Next Fairland Coach

[RationalVoice]

The next coach is anyone's guess, especially considering the BOE's recent work in the last year. By the way, virtually everyone in the Fairland district agrees that Ward did not have a "program" of any kind. He just showed up for the season and whatever happened...happened (no weights, no interest, no effort). McClung is a good coach, but I don't think he's interested.

[sider]

The next coach is anyone's guess, especially considering the BOE's recent work in the last year. By the way, virtually everyone in the Fairland district agrees that Ward did not have a "program" of any kind. He just showed up for the season and whatever happened...happened (no weights, no interest, no effort). McClung is a good coach, but I don't think he's interested.

My wrong for assuming, they had some success so I figured that he must of did something right...just and outsider looking in.

[highlightreel25]

This is all pretty crazy...I believe that Wilcoxon should be the coach again and for many reasons. Yeah I played for him and my opinion is not biased....He for one put money in the weight room let alone just having a weight program, He would be prepared at all times for practice and make sure that everyone was ready to go and had all their equipment....he would get everyone reps in practice and not just let anyone said around and do nothing...Yeah the board told him if they could not produce a winning season then they were gonna fire him and i believe that is a bunch of crap..His final year was 5-5 and without a few mental mistakes like fumbles by me in the redzone we go to the playoffs..so i dont wanna here anything about wilcoxon that is disrespectful because he is a great coach and he had a great staff around him as well...

Kersey25

[greenandwhiteboy]

whoever they decide to be coach they need to make it fast. cause like last year we waited till right before football season and it didnt give the kids enough time with snyder and not enough time for snyder to get to know us

[Buckeye-4-Life]

What happened to Synder? Is Fairland really looking for a new coach again?

[greenandwhiteboy]

snyder was a 1 year only coach he is retiring next year

[Ump]

I know it will never be done with the BOE FHS has, but why not post this job for the public to bid on. Ive heard in the past several years area coaches interested in the Fairland job. Why keep going back to the same empty well year after year. People griped about Snyder,then Ward, then Wilcoxen...... Same ol same ol. If things are broken why not try fixing them. Not just patch them up for another year. It seems the BOE just wants to continue with the good ol boy system year after year. I feel for the seniors on this years (08)team. They were a very talented group in pee wee and MS. It was a shame to see themm 5-5. They deserved better. And there seems to be some very good talent coming behind them. Until some body grows a set of nads I dont think the Green and White will be a threat in the OVC. GET A COACH. For the kids sake.

[fhsfan]

UMP,

You do realize that Wilcoxen was an outside hire correct? Brent was not a teacher at Fairland when he was hired to coach. He was given 4 years and there was no real progress with good talent. Also, the job has been posted inside the district which must happen before it can be posted outside. Now that the posting has occurred, we will see if it is posted on the outside. Although from what I have heard in the village, it looks like Dave Carroll is the favorite of the most influential board member.

[Ump]

fhsfan

I dont know if you are aware of the circumstances surrounding the hiring of Wilcoxen. If I'm noy mistaken (and I dont think I am) Ward didn't apply for the job that year and Snyder thought he had. When it came time to hire Ward, Snyder was informed no one had applied. This happened at the BOE meeting ment to hire Ward and other coaches. Wilcoxen was a last minute hire, so to speak, because they had no one else. I have several good friends in the FHS district that got this info directly from a board member present at the meeting. Some of these friends were Wilcoxen supporters, so I wouldn't expect them to be biased with negatives about him.
The names I've heard in the past, who were interested in the FHS job, are a few very sucessfull area coaches. One from Ohio and one from WV. I would just like to see Fairland get back on track. It's a shame the Harris situation happened the way it did. Now there was a great coach. But that's just my opinion.

[RationalVoice]

fhsfan,
I respectfully disagree with the assertion that there was no real progress under Wilcoxen. I know a couple of his assistants, and have some younger relatives still in school (so, I know several kids that played for Wilcoxen, too). With some other inside info, I can tell you the following:
*they went from 30-some players before to 50-some his last 2 years
*he had weight room improvements & a weight program for the first time in many years at Fairland
*besides his first year (which was a wash because of his late hiring), he never had a senior class that had any success in younger grades. So, there may have been a little individual talent, but there wasn't lot of talent
*a couple of breaks here & there and they could have won the OVC & made the playoffs his last year
*he had a good relationship with the FYFL (which no other coach has tried to get)
*kids who wanted a shot at college ball got one (unlike before)
*from 99-2003, Fairland had one winning season. So, it's not like he took over an established program. It was in bad shape
**Not to mention virtually every parent & player supporting him...
The BOE either needs to hire him back or go outside for someone. Anything else would be a huge mistake.

[fhsfan]

Rational,

I do not want to be confrontational, but I just think we see things a little differently. I would not mind seeing Wilcoxen back, but I do think he would need to change things. Too many times, I would see kids not practice all week but play on Friday. I do not think he held his players as accountable as possible. Again, not to be confrontational, but I think he would even admit he needed to do some things differently. However I will go through your points to give my thoughts.

*They would start with 50 some guys in the weight room before the season, but he always ended the season with far fewer players. I was at alot of games and I do not remember seeing 50 guys on the sidelines. I will give you he created interest, but there were also problems with some of the kids he would get out. Grades, attitudes in class, etc...

*Check for you on the weight room. He worked hard in the weight room.

*He had talent and I will argue that one. The first year is not a wash. That was a Senior/Junior laden team that went to the playoffs the year before. Due to a lack of discipline, the team often killed itself. Also, in subsequent years, the same players won in every other sport (Basketball, baseball, track, etc...). There was talent in the program. We can debate why they did not win (injuries, discipline, luck, etc...), but you cannot say there was no talent. Remember what you do in the youth leagues means nothing come high school.

*There were just as many parents against him than for him. Otherwise we would not be in this position.

*Check for you on the college part. He did work hard to help kids.

*Check on the relationship with FYFL.

*Check on the 99-2003, but he took over a team that just went to playoffs. I think his record never went above .500 which is where I meant there was no progress.


As far as the next hire, I agree there is too much of a good boys network at Fairland. They definitely do not look at most qualified in our district anymore.

Ok, I am out. Good luck on the hire and Go Dragons.

[ohbuckeye2]

Rational,

I do not want to be confrontational, but I just think we see things a little differently. I would not mind seeing Wilcoxen back, but I do think he would need to change things. Too many times, I would see kids not practice all week but play on Friday. I do not think he held his players as accountable as possible. Again, not to be confrontational, but I think he would even admit he needed to do some things differently. However I will go through your points to give my thoughts.

*They would start with 50 some guys in the weight room before the season, but he always ended the season with far fewer players. I was at alot of games and I do not remember seeing 50 guys on the sidelines. I will give you he created interest, but there were also problems with some of the kids he would get out. Grades, attitudes in class, etc...

*Check for you on the weight room. He worked hard in the weight room.

*He had talent and I will argue that one. The first year is not a wash. That was a Senior/Junior laden team that went to the playoffs the year before. Due to a lack of discipline, the team often killed itself. Also, in subsequent years, the same players won in every other sport (Basketball, baseball, track, etc...). There was talent in the program. We can debate why they did not win (injuries, discipline, luck, etc...), but you cannot say there was no talent. Remember what you do in the youth leagues means nothing come high school.

*There were just as many parents against him than for him. Otherwise we would not be in this position.

*Check for you on the college part. He did work hard to help kids.

*Check on the relationship with FYFL.

*Check on the 99-2003, but he took over a team that just went to playoffs. I think his record never went above .500 which is where I meant there was no progress.


As far as the next hire, I agree there is too much of a good boys network at Fairland. They definitely do not look at most qualified in our district anymore.

Ok, I am out. Good luck on the hire and Go Dragons.

Just how good was the Fairland team (7-4) that made the playoffs in 2003 that Wilcoxin inherited??? Here is their schedule and records.


Portsmouth West..........(4-6)...[4:15]....W....20-18 ot
Tolsia (WV).................(5-3)...[5:0].....L.....0-13
Winfield (WV)..............(2-6)...[4:0].....W....18-13
Sciotoville Comm schl......(4-6)...[6:23]...W....19-6
Meigs........................(2-8)...[3:11]...W....29-0
South Point.................(4-6)...[4:15]....L.....27-28
Chesapeake................(8-3)...[5:19]....L.....21-35
Dawson-Bryant............(1-9)....[5:19]....W....35-15
Rock Hill....................(7-4)...[4:15]....W....21-7
River Valley................(6-4)...[4:15].....W....20-3

PLAYOFFS
Martins Ferry...............(9-3)...[4:15].....L.....6-56

[RationalVoice]

fhsfan,
I respect your opinions. I'm not trying to be argumentative. Just a couple of points (we'll probably have to agree to disagree, which is fine)...
*I stand by my point that the 1st year was a wash. They lost several starters from the 2003 team & the late hire was very tough to overcome.
*I stand by my point about the talent level. There's not a 100% correlation between lower level success and high school success, but if they don't ever have success, it's probably true that they're not overly talented.
*With all due respect, I'm completely correct about the parents. Virtually all of them supported him. He's in this position because the voice of the minority caught the ear of 3 board members.
*I do agree with the "changes" comment. I saw his middle school team this year & he seemed to adjust to the style & degree of the talent level...really didn't throw that much.
No offense intended. We just disagree some. I hope I'm finished with this topic.

[peake450]

Give it to Wade and let him run the peake offense and see what speed can do for you. Get away from the NFL offense. With the talent and speed Fairland has its a shame they don't win 8 or 9 every year.

[bucking red]

Who is Wade?

[sportsnut mom]

Fhs fan- why do you sappose kids sat all week but then played? I know several had injuries and until the doctor or trainer released him-he could not practice. That to me was the coaches trying to get kids healthy. Plus those kids with "problems" as you said, I'd rather they be at practice for 2 hours than hanging out for 2 hours.
As far as parents against- many people go out of their way to tell how bad someone is doing while few talk about how good things are going. That's true to not only sports but to most topics- people love to be heard when there's a complaint. Where were those people during all of the meetings? No one spoke up and stated their grievances but a lot of players and adults came to speak in favor of keeping that staff.

[peake450]

Hey Red, that would be Wade Maddox

[tomcatfan]

Im telling you 740-767-3434 that is Trimble High Schools number. Give them a call if you want to win

[Just_A_Fan]

Im telling you 740-767-3434 that is Trimble High Schools number. Give them a call if you want to win

[sider]

Rational,

I do not want to be confrontational, but I just think we see things a little differently. I would not mind seeing Wilcoxen back, but I do think he would need to change things. Too many times, I would see kids not practice all week but play on Friday. I do not think he held his players as accountable as possible. Again, not to be confrontational, but I think he would even admit he needed to do some things differently. However I will go through your points to give my thoughts.

*They would start with 50 some guys in the weight room before the season, but he always ended the season with far fewer players. I was at alot of games and I do not remember seeing 50 guys on the sidelines. I will give you he created interest, but there were also problems with some of the kids he would get out. Grades, attitudes in class, etc...

*Check for you on the weight room. He worked hard in the weight room.

*He had talent and I will argue that one. The first year is not a wash. That was a Senior/Junior laden team that went to the playoffs the year before. Due to a lack of discipline, the team often killed itself. Also, in subsequent years, the same players won in every other sport (Basketball, baseball, track, etc...). There was talent in the program. We can debate why they did not win (injuries, discipline, luck, etc...), but you cannot say there was no talent. Remember what you do in the youth leagues means nothing come high school.

*There were just as many parents against him than for him. Otherwise we would not be in this position.

*Check for you on the college part. He did work hard to help kids.

*Check on the relationship with FYFL.

*Check on the 99-2003, but he took over a team that just went to playoffs. I think his record never went above .500 which is where I meant there was no progress.


As far as the next hire, I agree there is too much of a good boys network at Fairland. They definitely do not look at most qualified in our district anymore.

Ok, I am out. Good luck on the hire and Go Dragons.

Just how good was the Fairland team (7-4) that made the playoffs in 2003 that Wilcoxin inherited??? Here is their schedule and records.


Portsmouth West..........(4-6)...[4:15]....W....20-18 ot
Tolsia (WV).................(5-3)...[5:0].....L.....0-13
Winfield (WV)..............(2-6)...[4:0].....W....18-13
Sciotoville Comm schl......(4-6)...[6:23]...W....19-6
Meigs........................(2-8)...[3:11]...W....29-0
South Point.................(4-6)...[4:15]....L.....27-28
Chesapeake................(8-3)...[5:19]....L.....21-35
Dawson-Bryant............(1-9)....[5:19]....W....35-15
Rock Hill....................(7-4)...[4:15]....W....21-7
River Valley................(6-4)...[4:15].....W....20-3

PLAYOFFS
Martins Ferry...............(9-3)...[4:15].....L.....6-56

Just from the outside looking in, they only beat one legit team that year, Rock Hill. West was bad that year, and River Valley was only decent. I don't know much about that team, thats just an outside observation. As far as Wilcoxen, I never played for Fairland, but I played against his teams, and it seemed like they had a lot of minor injuries (cramps and things of that nature), and even though his offense was very good, it seemed that the defense was never up to snuff. Thats just my opinion, not saying he was bad or good, just throwing in my two cents.