With the latest coach getting the ax i(Sutton girls coach), my question is why would anyone in their right mind want to coach high school sports in general anymore?
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Tuesday, May 18, 2010
2 titles later, Galica out as Sutton coach
By Jim Wilson TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
SUTTON — Apparently, winning two consecutive Central Mass. Division 3 girls’ soccer titles doesn’t provide the job security it once did.
J.P. Galica found that out the hard way yesterday when he was told he wouldn’t be rehired as girls’ soccer coach at Sutton High.
“I’m just in shock still with the way it happened and how it happened and the success I’ve had there,” Galica said. “I love this program and I love these kids. I gave my heart and soul for this program for two years. This just doesn’t sit well.”
Galica spent two years with the Suzies, going 15-4-4 in his first year and 17-2-3 in his second while wrapping up a pair of district titles (2008, ’09). Galica said had had a meeting with Sutton athletic director Dan Delongchamp two weeks ago during which he was told of concerns that Delongchamp, whom Galica replaced as girls’ soccer coach, had about the future of the program.
“What really got me was he told me, ‘I feel the program has been becoming stagnant since I left it,’ ” Galica said. “We won two district championships.”
Galica said Delongchamp told him he would take the weekend to think about Galica’s fate and get back to him yesterday morning. But Galica said he was told by players and parents over the weekend that he was being replaced as coach.
Galica called Sutton High principal Paul Daigle yesterday morning, and Daigle confirmed the report. Delongchamp called Galica later yesterday afternoon to seal his fate.
“(Delongchamp) did not give me any concrete reason why,” Galica said. “(In Friday’s meeting) there was nothing like, ‘You’re not going to come back because of this.’ There was nothing. I had to hear the news from my parents and players over the weekend before I called Daigle.”
Delongchamp declined to comment on the situation, but did confirm that girls’ soccer coach was one of seven jobs open at Sutton.
It’s the latest chapter in a turbulent era for the Sutton girls’ program. When Hussein Issa was not rehired following a five-year stint that included two state titles, Delongchamp took over for two years before stepping down after the 2007 season. Galica was hired as his replacement and said he heard the stories revolving around the program and the town.
“Everyone told me this was a tough place to coach at, but I felt I was up to the challenge,” Galica said. “This place is a soccer hotbed. This town really cares about their soccer.”
It’s the third stunning coaching change in three weeks in Central Mass. girls’ soccer. Longtime Marlboro High coach Doug Freeman was jettisoned in favor of Samantha Creamer. Algonquin Regional is also looking for a new girls’ soccer coach after winning the Division 1 state title last winter because coach Kim Miller stepped down for personal reasons. -
When an AD makes a decision like this, the reasoning behind it should be made public. Real reasoning and not the nebulous bullsh* "...we want to take the program in a different direction blah blah blah."
What direction? Say so explicitely. If the AD can't provide clear public statements about their reasoning in making such a decision, for this or any sport, they should be removed.
Is a local teacher taking the position? JP was not employed by SHS.Comment
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It's not the first time this AD has done this type of thing.........look for him to insert himself as the coach. I noticed the JV position is posted but not the Varsity position.........hmmmm.Comment
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He has done it before. Add to it what happened in Marlboro and you have to wonder how the school committee or administration picksOriginally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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eqqm8e
Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
The AD sounds like he is very unprofessional. Too bad for the Sutton Girls.Comment
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It does seem like the program had stagnated, 15-4-4 in his first year and 17-2-3 in his second. How boring. Should have been 22-0-0. He's lucky to get away with his life, never mind just loosing his job.Comment
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From afar, its not clear whats going on and I have an inkling nothing definitive will come out.
If you just go by wins and losses, the coach should stay. But it could be something else - winning isn't everything to some including me.
Since I know the AD as well as the coach (i.e. not at all), it could be the AD who has issues ...
Off topic, how come its easier to fire coaches but impossible to fire teachers?Comment
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Excellent point. I know the coach from playing and he seems to be a really personable and nice guy.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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It could be something else and it usually is, like parents. Not saying that the parents are wrong with their issues either, but it just seems that the schools have to do a better job of defining the expectations so everyone knows up front just where they stand. If a coach plays everyone at the high school varsity level and the team loses, then you have PO'd parents and if the coach only plays those who will win the games, then there is another set of PO'd parents. The simple solution to me is that the JV coach plays everyone and the varsity coach plays to win.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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The Sutton AD has fired the girls coach twice and the boys coach once in the last 4 (?) years and had appointed himself the coach at one point. It is time for someone to take a good look at what is going on there.Comment
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No girls soccer coach is fired for failing to win a State Chamionship. None are fired because a program is "stagnant" either. It ismply isn't a high profile job, so to be fired you need to land on the wrong side of the AD and that usually means rattling some well heeled (and positioned) parents. There is obviously more to this story but it is not an uncommon one - successful (W & Ls) coach gets fired because of off-field issues. Might be coach's fault/ may be local politics/ we will probably never know the entire story.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Not sure how the parents are in Sutton but your statement is correct. He has appointed himself the coach for the girls and boys teams conviently when they have had talent.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Needham boys and girls next?Comment
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