Why would someone coach?

[cornpup]

Catchman, you always seem very angry. Life is too short. Lie down on the couch and we'll talk about it. But I must say that everything you wrote was pretty much true.

[2Shooter4]

I agree. If my parents had saved every penny they spent lodging, feeding, and travelling, we would have enough money to send me to college. On the other hand I would certainly not be the person I am today without the experiences I have had and the friends that I have made along the way, and now a school is paying for my college, not my parents.

[bgmlrh]

I have enjoyed reading the post about teachers' salaries and supplements. I am in my seventh year of teaching. I am currently without a coaching supplement. This is the first year that I have made over $30,000. I do not have my master's degree in education which would allow for approx. $2000 more per year. I have a colleague who has her master's with 30 years experience that is making only around $43,000 a year (no supplements). We work 200 days by contract. We are not paid for "time off"!! DelTavian (Winchester?), it would not require me a college degree to work at DHS or TDOT or some of the other state positions. Teachers are underpaid. I can vouch for several of my colleagues who actually TEACH that we work 2000 hours (average hours worked/year) a year in the 10 months that we are contracted to work. We are professional people who are responsible for the education of young people. I am familiar with other professions who earn more than twice the income I earn with 3 weeks of paid vacation in addition to 13 paid holidays, no homework to grade, a different stress level, much better health benefits, a 401K, and much better retirement. This person has been at the job for only 10 years. Obviously, I chose the wrong profession. I like my job, I like the subject that I teach, and I am fortunate to be married to someone who earns a good salary. If I did not have a spouse, I would struggle to own a decent home, pay my bills, keep a reliable auto, and feed myself. I have friends that I work with who are single teachers that have an extra job in order to pay bills and have just a little above the average wants and needs. Coaching supplements are okay. High School coaches can earn up to 15% of their salary as supplement depending on their sport (football or a combination of sprts). I believe that supplements are set by the state dept. of education and systems can vary, but must remain within what the state has as a maximum. That barely pays those individuals for the time they have invested, but that is their choice. For softball in our system, the coach recieves 8% for head coach and 4% for asst. A few years ago that changed to a base rate of approximately $3000 for the head coach and $1500 for asst. They cut the percentage offering to all new hires and now only give them the base rate. blah. blah. blah. Any questions or comments?

 

I lost a long response that I had written about the comparison of high school and college to summer ball. It was extremely long! But, I will write it again... someday.

[DelTavian]

bgmrlh,

 

Nope, not Winchester, but close.

 

My job required a degree. I want to know about the job that makes lots more than you with just 10 years. I might need to change jobs.

 

Del.

[bgmlrh]

mechanical engineer, BS degree-- working in Nashville. I grew up in the Tullahoma/ Lynchburg/ Winchester area. There was/is a sports writer there who I thought I remembered as DelTavian. Is that you?

[FPFanatic]

bgmlrh,

you have painted a very realistic picture of the life

of a teacher and a coach. It takes a special breed to

be either one, and to be good at either one. Also,

there are few, if any other state jobs that require as

much in time and work as a teacher's job. Nothing else

comes close. I just hope that some of the young, aspiring

teacher-coaches do not change their career plans now! (lol)

 

Also, I found the other thread about comparing travel ball

to high school to college and vice versa. A lot of people

expressed their opinions about the similarities and differences at all three levels. There are about as many

similarities among all three as there are differences, it

just depends upon ones individual perspective as to how

their opinion will be based, so there is no need of opening

that thread up again unless some of the newer people to

the board want to read it, if so, they can go back a few

pages to see it.

[DelTavian]

Posted by bgmlrh:

mechanical engineer, BS degree-- working in Nashville. I grew up in the Tullahoma/ Lynchburg/ Winchester area. There was/is a sports writer there who I thought I remembered as DelTavian. Is that you?

 

The "DelTavian" thing is just a screen name. And the only sports work I've done is in Grundy County.

 

As for the engineer that's an unfair assessment for a state job. Compare someone in DHS to teaching when it comes to education and you're in the same ball park. And again, teachers make more in that situation.

 

But I agree that teachers aren't paid enough. The good ones that is.

 

Del.

[cw160]

Good thoughts Motlow. One of the major problems in education is that we have a number of teachers in the profession only because they have to teach in order to coach. I realize some are going to take this the wrong way, but how many P E teachers are football or basketball coaches? How many physics, biology, mathematics teachers do you know who went into teaching so they could coach?

[sbcoach]

I too agree that teachers do not make much money. And there is a difference if you live in urban or rural areas. My wife, also is teacher. But I agree with Deltavian about State Employees. You mentioned HS or TDOT employees, but coming out of college, if you work for state, you would begin around 1800-2000 per month. And what Deltavian was saying, without summers off or xmas & spring breaks. Teachers can make more money during that time & they if they did work then, would make a bunch more than state employees. Neither one of them make much money, and those things aren't going to change. Sometimes because of the economy, you have to work where you can & also, you just need to enjoy what you are doing.

[Edited by sbcoach on 1-21-03 10:54A]

[backoff]

It. makes some coaches feel large and in charge ||.you coach because you love the game ; and enjoy working with young people.

[Guest ClynnC]

I sure can understand your position. I have "volunteered" my time for high school and college teams and I would have to say that it's "the love of the game" or " the love of teaching what you know" that keeps a coach going. I know that "we" don't get paid for all the "stuff" we go through but I guess all we have are each other to vent with. :confused:

[coachrt]

I started coaching 6 & under rec softball and soccer 13 years ago because of two reasons. First my oldest daughter wanted to play, second(you guessed it)they needed a coach. I knew about slowpitch because I played it, but very little about fastpitch and nothing about soccer. I read up on the rules and attended coaching clinics and we made it thru the seasons. Since then I have coached many different young ladies in both sports. I wouldn't take anything for the memories of teaching the girls the fundamentals and later on the more complicated plays. The look on a child's face when they catch their first pop fly, make their first double play, get their first home run, or score their first goal is priceless. My oldest daughter quit playing sports when she joined the high school band but her sister continues to play both softball & soccer in high school. I haven't coached soccer or softball full time since both daughters got into high school because one or the other had games or contests to go to during the seasons, but I am still involved as a board member in our local fastpitch rec league. I still see many of the girls that I have coached at different events. It makes me proud to see these girls do good playing school, travel, or rec ball and it doesn't matter to me if they're on our team or the opponents. If you're a long time recreational coach, you know they have had many coaches since they started playing but you hope some of what you see on the fields or courts came from you. I encourage any parent with younger children, or high school/college players, to become rec coaches or get involved in any way with youth sports. There are a few gifted players playing school ball today that didn't play rec ball when they were younger, but most did. So be a part of someone's future, it's fun and the kids need you!