The rift between the club coach and the high school coach is there. Let's talk about it!
There has been a long-standing debate/disagreement about the club coach's presence in the athlete's life once that athlete begins participating in school sports, whether it is track & field, baseball, basketball or tennis. The club coach has played an integral part in the athlete's life, probably since a very young age. Therefore, when it comes time for the athlete to participate on their high school team, put on a different uniform, it is sometimes hard to stand back and let someone else take over all they have built.
The club coach has introduced the athlete to the sport of track and field. They have used their own money to support the athlete, been their bus/cab driver, and in some cases, have been the only positive male figure in the athlete's life. In addition, they may have to deal with the everyday problems from family, boyfriend/girlfriend, pregnancies, death etc. A GOOD club coach tries to support their athletes in the off-season be it activities at school, talent shows, church or just checking on grades and encouraging them. The club coach is there long after the high school graduation.
There are plenty of high school coaches who remain in the lives of their athletes. Athletes still visit on college break; send weekly texts or calls about everything from changing a major to training. There are athletes who are married with families that still call for advice on life situations. At that point, you become a LIFE coach more than a Track coach.
The club coach doesn't get paid. They form their teams for the love of the sport. Only a handful of high school coaches have the passion of a club coach. Many club coaches were former athletes therefore they know what the athlete goes through from practice to meets, to successes, to failures. Many schools in our state fill the track coach position by whoever is in the district/school, has time on their hands, and wants to make extra money for the school year. These are what we call "paycheck coaches." The only knowledge they have of the sport is from a book, training CDs or YouTube. They simply attend the meets with the team and supervise (don't act like I am the only one who has seen this). Mr. Science Teacher is NOT a track coach! The club coach has to sit and watch what they have created, be blown apart by these "paycheck coaches". For this reason, alone club coaches have a difficult time letting go of that athlete.
The club coach has given his athletes all the tools that are necessary to succeed in high school. They arrive to school as a Mercedes Benz but in the hands of the wrong kind of school coach, they are quickly turned into a Pacer or Gremlin. If the high school coach was smart, they would let the club coach do all the work, but receive all the accolades and the paycheck. Years ago, there was an athlete was the girls' junior high long jump champion at 16'2". Upon arrival in high school, she rarely got past 14' under the high school coaches' tutelage and eventually dropped the event completely. She quickly became a Gremlin.
Yet, the school coach, whether good or bad, expects the athlete and parent to erase everything they have learned in life from their club coach. Some will say the club coach does not know what they are doing. There have been instances where the school coach tries to forbid the athlete to even talk to their club coach; even going as far as threatening to kick them off the school team. This puts the athlete in a tug of war between the two coaches; split between different coaching techniques and philosophies. They want to be on the school team, that is what they have been working toward, but they have also been trained most of their career by the club coach. How are they supposed to walk away from what made them successful? How are they supposed to listen to a school coach who only knows what he knows from a video? Some athletes then become rebellious, because they feel the club coach is family.
Don't get it twisted. Not all club coaches "walk on water". There are plenty of club coaches who work to undermine the school. They have the athletes so under their thumb, that the athlete rebels against anything that is not done the club coaches way. They say, "You are just a coach, but you aren't MY coach", or "I already have a coach" or "that's not the way my coach taught me how to do it". The club coach can interfere with the training/practices of the high school coach. Some club coaches talk athletes out of competing in certain events because to them it is only about a particular athlete, not the team. The club coach can have the attitude that the school team/coach is "just borrowing the athlete". In the St. Louis area, an excellent athlete deferred her senior year of school participation to be coached by a club coach but never consulted with the school, coach or team.
In recent years, there have been club teams pop up out of nowhere. They charge large amounts of money for fees that most families do not have. The coach gets the athlete/family excited about competing and attending the national meet. The qualifying meet soon arrives and they realize they do not have the money to pay for the trip. The coach, in a desperate attempt to save face, calls another coach who is going to the meet and tries to secure a ridge and lodging. The athlete/parent has never met or even talked with this other coach. Yet they are supposed to allow their child to go across the country with a total stranger. The athlete does not get to attend the biggest meet of the season even though they have worked to earn it. All the "fees" collected at the beginning of the season is pocketed by the coach. A few "bad" club coaches can ruin the school/club relationship quickly.
Some school coaches have created some monster programs, won titles, sent athletes off to college, forged lifetime relationships, and turned those kids into great adults. If you are a good school coach, rarely will a club coach get upset because he knows his athlete is in good hands. The perfect situation is the club coach happens to be the school coach. Now the club team is a feeder program for the school. That system worked locally for many years. A club was started under the exact same formula. The few club athletes went into the high school program ready to go, winning city, conference and sectional championships. What also happened is that those club kids brought the level of the team up. Those who were not club kids saw how it was done and became better athletes. A perfect example is Lincoln Way East under Coach Angelo Brown's leadership. This led to a state title last year.
In a perfect world, the club coach and high school coach would work together to improve the athlete. There are some places where they can co-exist. One day the club and high school coach will put aside their egos and find a way to work together for the betterment of the athlete.
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