Hardin Valley job just opened up

[865BB]

Shane Chambers, the assistant coach, was named HC.

[IrishBBall]

Shane Chambers, the assistant coach, was named HC.

Kind of surprising. You would have thought plenty of coaches with head coaching experience would have applied. More of the same under achieving on the way?

[DyronNix]

Can't believe 2 Knox Schools have passed on Higgins. I guess it's true about Hardin Valley not caring about Athletic teams winning. HV could be a power in several sports due to their location and academic programs that are offered.

[rolltriberoll]

Kind of surprising. You would have thought plenty of coaches with head coaching experience would have applied. More of the same under achieving on the way?

Not really surprising when you have an understanding of how the administration at HVA regards athletics. HVA admin is primarily interested in academics. They don't realize (or don't care) that excellence in academics and athletics can coexist. They are very fortunate to have the track and baseball coaches.

 

Chambers was the easy choice. They know him. They know what they are getting. They would never have hired someone that they didn't know - regardless of the applicant's resume.

 

We will see how it plays out. I hope he is successful.

[osunut2]

Not really surprising when you have an understanding of how the administration at HVA regards athletics. HVA admin is primarily interested in academics. They don't realize (or don't care) that excellence in academics and athletics can coexist. They are very fortunate to have the track and baseball coaches.

It’s easy to say that when you live in Oak Ridge, Maryville, Kingsport, etc with a school system and revenue stream that only has to fund a single high school, which also chooses to offer a lot more $$ to coaches.

 

HVA will likely never adopt the "Maryville model", for the same reason every other Knox County school won't. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to see schools like HVA, Karns, Powell, etc find that balance, but first and foremost, I want Knox County to be committed to academics first, as they should be. As a taxpayer, I'm not willing to foot the bill to establish that balance, because it would require a lot more $$ be spent on athletics (I'd rather teachers be paid more first). School systems like Maryville and Oak Ridge are fortunate in that they can pay a coach just about whatever they like (or whatever the BOE decides), build or upgrade whatever facilities they want/when they want, etc. That certainly helps to strike a balance between athletics and academics.

 

That being said, HVA is already very strong in a number of sports - track/CC, soccer, tennis, and baseball. 

Edited April 27, 2016 by osunut2

[QSouth89]

Can't believe 2 Knox Schools have passed on Higgins. I guess it's true about Hardin Valley not caring about Athletic teams winning. HV could be a power in several sports due to their location and academic programs that are offered.

I'm not sure what all the hype is about Higgins since he's 44-79 over the last 4 years, with 21 of those wins coming this year. Like you Dyron, he is a former Vol. Grant it I was just as shocked by Bearden's decision but the new coach of the Bulldogs has been to a state tournament and has over 200 wins in his career.  I do know there was some serious interest in both position by more successful high school coaches (if they actually applied, I don't know) and some assistant college coaches.  I have to agree with rolltriberoll, Reynolds probably went with what they knew and i don't see anything wrong with that.  In reality a lot schools promote the assistants to the head coaching position when a head coach leaves.  You have to show some loyalty to the guys that have been there and he deserves a chance to prove himself.

Edited April 27, 2016 by QSouth89

[IrishBBall]

Not really surprising when you have an understanding of how the administration at HVA regards athletics. HVA admin is primarily interested in academics. They don't realize (or don't care) that excellence in academics and athletics can coexist. They are very fortunate to have the track and baseball coaches.

 

Chambers was the easy choice. They know him. They know what they are getting. They would never have hired someone that they didn't know - regardless of the applicant's resume.

 

We will see how it plays out. I hope he is successful.

I don't really buy that HVA doesn't care about athletics considering Mrs. Reynolds was a former coach along with her husband being as long-time successful coach.

[threeball]

I think that it is good that HVA promoted an assistant.  Many great coaches were assistants at one time.  It's a catch-22 sometimes.... it's hard to get head coaching experience when no one hires assistants to become head coaches... 

 

I wish Shane Chambers the best. 

[dhaskellwsms]

I'm not sure what all the hype is about Higgins since he's 44-79 over the last 4 years, with 21 of those wins coming this year. Like you Dyron, he is a former Vol. Grant it I was just as shocked by Bearden's decision but the new coach of the Bulldogs has been to a state tournament and has over 200 wins in his career.  I do know there was some serious interest in both position by more successful high school coaches (if they actually applied, I don't know) and some assistant college coaches.  I have to agree with rolltriberoll, Reynolds probably went with what they knew and i don't see anything wrong with that.  In reality a lot schools promote the assistants to the head coaching position when a head coach leaves.  You have to show some loyalty to the guys that have been there and he deserves a chance to prove himself.

Not sure I saw where anyone was hyping Higgins and  posting his less than stellar record to this point in his career is weak.  He did a heck of a job for Jody at Fulton ( who by the way had an unimpressive record his first few years too) and was left w/ little when he got the job at Central.  He has lost some players in his program because they couldn't take care of their business and he isn't going to compromise what he is trying to build there.  I have no doubt that he will build on last years success and would be a great hire if any school was looking for a more than qualified coach.

[IrishBBall]

I think that it is good that HVA promoted an assistant.  Many great coaches were assistants at one time.  It's a catch-22 sometimes.... it's hard to get head coaching experience when no one hires assistants to become head coaches... 

 

I wish Shane Chambers the best.

 

But not many of those promoted assistants were successful at big jobs immediately. Good to have gotten head experience in a lesser job first....

[threeball]

Agree, IrishBball.  I do think that HVA is a big job for a first timer... but maybe, just maybe, he has impressed the right people, and had a great interview.  They know what... and more importantly... WHO they are hiring.  You know as well as any that it's the relationships built in coaching that are more important than the X's and O's...

[Turtle]

Not sure I saw where anyone was hyping Higgins and posting his less than stellar record to this point in his career is weak. He did a heck of a job for Jody at Fulton ( who by the way had an unimpressive record his first few years too) and was left w/ little when he got the job at Central. He has lost some players in his program because they couldn't take care of their business and he isn't going to compromise what he is trying to build there. I have no doubt that he will build on last years success and would be a great hire if any school was looking for a more than qualified coach.

I agree with you. How could someone pass up on Higgins? I was hoping Higgins would've land the AE job when it came open but as many know he left for Central and AE settle on an assistant coach. In my opinion, Higgins would work wonders at a Bearden, AE, or HVA type school. At Central he's losing players to Fulton so he can't really build on what he's trying to accomplish there.

 

HVA made a bad hire that's plain and simple. They should've looked elsewhere like Bearden did. Just my opinion.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Turtle