Luvwrestlin Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Absolute travesty by Signal Mountain school administration, this is on them. John Lenon is a leader of men, a teacher/great coach who guides learning in life lessons..... you know the stuff you look back on later in LIFE and say thank goodness he was there for me. What is the lesson in this situation? This is another example of a serious lack of real leadership, an absence of support and double dealing by administration. Leadership is doing the right thing and is built on discipline, follow through on that promise of structure and the respect that gains. Clearly, there are well documented examples of the serious lack of disciple in the athletic programs and in the general school population. But let's stick to wrestling on this board.... The schools wrestling program is in a building mode, setting the foundations for future success of its alumni (read: life lessons), up-and-coming athletes, our school and our community. I saw a bright future with a clear upward trend in wrestling skills, growing participation and results during Coach Lenon's time as head coach. Administration failed to support these efforts at best - at worst they did not understand them. Administration completely failed to support this effort with the very poorly handled change of an assistant coach a year ago. The ex-coach drove a campaign to discredit and demean the program building effort through the children; yes he took his anger for removal to the wrestlers and parents (after assaulting Lenon)....the result various negative letters to administration, several unsigned....all this is on the Principal's poor handling of the change. They follow this absolute fumble by limiting the replacement effort from qualified candidates only putting a man in place at the last minute, loosing valuable summer coaching time with the team. Pushing on, when you build a program you need every teaching minute you can get, all hands on deck and a man in every roster/weight class. Since wrestling is a team sport (ask Hixson) a responsible coach wrestles as many men as possible.....some parents believe a kid should pick his roster spot, limit the teams ability to win, pick when he has to make weight...all driven by his parents; who log a negative letter to administration against the program building efforts. These are examples of what Lenon was faced with before we even get to Mr Presley. Lenon forges on installing a wrestling team (wrestlers & families included) code of conduct contract modeled after the one used by Bradley Co. that clearly outlines the expectations and consequences for our team conduct.....young mister Presley is a story in lost opportunities, a young man who just can not control himself, (this community knows his true colors) continually makes choices that negatively effect the wrestling teams ability to win, his classmates, his family & himself. Due to his absence for various cause: he was suspended again, he was skipping school, he did not want to, ect...you pick the excuse. And yet he is given MANY opportunities to return to the team, I believe in second chances & so does John Lenon --- another SPECIAL conduct contract is used and signed by Brock, Coaching staff and administration...JUST THIS YEAR. You ask yourself how much "stuff" is to much!! All this before Brock goes to an off campus school activity, a wrestling match at Ooltawah, while serving a school suspension (again!!) for his actions at the city park. Being present is against Hamilton Co rules, the SM wrestling conduct contract AND his SPECIAL conduct contract. Then looses control of himself when asked to keep quite or move to the stands and engages in yelling at Lenon in front of another community, their wrestlers and coaches, only to be restrained by team mates. I for one would really like to see the video on this final display, I bet formal charges of assault could be leveled and stick. REALLY! Just how much is to much!! Back door double dealing by administration lead to another example of lacking leadership or DISCIPLINE in a situation that is clear cut; they would like us to think that John just resigned. I know let's ask the children we are to be TEACHING if all this is going to OK with them!! REALLY!! The whole thing stinks!! It stinks for young Mr. Presly -- who is just begging for some structure and direction, that I hope he finds. It stinks MOST for the wrestling team members who did do the right thing, act the right way and who started the building process now left un-supported by administration and finds itself back at square one. It stinks for our community!! I support John Lenon. Way to pat yourself on the back Coach Lennon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMwrestlingFan Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Interesting theories.....The wrestler that you are speaking about at least spends significant time working on his wrestling skills because I have seen him all during the spring and summer wrestling Freestyle/Greco. From my own son's wrestling career, I know that it takes good quality wrestling partners for wrestlers to improve. If you continually wrestle kids who offer no opposition, you actually go backwards. Why should a kid be asked to continually carry a team of wrestlers who don't seek to get themselves better? Indeed, quality wrestling programs need team members & coaches focused on improvement, your are quite right. One can easily see the Greco skills he has, they shine; GREAT & EXCITING TO WATCH! The question is: Where do you start? This is a program building effort early in the process. Leaders carry their team, find other ways to hone their skills and share their passion with their peers that become new wrestlers, then teach them what to do to WIN (aka: the process). Further, you build a program based on clear expectations, buy in by all involved at all levels and discipline to challenge oneself & your team mates to reach common goals; personnel acclaim will follow. In my opinion there are several factors at work impeding this process at Signal Mtn HS: *lack of program discipline follow through, case in point, no good kid wants to any part of the non-sense they see now. *it is "cooler" to play football, inter-athletic support would be astounding, not happening & no history for that, those rings are nice *administration is running a back door popularity contest for issues they played a big part in making. *kids that have not had to make any commitment, let alone a 'wrestling' commitment; it is HARD to be a good wrestler & it takes real work, to much work for most *no past program history, this is as much negative as it is an opportunity for a leader *"challenging" the ones that are there is being called bulling, really? -- ya worry when the coach is not motivating/yelling/being truthful with you personally. *really realizing this process takes more than one or two seasons ...I'm sure I can think of several more factors and a couple of agendas. What I am sure of is that John Lenon was not a negative factor in that process. I know wrestling people all over the southeast that know John and his skill level. Truth is he is top notch and passionate about the children, families and communities he works to improve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bear cat brown Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Let's put this one to rest, pls.. Bcb iii Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMOD Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Let's put this one to rest, pls.. Bcb iii I Second the motion SMOD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMwrestlingFan Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 Way to pat yourself on the back Coach Lennon! I am not John Lenon, interesting guess. I do appreciate the compliment. I'd like to be as passionate about my profession. Pummeling through, SMwrestlingFan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbitt Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 I can tell you for a fact that Cale Shelton puts in more time in the spring/summer then 99% of the state. He wrestles about 60 or so freestyle/greco matches a year. He is one of the best Greco guys in our state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferrell Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 Several things seem to be consistent at SMMHS. 1) If you are a student-athlete at SMMHS and you get arrested, you will not have to miss any playing time in said sport (ex: football, wrestling, etc.) 2) If you are a coach at SMMHS and you try to discipline a student-athlete that breaks the team rules or, worse, breaks the law, you will not be supported by the administration. Unless, of course, you are the football coach. 3) If you are a coach that stands up to these out of control, outspoken, and influential parents, you will have your name "dragged through the mud." 4) With the power structure at SMMHS (Football being king, and powerful parents being 2nd, sorry Dr. M, you could probably play a puppet in one of Coach Lennon's future productions), I'm sure we haven't seen the end of the drama on the mountain. The tail is abusing that poor dog! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountainAir Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 Several things seem to be consistent at SMMHS. 1) If you are a student-athlete at SMMHS and you get arrested, you will not have to miss any playing time in said sport (ex: football, wrestling, etc.) 2) If you are a coach at SMMHS and you try to discipline a student-athlete that breaks the team rules or, worse, breaks the law, you will not be supported by the administration. Unless, of course, you are the football coach. 3) If you are a coach that stands up to these out of control, outspoken, and influential parents, you will have your name "dragged through the mud." 4) With the power structure at SMMHS (Football being king, and powerful parents being 2nd, sorry Dr. M, you could probably play a puppet in one of Coach Lennon's future productions), I'm sure we haven't seen the end of the drama on the mountain. The tail is abusing that poor dog! LOL!!! You couldn't be more wrong. You clearly have no clue what disciplinary actions have taken place. The administration will always back the coach unless they feel the coach is in the wrong. Bottom line is SM wrestling will continue and I'm sure will grow and become very successful. Coach Lennon will continue teaching and possibly go on to coach another team. Life moves on and it's time for this thread to die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotofGold Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) take it easy yall Edited February 9, 2012 by PotofGold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PotofGold Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 get your facts straight before you start trash talking kids. he surely does have a ride to bama, and he could probably go about anywhere he wanted. And i think you ment the ACT man. But i would like to ask you to please change your name because you poorly missrepresent the signal mountain wrestling community. and there must be some really good grades up here, because i talked to Brock, and he has a 3.5 gpa to back that 32. So please stop attempting to trash kids adn grow up a little. i love the fact you spelled a few words wrong... NDOD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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