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Pine-Richland 2021

Why would a 45 year old man, already making close to 100K teaching, want to keep coaching after this? This has got to leave a bitter taste.

I mean 10K per year breaks down to a little over minimum wage with all the time coaches put in...is it really worth it? The time away from your family? The politics of it all? When is enough...enough?

I would have to take a break from it all....for mental health lol.
 
KoolAider - his son is going to be a freshman at P-R and is a football player. I believe that coaching him probably outweighs the $10k. Once in a lifetime experience down the toilet... Besides the allegations being untrue, I think this is a big reason why.
 
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I can't see Kasper's kid playing at P-R in the long-term future. They'll probably move away once he finds a new coaching job either this year or next year.
 
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Where do you see him landing? Considering he’s a Pittsburgh guy, do you think he stays in that area? Could any of the big 6A jobs open up after this year?
 
Bummer: I can't see how that would work either.

HSFB: I don't know. Tough call. There aren't many 5A/6A jobs that would be appealing, and where he could coach his son.

Rover: Everything I hear is Totten is around for at least 3 more years. Coaches on his staff have kids playing and he wants to see it through from what I hear.
 
Not a lot of options. He could maybe send his son to PCC or NC and be an assistant there. ..But that is assuming Totten or O'Shea wants or has a staff position. Besides, Totten/O'Shea may already have a HC in waiting on their staff that would be against that type of hiring. Coach K may be SOL.
 
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I hope that is the case, Coach K is a great coach, but sometimes these things, especially with all the media coverage that surrounded it, becomes a "STAY AWAY' sign for some administrators and school boards. They would love the wins, but may simply not take the chance of another "hazing" instance, or anything remotely looking like bullying or "rights of passage."..Not these days. Too much litigation. Not when there are so many qualified coaches in the WPIAL waiting for their shot.. These things can stick to a coach for awhile. Coach K may end up having to be an assistant for some time..... I do not see any openings in Class 6...The only school close is Class 5 Shaler, they have been terrible for quite some time and may be looking to replace Ryan? But like SV, the HC is in the school and that makes a coach more difficult to replace. Would Coach K be willing to go to such a bad program like Shaler? Other than a Private or Catholic school, would Coach K be willing to uproot his family, both his and his wives teaching jobs, to move to another school district to start over, by the time his son is a sophomore? I think it is a shame he will not get to coach his son, but would he be willing to put his family though all this? Unless he can find a HC job that he can get him in the building, or he can get to in time from the North Pittsburgh area. Would he Eric be willing to move down in classification to be a HC again? Maybe Class 4 Mars opens up? Coach Heinauer has been there a long time.
 
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WPIALCoach - I think the concerns you mention with his son and moving are legitimate.
 
It's a tough situation...there are schools that would benefit greatly from a successful football program, wins help the entire school attitude, just as entire PR school community benefitted....but if Coach K even looks at a kid wrong, any whiny parent or school board member will be calling their attorney, which in turn, causes a stink for the administration..... Its crazy, you can have a program like Shaler, go 8-31 over the past 4 seasons and keep your job. Or Fox Chapel, 14-25 over the past 4 years and no complaints....but go 86-18 and you get canned.
 
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The next thing to watch is the election. Next Tuesday. I think things will escalate again before then.

I am in the group of people that think Brian Miller and his group of admins need to go. The things that are coming our are not good. But, who know.
 
It dosen't surprise me that they can't attract quality candidates to be the next coach, yet the administration dosen't realize that it's because of their actions. As seen at the baseball game at NA last week, they're more loyal to them than P-R. Weren't they trying to convince the NA DC to take the job? By de-emphasizing football, Pine-Richland football may be with Fox Chapel and Kiski in terms of competitiveness in a decade.
 
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I feel like this is self-explanatory. This should be a good discussion point. Side note, it looks like the Week 0 game against Harrisburg is officially scheduled.
 
I think I said somewhere above or in the other thread, the two candidates that I think could be the best qualified and perhaps interested were LeDonne from Penn Hills and Brezilla from PCC. Both with state championships and both P-R residents.

I guess being a P-R resident may not be a good thing though.

Good to hear confirmation of the Harrisburg game.
 
While Brezilla and LeDonne would be nice, I can't see either of them leaving their respective schools. Penn Hills is on the rise and they are consistently good every year and PCC is the best team in 6A if P-R isn't there. In fact, being a P-R resident may be the worst thing to be right now for both of them. They see what's going on and they know that the parents and players won't like them regardless of past success. Without any knowledge of any other candidates who applied, I'm kinda leaning towards Densmore getting the job right now.

Regarding Harrisburg, what's their situation like and how could the matchup play out? I didn't see anything regarding where the game will be played. Second, do you think this is an attempt by the administration to put the football team on a smaller scale nationally? They played at St. Edwards, vs. IMG, and were going to play in New Jersey last year before COVID. It's kinda interesting that they're playing an in-state opponent in Week 0 coming off of a state championship.
 
bummer01 said:
It dosen't surprise me that they can't attract quality candidates to be the next coach, yet the administration dosen't realize that it's because of their actions. As seen at the baseball game at NA last week, they're more loyal to them than P-R. Weren't they trying to convince the NA DC to take the job? By de-emphasizing football, Pine-Richland football may be with Fox Chapel and Kiski in terms of competitiveness in a decade.
Click to expand...
I am a little confused by your comments...why would the administration be voted out after having PR move into the top 25 schools in the state? https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2021/04/27/u-s-news-and-world-report-best-high-schools-pennsylvania/

And no qualified coaches?...Ledonne and Brezilla are both EXCELLENT coaches that will bring in an incredible staff, PR won't miss a step with either of those picks....If they were not willing to leave, why would they apply?
 
Miller has openly said they are concerned about the lack of quality applicants. I can’t imagine LeDonne applied. The administration would be thrilled if he did.
 
Been digging a little more. I don't think Brezilla would leave PCC. He's the Dean of Students there and I think his kids have been in the catholic school world their entire life. Coming to P-R doesn't seem like a fit.

LeDonne on the other hand could. Young son. Public school guy (Aliquippa). His biggest issue is he has a real 9-5 job somewhere close to P-H. Not sure how that would work for practice.

But with either of these, or anyone, I'm not exactly sure who the "incredible" staff would be composed of? Unnamed young coaches that "only need a chance"? I can say with certainty that's not what the people here are looking for.
 
Any one that has wanted to be a WPIAL Head Football Coach will apply. The admin at PR is ready to use a search committee to find the right guy if no one qualified applies. There are some teaching jobs available in the school as well. That may attract a coach. They will get this done. That person, especially if a current HC, will bring staff with them, from their current staff, from their coaching contacts, from clinics, players from their past, word of mouth.......There are a number of coaches that live in the northern Pittsburgh area, and coaches from other surrounding schools would be willing to coach at PR, it will not be that hard for a HC to recruit a quality staff. It is also certain that people are not looking for this staff to come back. This is staff is gone. Out of coaching for now.
 
A teaching job would certainly make the position unique in the WPIAL. The next couple weeks will be interesting for sure.
 
What other coaching jobs are even out there in the WPIAL that he could apply for? I think this drama has gone on long enough. Time to move on. I'm looking forward to seeing who the new coach at P-R will be, but it's time for Kasperowicz and his former staff to start looking for other coaching jobs, if they can even find any available.
 
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I agree. This is getting old and is just making Eric look bad. It is now holding the program back. He is not getting the job back. The PR administration made this very clear. They have all their ducks in a row. He was on a year-to-year contract that they chose not to renew. The players are very resilient, they will respond to a new coach and staff with no issues. Heck, there has not been any noise for awhile from any students. This has happened over and over again in the WPIAL with the each sports program continuing to function at a high level. They administrators have their reasons. The PR administration did not just make this stuff up. The are all in CYA mode. They reviewed the complaints with the school board solicitor, took his legal advice and made an administrative decision. There were complaints, no matter how small, but they were enough to get him fired.

These most recent actions by Coach K may hurt his coaching opportunities in the future. Just let this story die. Time to move on....like the PR administration has.
 
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If I'm Kasperowicz, I take a year off of coaching, get his kids out of P-R, and try to latch onto a 5A or 6A program in the WPIAL. Then, wherever P-R is when the reclassification happens, I'd beat them to a pulp.

Kasperowicz can build a formidable program at a place where there hasn't been much success in the past few years, like at North Hills. Kids will come out for the team and be determined to win. He can put as much focus on middle school, freshman, and youth programs in that district and be successful. It won't happen overnight, but it's very probable.

Yet, will a school hire a football coach that has significant baggage, or will they ignore it and put winning first?
 
Can't stand people with defeatist attitudes.
We can replace him.. blah blah blah. It's the best for the program... blah blah blah.
If the people of PR think they can replace him they are totally nuts. So dream on... it's a painful ride to mediocrity. You don't have any better athletes than anyone else.
IT'S COACHING!
 
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Agreed. Coaching and development is what makes a program successful. P-R had the keys to dominate the WPIAL and become one of the all-time greats programs and they blew it. The administration will never live this one down.
 
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bummer01 said:
If I'm Kasperowicz, I take a year off of coaching, get his kids out of P-R, and try to latch onto a 5A or 6A program in the WPIAL. Then, wherever P-R is when the reclassification happens, I'd beat them to a pulp.

Kasperowicz can build a formidable program at a place where there hasn't been much success in the past few years, like at North Hills. Kids will come out for the team and be determined to win. He can put as much focus on middle school, freshman, and youth programs in that district and be successful. It won't happen overnight, but it's very probable.

Yet, will a school hire a football coach that has significant baggage, or will they ignore it and put winning first?
Click to expand...
SIGNIFICANT BAGGAGE???
Except for a claim of hazing no one knows what went on. Nothing criminal, nor has there been any agency that has investigated the welfare of children under this coach. If it was significant then the school administration failed to report the event to authorities. Is the administration saying it failed to do their jobs for years? The coach's lawyers may just feast on their incompetence.
 
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This is Western PA, the WPIAL, coaches are being groomed for greatness all the time. Eric is a great coach, he has also has a great staff and has been blessed with some great athletes. Much better athletes than say, Shaler or Butler. Pine Richland will continue to attract great coaches, great staff, people will continue to move in. PR has the facilities to attract quality candidates. The school was just ranked in the top 25 in the state. Coaches are replaced all the time in the WPIAL, in all sports, it's a speedbump. Heck, Quaker Valley replaced their coach two weeks before the season and won a state champ, Aliquippa has not skipped a beat since Coach Z left, NA has always been a solid program. Great coaches are all around us, great athletes live here, 3 just played in the Super bowl. It has a lot to do with the great coaching history, but you have to have the talent, and PR has had some studs that would have been there no matter who was the coach. They did not move to PR solely for the football program. There will be a staff put in place soon enough to develop the talent that PR has, there will be bumps in the road while they install their system and philosophy, but eventually PR will be right back at the top......with much less drama lol

As far as all the allegations, I can assure you the PR administration did not just make it up. Someone at sometime complained. There has to be some truth or Eric would have never acknowledged it. A matter such as hazing does not have to violate criminal law, only school policy...and every coach signed off on that policy handbook. The amdin have CYA no doubt.
 
bummer01 said:
Agreed. Coaching and development is what makes a program successful. P-R had the keys to dominate the WPIAL and become one of the all-time greats programs and they blew it. The administration will never live this one down.
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Bummer... The adm doesnt care how it looks. Its all about a difference of philosophy and face saving.
A successful coach teaches young men and women how to be successful in life. They show them what it takes... hard work, attention to detail, team work, disapline in the field of competition and preperation leeds to success. Kids will remember that their coach showed them what it takes to be victorious and will use that mentality throughout life. These are the students that will go out into the world and never give up.
As apposed to a loser mentality of "we are all equal and someone will take care of me".
I really think it bothered the adm that a coach was more of a leader than they are.
And they just couldnt have that..........
 
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wpialcoach said:
This is Western PA, the WPIAL, coaches are being groomed for greatness all the time. Eric is a great coach, he has also has a great staff and has been blessed with some great athletes. Much better athletes than say, Shaler or Butler. Pine Richland will continue to attract great coaches, great staff, people will continue to move in. PR has the facilities to attract quality candidates. The school was just ranked in the top 25 in the state. Coaches are replaced all the time in the WPIAL, in all sports, it's a speedbump. Heck, Quaker Valley replaced their coach two weeks before the season and won a state champ, Aliquippa has not skipped a beat since Coach Z left, NA has always been a solid program. Great coaches are all around us, great athletes live here, 3 just played in the Super bowl. It has a lot to do with the great coaching history, but you have to have the talent, and PR has had some studs that would have been there no matter who was the coach. They did not move to PR solely for the football program. There will be a staff put in place soon enough to develop the talent that PR has, there will be bumps in the road while they install their system and philosophy, but eventually PR will be right back at the top......with much less drama lol

As far as all the allegations, I can assure you the PR administration did not just make it up. Someone at sometime complained. There has to be some truth or Eric would have never acknowledged it. A matter such as hazing does not have to violate criminal law, only school policy...and every coach signed off on that policy handbook. The amdin have CYA no doubt.
Click to expand...
WPIAL Coach.... Its not hard to get anyone out if you want to. And as far as acknowlegement... the man admitted getting testy in a meeting and was probably just offering an olive branch to save his job. I doubt hes done anything ground shaking. Been arround football long enough to know that coaches arent lucky with talent. Sure they can get a once in a life time player that can take them to the top, but you look at a coaches record over the long haul to see if they are special. Some how I just get the feeling by reading your posts that you are saying that anyone can be replaced and not skip a beat... Not True! PR will most likely have a good team this year (with the talent K/staff created) , but give it a couple of years and theyll be back to the middle of the pack. Hazing? I just like to say kids are kids... thats why you check that little box "I am not a robot"
Youre pretty critical of someone's responsibilities as a coach
Just curious .... are you a head coach?
 
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Long out of the game..too much politics lol...Once he admitted that, that was all they needed. He probably should have thought about keeping his job when he went into the first interview. If the right coach is hired, they don’t skip a beat. I’m not sure Vechhio was the greatest coach at QV, his record was averaged, but he took over a great team and went 16-0. PR may end up being the same way. I been around football long enough to know that if you don't have the horses, you can't run the race...and PR has been blessed, more so than most other schools. Eric is a great coach, but has had some real talent. Just look at the quarterbacks Eric has had the opportunity to coach, the lineman, the running backs that transferred in. I am not saying they will win every game without Eric, but I also do not think they will lose every game. Mike White said they lost 9 starters on D and 8 on the O, the new coach will need time, but he will win there. I am ok with the "rights of passage: but I recognize that todays day and age, some people are not. I am not sure if they will slip into mediocrity, they have a solid foundation...but only time will tell. I was a head coach, but now retired.
 
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wpialcoach said:
Long out of the game..too much politics lol...Once he admitted that, that was all they needed. He probably should have thought about keeping his job when he went into the first interview. I been around football long enough to know that if you don't have the horses, you can't run the race...and PR has been blessed, more so than most other schools. Eric is a great coach, but has had some real talent. Just look at the quarterbacks Eric has had the opportunity to coach, the lineman, the running backs that transferred in. I am not saying they will win every game without Eric, but I also do not think they will lose every game. Mike White said they lost 9 starters on D and 8 on the O, the new coach will need time, but he will win there. I am ok with the "rights of passage: but I recognize that todays day and age, some people are not. I am not sure if they will slip into mediocrity, they have a solid foundation...but only time will tell. I was a head coach, but now retired.
Click to expand...
Thank you for coaching.... tough job.
Very few kids are blessed athletes, most are average. Im a a believer that a coach developes talent. EX: Mike Pettine CBW 326-42-4 (33 years). Mike carey coached along side him for 23 years and took over when Pettine retired. CBW went 14-1 losing in OT in the state championship. Carey retiredafter one year. CBW was rocked by their own hazing scandle and the head coach who wasnt even at the school at the time got fired. Shame... he was a good coach and a nice guy. It took CBW almost 20 yrs to make a district final with just a couple of playoff appearances. Standing room only to practically nothing. Painful to watch a elite team team of PA fade into obscurity.
Be careful of the road your adm is taking you down.
I have no way to judge the future, but for the past.
 
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I've talked to a lot of people close to the program over the past 4 weeks. The reason this is still going on and won't stop is:

1. The hazing and crap didn't happen. That's the #1 thing that Coach K, the other coaches, and the players are really pissed about. Someone mentioned baggage - the goal is to get that cleared up. Stopping now does nothing for that.

2. The admin is awful in everything - sports, academics, teachers. I've said this for year. Non-sports people are on the bandwagon now in a big way.

3. Coach K and at least a couple other coaches aren't willing to throw away a decades worth of work because of the people in admin. They have the time and the resources to push this.

4. Coach K's son will be a freshman.

So, I understand people are tired of hearing about it, but until 1 and possibly 2 are rectified, its not going away. I believe these guys will fight tooth and nail. Admin started this, now they need to finish it,

A couple other notes:

1. Its interesting to me that the Coach K lawsuit announcement happens today, with a school board meeting Monday and an election tuesday. He and his team have kept this in the media for a month leading up to those things.

2. Some of the coaches on his staff won't probably coach again and some have already have plans for other jobs.

3. I'm in the camp that coaching matters. P-R has won 10 games 6 of the past 7 years. They went from 5-5 to 15-1 and stayed at that level. IMO, they are the best public school staff in the state by a wide margin. Maybe SJP is better, but these guy at P-R are at the top in scheme, motivation, etc.
 
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Bottom line..... The Adm. just doesnt like the guy. Its personal.
But thats no reason to make a mountain out of a mole hill and fire someone.
 
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I agree they don’t like the guy, but they did not break any laws. The are CYA. They made a mountain out of a mole hill and there’s nothing Coach K can do. Something happened or the admin would not have taken it this far. It is clear they are not backing down and have already moved on.....The coaching staff can have all the time and resources they want, don’t make a difference, the admin made their decision and have moved on. I’m not sure how this admin or teachers are terrible being PR was just ranked as one of the top schools. PR is also one of the top paying districts in western PA. The admin has already ended this, the press conference will change nothing. Eric got an attorney friend to do some talking. His lawsuit will merely get him compensated for not coaching this year. The school admin waited too long to not renew his contract and that may have prevented Eric from getting another job. They will pay him the 11k to go away. That’s no sweat to the PR administration, schools do it all the time. Coaching does matter, but a school like PR, with the facilities and athletes, will find a another quality coach. It’s inevitable.
 
Find another quality coach?
The bar has been set very high.
That may be alot tougher than you think.
Some coaches may fool themselves into believing that there's something in the PR water, but history shows thats not true. People who think everything will go on as usual in Title Town will be in for a rude awakening. I think some are selling false hope.
 
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I agree the bar has been set high by Coach K...he has done all the work...adjusted his offensive and defensive schemes to his talent, built a strength and conditioning program, included the youth programs, increased college recruiting, built a great staff, etc..He built all that for whomever will be taking over. The next HC will not have to do any of that work. The foundation is there. There were over 30 applicants for this job, they have quality candidates. They all know the X's and O's of football, they know how to prepare, how to game plan, how to coach. Getting to know the kids and the talent may take time. Adjustments will be ongoing. But Coach K did not reinvent football, it will still come down to the fundamentals and game planning. They have candidates that can do just that....all from the body of work that Eric laid out for them.

I feel bad for the assistants, Leihmeier and such, who were on their way to maybe becoming a head coach. This may have hurt them.
 
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