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The Ridley Coaching Rumor Thread

Ray Gionta never won a Catholic League title so if facts are correct wouldn't be him. However Joe Powel would meet the criteria stated. Matt Barr would be intriguing candidate at Ridley. Good offensive mind. Was only guy to ever be remotely competitive at Harriton in forever.

The difference between the Bonner and Ridley job are immense. If your goal in life is to teach and coach or that is your current profession then Ridley is your only option. Bonner job isn't a football coach job. It's a program building job were the fundraising, recruiting, and publicity part of it are going to be way more integral to your success than anything in between the lines.

Everybody thinks being able to go get players sounds ideal. It's not college where the school has a budget and you go talk to kids and pick which ones you want to offer a scholarship. It's your job to raise the money, convince kids to come to your place, keep the recruited kids parents happy, and you better win so you keep the money flowing. Plus if you lose because you don't have the horses part of your job description is get the horses.

It would be just like a great college job if the college job came with caveat you were responsible for organizing and running the booster club, raising your entire scholarship budget or close to it, going out and recruiting every kid personally who ends up on your sideline and then coaching football. Takes an absolute obsessive all encompassing passion to even have a shot. You truly have to be slightly insane.

Public school job even with the pressure and expectations of winning of a Ridley is much less taxing than one of these recruiting school jobs. If your goal in life is to be a football coach then public school your spot. If you want to be a CEO then go to one of these other gigs. And be sure the place is ready to pay you like a CEO and provide the proper level of support.
 
Speed-
I feel like I am stuck in the movie Ground Hog Day and constantly having the same conversation. Let me answer this question for you one more time. The reason why the younger candidates and outsiders received an interview and your Ridley candidates did not is simple. They Applied. They wanted the job enough that they took a few minutes and applied. They were self confident and non egotistical enough to not wait for a private invitation.

Some of your information seems to be well thought out and researched. Then the green googles go on and you seem to venture into a land of make believe. So are you stating that your transcript above concerning the Ad and Thompson or the Ad and Bell is factual.
That would be a rather far reach in my opinion. Especially since my information is that some members of the previous staff have reached out to the Admin and had conversations about coaching. Also, I can't confirm yet but was told that some may have actually interviewed.
 
Of course it's not factual. Someone earlier questioned how a conversation could go down where the administration suggested someone not apply for the job. I was just offering an opinion on how it might happen. And I don't think it's as far a reach as you seem to believe. No big deal at this point.

Bottom line , for whatever reason , they did not apply for the job. That seems to be fact. Whether they were discouraged from applying or their egos weren't stroked or maybe a little bit of both , only those personally involved really know for sure. And even at that we may never know for sure.
 
GG. St James won the PCL Southern Division title in 1991 under Gionta. We may be splitting hairs here, but think that's the championship someone was referring to earlier. I haven't heard Powells name come up. I have heard Gionta.
 
SPEED&JUMP DR. said:
GG. St James won the PCL Southern Division title in 1991 under Gionta. We may be splitting hairs here, but think that's the championship someone was referring to earlier. I haven't heard Powells name come up. I have heard Gionta.
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Ok speed. I was taking the pcl championship thing more literally. I would say this ray gionta has iron balls applying for the Ridley job two years after the way he took the sun valley job. I know he has local ties but can't see Ridley even considering a guy who would be taking his seventh different head coaching position. Not to mention the stigma of a guy pushed out at marple getting the Ridley gig. Ray's had a good career. Time to let the next generation have their kick at the can. He should have done that two years ago quite frankly.

By the way that 91 game I know all too well. Double tight wing with Scott Reid running wing counter. If it was 1993 ray gionta would be a good choice. However I would have paid top dollar to sit next to joe Mcnicolas and watch ray run double tight wing and throw it 3 times a game. He would have a coneption.
 
GG: and just to bring this thing full circle, I think the QB on that 91 team was Scott Green, the same Scott Green from Kennett, by way of GV who also apparently applied for the job. Only in DELCO.
 
You are correct. The running joke was always, guess what happens if you beat Ridley 2 years in a row. They close down your school.
 
My point was that Gionta was the St James coach and beat two good Ridley teams, maybe he should be considered.
 
Can we stop with the Ray talk. The guy does not stand a chance. If he does, Ridley will be as bad as Sun Valley and Marple when he coached.

Let's get back to the topic at hand. Round two of interviews. Who is involved? People keep saying they don't want to say names because it's all rumors. Stop pretending like you know then. If someone does know let's get to the facts.

It was previously stated by defcon:

Wood
2 GV assistants
Sitting Delco HC
Coordinator from AP
Springfield Coordinator
Position coach from UD
Position coach from colleges/trade schools

The facts:
Wood is in the final rounds
Green from GV is finalist

That's all the facts I know. I'm trying to dig deeper but lips are tight.
 
Well, bring the German guys back; Weller & that crazy ass, Schnellenberger....or maybe Snyder from Pennsbury, he´s German, too....
 
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blitzkrieg64 said:
Well, bring the German guys back; Weller & that crazy ass, Schnellenberger....or maybe Synder from Pennsbury, he´s German, too....
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footballwhiz said:
Can we stop with the Ray talk. The guy does not stand a chance. If he does, Ridley will be as bad as Sun Valley and Marple when he coached.

Let's get back to the topic at hand. Round two of interviews. Who is involved? People keep saying they don't want to say names because it's all rumors. Stop pretending like you know then. If someone does know let's get to the facts.

It was previously stated by defcon:

Wood
2 GV assistants
Sitting Delco HC
Coordinator from AP
Springfield Coordinator
Position coach from UD
Position coach from colleges/trade schools

The facts:
Wood is in the final rounds
Green from GV is finalist

That's all the facts I know. I'm trying to dig deeper but lips are tight.
Click to expand...
 
The other GV asst is Jeff Allison.

The sitting DELCO coach is Gionta

Coordinator from AP is Mike Ewing

Wood is the college position coach

and the Defensive coordinator from Springfied.

UD guy is Eric Ruffenach
 
Ok now we are talking. Good Intel. Are they all in round 2? And what do we know about these guys? Connections to Ridley? Or just solid candidates?
 
Pretty sure it's Allison. He is an interboro grad and interboro teacher. Played at widener with Signor , the new Ridley AD. Has been the GV D coordinator for about a half dozen years.
 
I heard that neither of them applied. I just know of Green.

Speed what do we know about who's left ?
 
I'm hearing that Green was the only Garnet Valley assistant that applied. At least one other, maybe two, was contacted but not interested. This comes from a Ridley guy who claims he has knowledge. Take it for what it's worth.
 
From what I have heard everything should be completed by the end of the week. 2-3 candidates will be moved on to the final stages of the interview process with the board.
 
Are they dragging their feet in this? A third round with the board? I'm all for thoroughness, but the team you put in place should pick a coach. If board wanted to interview they should have had a board member or two on first or second round. Then you can name your coach.
 
Nothing happens without school board approval. Nick Saban could apply for the job and they would still have to wait for school board approval. Also, since Nick is not a ridley grad, some ridley guys might not like that hire!!!LOL

My guess is they will plow through the final interviews this week and have someone to present to the school board by next Monday (2/1) which is the next scheduled meeting.
 
SPEED&JUMP DR. said:
Nothing happens without school board approval. Nick Saban could apply for the job and they would still have to wait for school board approval. Also, since Nick is not a ridley grad, some ridley guys might not like that hire!!!LOL

My guess is they will plow through the final interviews this week and have someone to present to the school board by next Monday (2/1) which is the next scheduled meeting.
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LOL on the Saban quote Speed. Well played

I have heard that the finalist are Wood, Ruffenach from UD, Gionta, Scott Green, and McHugh. I have also been told that the candidates were told that there is NO teaching position offered with the coaching job. That leads me to believe that their choice is probably Wood. I couldn't see those other guys, who I believe are all teachers, taking that job without being in the building.
 
Would make sense for a guy like Wood to get it then if they are not offering a job.
We all know Wood's background as well as Ray and Green. What do you know about Ruffenach and McHugh?
 
defcon3 said:
LOL on the Saban quote Speed. Well played

I have heard that the finalist are Wood, Ruffenach from UD, Gionta, Scott Green, and McHugh. I have also been told that the candidates were told that there is NO teaching position offered with the coaching job. That leads me to believe that their choice is probably Wood. I couldn't see those other guys, who I believe are all teachers, taking that job without being in the building.
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I doubt ruffenach would need a job in building to take the job. He's in a better paying district right now in Radnor while coaching at UD. He is going to be a great head coach somewhere. In my opinion he would be a great hire for Ridley or anyone else for that matter. Plus if it worked out they could always get him in the building later on down the line when it was more politically expedient. Realistically four of these five would make sense. Ray Gionta would make zero sense. They might as well name Phil Marion's 1956 lettermen's jacket the coach.
 
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DEF: If I cant laugh at myself, them im taking this high school football thing way too seriously.

I think most people assumed from day 1 that it was Wood's job to lose. Doesn't look like anything happened to date that leads me to believe he is still not the favorite.
 
I think Phil's lettermen jacket would fair better than Ray.

Is Ruffenach a position coach at UD or coordinator? If he's not a coordinator I cant see bringing in someone with that little experience.

Who is McHugh? This is the first time I'm hearing that name.
 
Gang, how would he, or any of the people left (aside from Wood) make that work. For example, I believe Ruffenach teaches at middle school in Radnor, which means a later dismissal than high school (let's say 3:15). Then traffic to make it to RHS. That would put him, as the head coach, there about 4:00 at the earliest. Scott Green teaches in Kennett, which is even a farther drive, but he is at least in the high school.

I obviously don't speak for them, but I don't think they take that job without being in the school, especially coming off of a coaching staff where attendance, was, um, an issue. It wouldn't be well received, regardless of how good these guys are.
 
defcon3 said:
Gang, how would he, or any of the people left (aside from Wood) make that work. For example, I believe Ruffenach teaches at middle school in Radnor, which means a later dismissal than high school (let's say 3:15). Then traffic to make it to RHS. That would put him, as the head coach, there about 4:00 at the earliest. Scott Green teaches in Kennett, which is even a farther drive, but he is at least in the high school.

I obviously don't speak for them, but I don't think they take that job without being in the school, especially coming off of a coaching staff where attendance, was, um, an issue. It wouldn't be well received, regardless of how good these guys are.
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Defcon as to the exact timing particulars I'd be guessing. He gets to UD right now as OC. RMS right by the blue route which heading south typically not too tough at 3ish. But you have a point. I think we all realize that in an ideal world the coach is in the building.

Here's what I am ascertaining in the Ridley search. Speculative but from some folks I know probably not too far off from reality. There are people who hoped that Ridley would commit to a Waller type gig inside the school with light to non existent teaching role at nice salary number. Think many people both Ridley and non Ridley affiliated would have huge amount of interest in that arrangement. Some other top notch programs have that type of deal. However there are issues internally around that type of arrangement that we all know about in reality. Union issues, building issues, school board issues, pension issues etc, etc.

Second is get a coach who teaches a full course load in the school either currently or bring them in. Bring them in the commiserate teacher level. Essentially create or fill a teacher opening with a football coach who wants to get into the district. Still a commitment from district perspective with political ramifications. But one would think the teacher would have to make at least what they were getting in their former situation.

Third is get a football coach and pay them to be the football coach. Most of those folks have a job of some sort unless they are independently wealthy. If they are employed elsewhere they need the flexibility to get there when the team practices. In some non public school settings the practices are set at odd times to ensure they have enough coaches to be there.

I'm sensing Ridley wants option 3 in an ideal situation. When you want option 3 your choices, candidates, and opportunities shrink. In an option 3 world Ridley has the best option 3 candidate pool in fact some really excellent options.

The better or more important question might be this. If the speculation is correct and it may be dead wrong but if it is why is it. Looks to me that places like Marple and Academy Park are making arrangements to figure out ways to keep guys that are really good football coaches happy and employed in their buildings. Seems to me years ago the Haverfords and Strath Havens of the world figured out let's go find a coach and figure out how they fit in the building.

I thought forever that a great part of the Ridley mystique was that they had great football coaches in their district coaching against other teams in the central who hired whatever politically connected gym teacher was in the building. The central was like the Bad Old Boy network for years. Then they finally got wise and started hiring coaches.

However politically that has gotten harder with all the noise around budgets, unions, pensions, funding and taxes. In my heart of hearts you can't tell me that if you turned back the clock and today was 2001 that Ridley would not find a way to get Jason V. from AP into that building at a number he needed/wanted. It's close to a no brainer for many reasons. However it shows that even the biggest of high school programs have to deal with the political ramifications of the current environment and all of the public spotlight on spending etc. The Waller deal doesn't exist today in a public funded budget without people really willing to take a huge public risk. Even Ridley isn't Odessa, Texas.
 
Ruffenach is the OC at UD and from what I was told was also a finalist for the Ohara Job last year seems to be a very respect young coach. Hopefully a decision will come out at this month's board meeting. On a seperate note, I believe that while neither may be a serious candidate, Ray Gionta and Phil's lettermen's jacket both deserve a little respect.
 
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GG

I think you have the lay of the land here. What is upsetting some old school Ridley people is that they are taking the least expensive approach yet are still expecting top notch results. It can work out that way , but not likely.

While I'm not going to turn this into a Ridley vs non- Ridley thing , it's no coincidence that there are no Ridley guys as finalists , and more important no Ridley guys even remotely interested in the job. That's a huge red flag to me. You have guys who used to eat drink and sleep Ridley football who wouldn't touch this job with a 10 foot pole. Of you have guys that have personal knowledge of the financial perks given Waller and Decker and would expect the administration to ratchet things up a bit financially ( or at least maintain the status quo) to entice a larger pool of qualified applicants , only to find they administration is pulling a 180 and making LESS of a commitment to the program. I forever looked at Ridley like the New York Yankees - do whatever you can , spend whatever you need to be a winner. Instead , this smells like the Oakland A's where there is a limited budget and they are going to be thrifty while still trying to contend.

This will be interesting to watch moving forward. The administration can no longer take fir granted the community will support mediocre football. At the Conestoga game last year it was like a ghost town. Maybe 500 people in the stands instead of 5000. At $5 a head plus concessions , programs , etc that's a loss of revenue of close to $25000 for one game Factor that into a 5 or 6 game home season and it's a big chunk of change, or easily enough money to hire a Coach and give him a nice salary to be in the building.
 
Speed
I am almost at the point where your redundancy no longer even deserve a reply. You are correct, it is not a coincidence that there are not any Ridley guys as finalist. They either failed to apply or were not qualified enough to make it through the process. I understand that when you put on your green goggles it is hard to grasp reality but let's try to take an objective glance at your previous comments. What more qualified Ridley candidates refused to touch the job. I will give you one guess. None. Some may have not applied because their ego did not get stroked enough or maybe they just were afraid that in a fair interview process they were not the best candidate. I guarantee that if any of your previously mentioned overrated non candidates were offered the job they would have jumped at the chance to take the job. Do you really want someone to lead your team into a game that did not even have enough courage to fight for a job? If any of the finalist had been from Ridley you would be screaming about how great they are and if someone else in the central league hired a candidate like Wood you would be yelling about how they thought outside of the box and found a way to higher a coach with 20 + years of college expierence. I think that the Admin should be credit for having the courage to seek out the best candidate and step out from behind the green goggles you live behind. As for your comments about boycotting games. Please stay home. Your support is not necessarily needed. I would be glad to donate an extra 5 dollars at the ticket window and eat two pretzels instead of one. When this is all done I hope you will have more courage then the non canidates you continue to promote and step up and admit you are wrong.
 
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RP

I respect your opinion on the topic and hopefully you respect mine. At the end of the day ,that's all they are but opinions. I think we both agree we only want what's best for Ridley , and that's a good thing.

I never said any of the Ridley guys were more qualified , just that none even applied for the job. Since we do not know yet who is getting the job , it's hard to speak about his qualifications. And I'm not against any of the finalists. I just wish those guys were the finalists under Option 1 than a watered down Option 3 under GG post. I just don't see devoting less time money and resources to the job is thinking outside the box. So my beef is with that part of the process , not with any of the coaching candidates.

And I never ever would call for a boycott. I was one of the 500 at the Stoga game. That was not my point. Rather , it was purely money. Instead of making the position a package deal with a cushy job in the school paying $75000 a year, they made it strictly a coaching jobs only paying $12000 a year , all to apparently save $60000. But they could just as easily lose $60000 or more in lost revenue if the team is not successful. Just give the guy everything he needs to succeed. As GG pointed out above , many people think this way. Now maybe we are all wrong. Who knows ? Hopefully you read the article on the Chester coach resigning He must have mentioned a half dozen times how important it is to. E a coach and be in the school. And that's at a non football school like Chester. The current Ridley administration does not seem to think its imprtant to be in the school , I( and many others ) do. It's entirely possible that not only will the head coach not be in the school , but neither will any of his assistants. That's practically unheard of and not the model most successful programs use , but it doesn't necessarily mean it can't work.
 
Speed, I think I am starting to understand where you are coming from on a small level. But, RPs points are good ones as well. I look at it this way.

I think this has been talked about at length in previous posts, but I will reiterate. You mention that some of the brand name Ridley candidates didn't take the time to apply, but in my opinion, you may be missing the point as to why. I think (sorry if this is an incorrect assumption) that you are pointing to the lack of a financial commitment from the school admin to get the program back on track. What I mean is that because they aren't offering "the Waller package" those people aren't even bothering going for the job. In my opinion, this may be only partially true.

I heard that the finalists were told in their second interview that there would be no guarantee of a spot in the building, and that is the first they heard there was no job available. Interview 2. So, I am not sure how the Ridley candidates would have heard this definitely beforehand....unless they subscribed to the rumor mill (which did end up being true). But, if the sole reason for not applying was based on an unconfirmed rumor at the time, then shame on them for not applying.

I think it is a bitter pill to swallow, but the Ridley faithful may be failing to realize that Ridley football isn't what it used to be, and with the changing landscape and demographics in that area, less and less kids are actually playing football from a youth level. Plus, other high school football programs have caught up. The days of Ridley routinely winning the central league are gone, regardless of who they hire as coach. The other schools in the league, quite frankly, have just caught up.

The problem that may have kept Ridley coaches away was that the expectation from the community is to WIN the central league every year, and no coach they hire will hit that expectation. It seems a lot of the Ridley faithful (not you, who have acknowledged at some degree what I have said above) are stuck in the past and believe that Ridley should again be dominant every year. And if you are Jason Vosheski, Brian Thompson, etc, why would you subject yourself to an expectation level that will never be met? When its all said and done, Decker (who should have been fired, not arguing that) won 70% of his games. But I don't think, even if you take away the side issues Dennis had) that any coach wont feel the pressure if they routinely go 7-3 at Ridley. They fired Batty for that exact thing.

Its an unfair expectation, considering what high school football is now. Other programs are just as good, and the 10- 9-2 years that happen at Ridley every year are gone, never to return. It doesn't matter who they hire. Not saying that Ridley wont occasionally have those years, because they will. But the other teams have caught up.

So, I can't really blame the admin for "hunting down" candidates that don't have the gumption to even apply. You seem to overly blame the admin for those candidates not applying because they aren't offering the Waller deal; I think there is more to it then that.
 
I am going into my 13 year as a head coach in another state. I am Delco grad and played against Ridley in their Hey Day. Late 80s and 90s. I have had two different head jobs. Prior to that I interviewed for two jobs. The first thing I would do when I submitted my resumer and cover letter to the AD was ask him about job in the building. If there was not a job / teaching in the building I would NOT even apply or interview. Unheard of. It is a shame that a program with such a long tradition, history can not even get the head coach in the building. That says a lot about a program and admin. Sad state of affairs of what was once a very proud program. I can tell you personally the MOST PHYSICAL games I played in high school were always against Ridley. It does sound like that the great run they had is over.
 
Candidates were in fact told there was no teaching job- guys who called to inquire were told so back in Dec. not sure the statement above is accurate about finalists just finding out. Guys didn't pursue because there was no teaching position.
Could the issue be that good candidates (who want teaching jobs) applied anyway? there really only is one finalist they could hire as coach only in the final group.
There were to be finalist meetings with board this week- not sure if anyone has met with them. It seems like it's getting down to the wire to have something done by Monday's board meeting.
 
Coach, I think there is a reason why this admin isn't bending over to get the HC a position in the building. For one, the previous head coach was given emergency certification to be brought into the building, as he did not pass his PA state certification tests, nor have enough credits towards his masters. He was given this with the understanding that he would soon work towards attaining both. This wasn't very well received by the teachers union or the board, but was able to be pushed through as some board members were friends with the HCs family.

Fast forward 3 years. The coach was asked where he was at with working towards those two items. He lied and said he was a few credits away from his masters and signed up to take the praxis a month from when asked. They found out that he had taken NO classes and had the same amount of credits when first hired, as also had not taken the praxis test at all. This embarrassed the board and the union was furious. They stripped him of his emergency cert.

I am not sure the board or the union would be ok with guaranteeing a teaching job after this to a candidate that just so happens to coach football, especially considering the above. Even though the above deal was done under a previous administration at the school, I really cant blame them for being a little gun shy in making an accommodation for the football coach.
 
I think if everyone in the outside world knew there was no job in the building, those that work in the building now or are close to the program knew early on there was no job inside the building. And as coach Joe said-he would NOT apply under those conditions and im sure many did not for that very reason. As Folsom Pride indicated, there is really only one candidate in the final group they can hire as a coach only. Whether fair or not, the perception is he's getting the job for that reason and that reason only. And that's not fair to the community and its certainly not fair to the coach, who otherwise has a resume that should make him stand out as a very capable football guy.

And the union would only interfere( maybe) if the new guy upset the apple cart from a teaching perspective. But a job in the building does not mean it has to be a teaching job. Many schools have come up with creative ways to get and keep guys in the building without offering a teaching job. Hogan at Ohara is in charge of alumni fundraising. I think Infante at St Joes has a similar job title. Vosheki was given the asst AD Job. Beck at NPEnn is in charge of traffic and/or parking lot security or something like that. Both Waller and Decker did as well. It can be done if you want it. But you have to want it first.
 
This point may have been brought up before, but was there really a "Ridley" guy who was qualified. I think that they didn't go after "Ridley" people for the job because there were no shining stars in green. When I say qualified I mean someone who can clean up that mess, and turn the program back around? Bell was a head coach, but not very successful, maybe he's a better assistant. Thompson burned bridges and wanted everything under the sun. Is there anything on his resume that suggests he is above and beyond better than the current candidates?

I think they have a good group of coaches in the final stages, at least from what I am told. You have college coaching experience and multiple coordinators who have HC experience or are ready for it. Maybe they are thinking outside the box a little. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Well guess what....it's broke so let's look elsewhere. Compare this to the Penn State situation (minus the terrible things that happened). You have a program looking to change their current image. They looked past all of the qualified guys that they had on their own staff and brought in O'Brien.
 
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