewed. has a copy of board members not in his corner and parents survey results. not sure of candidates at this point. I agree late in the game for finding a coach. Alot of good assistant coaches in NEO who may want to apply. Not sure it is a very desirable job at this point.
 
farnsworth420 said:
Greenday........ I dont think a change in coaching is going to bring back those once in a generation players that the previous coach had. Nor is it going to bring back "buzz" to the program. not much buzz for the WCAL. Girls programs can succeed with 1 good shooter and a girl that can dribble with both hands. you can not compare the 2. I do agree with 1 time, sounds like their newly instituted "coaches survey" is going to cause havoc for numerous programs each year. I guess coaches should start asking parents how much playing time their kid should get each game going forward. seems to be the way it is going. dont play my kid and I will give you a bad review and you will be gone next season. pretty stable environment.
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I actually agree and disagree with different things that you are saying.

I 100% agree that a "coaches survey" is a poor idea for a HS to implement in its athletic programs. Adults should be making these decisions based off of their own judgments and experiences - this is why administrators get paid big bucks to evaluate programs. With that being said, a coach shouldn't need surveys to realize that they just aren't getting the job done. If you don't get the job done in 9 years - step aside! It shouldn't take an administrative team or school board to make a move like this. Also - for the record, I think if players in the beginning of his tenure would have had "coaches surveys" - the results may have even been worse. It's not easy to coach HS basketball these days - I am sure that a number of the players who filled out surveys were not committed to the coach or the program in the off-season, when teams get built and playing time gets earned. Their opinions should mean nothing when evaluating a coach.

I disagree with the comments about talent and the buzz. Those are excuses and that is why Smithville has failed to build a consistent winner in boys basketball. Alex Bates was a dynamic player - one of the best athletes to ever come through Smithville. Drew Frizell - Jim's own son - was an absolute stud shooting and scoring the basketball. I believe that Jacob Reed broke Kenny Kornowski's all-time scoring record. Trevor Pertee moved in from Orrville and was a very good PG in the WCAL. Steve Klotzle was a double-double machine who earned All-Ohio honors. Isaac Calendar was another All-State kid who could score whenever he wanted. The senior classes in 2013 and 2018 were loaded by WCAL standards - yet neither team even sniffed a league championship. This was a player/parent problem - as much as it was a coach problem - it does not all fall on the coach - however, it does fall on the coach to get buy-in and excitement for your program. Smithville hasn't had that since Snowbarger and his staff and their players left.
 
187xovr said:
Was he truly non renewed? Or is this just what had to be done to move one of the dads into the head coaching position? Who are some leading candidates to become the next head coach? Seems pretty late in the spring to be starting a coaching search.
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Scott Meech is a former head coach at Smithville and a standout at the College of Wooster - his son is on the team. He would never go along with a plan to out another coach - he is far too classy for that and he was on the previous coach's staff. He does teach in the school, but I don't think that he has any interest in the job.

Joe Combs is another teacher in the district. He has been on Frizell's staff in a number of different positions for a number of years now. Seems like a super guy who people like and respect. He had a 9-58 record during his 3 years as head coach at Mapleton.....
 
Good points and yes we are agreeing/disagreeing on some points. Time will tell a few things.... 1) does a new coach make a difference and 2) how long do these "surveys" last. You biggest problems each year are those players/parents who havent realized that their son/daughter isnt as good as they once were or think. Usually happens with Jr and Seniors who get passed by fresh/soph who have put in more work and have improved. I often find the problems come from the kid who's last shot was March 1st and their next shot comes Nov 1.
 
farnsworth420 said:
Good points and yes we are agreeing/disagreeing on some points. Time will tell a few things.... 1) does a new coach make a difference and 2) how long do these "surveys" last. You biggest problems each year are those players/parents who havent realized that their son/daughter isnt as good as they once were or think. Usually happens with Jr and Seniors who get passed by fresh/soph who have put in more work and have improved. I often find the problems come from the kid who's last shot was March 1st and their next shot comes Nov 1.
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Definitely.
 
any updates on the search or candidates. havent heard much other then they may have wanted to target a former local coach who was out of coaching then took a girls job at his alma mater.
 
Very late to the conversation, but could be a good hire. Kauffman better understand that Smithville is not Hiland, might take a couple years to change the mentality of the kids. There are some quality players coming through the system, but they are young so we will see what happens.

For what it is worth I have heard the old AD left for a few different reasons, but was told he would not rule out getting back into it down the road, doesn't have to be Smithville. My understanding is he is a quality guy.
 
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WCAL_Fan said:
Very late to the conversation, but could be a good hire. Kauffman better understand that Smithville is not Hiland, might take a couple years to change the mentality of the kids. There are some quality players coming through the system, but they are young so we will see what happens.

For what it is worth I have heard the old AD left for a few different reasons, but was told he would not rule out getting back into it down the road, doesn't have to be Smithville. My understanding is he is a quality guy.
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I agree regarding Kaufman. I think it would have been an easier transition if he could have brought in some of his own assistants too. There is probably not much in common philosophy wise between Kaufman and what the Smithville players, parents, community, etc is used to when it comes to running a basketball program. Could reap major benefits down the road if he is able to get his program implemented, but there could be some noticeable bumps in the road before that happens. A program like Hiland has does not get built overnight.
 
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