dwmiami wrote:Now that this is over I wanted to make a couple of clarifications.
1. Congratulations to Coach Barrick. He is a Hall of Famer for a reason and I remember back when I played, watching his teams play. I remember making a trip to St. Johns to watch him play Bishop Hartley and coach the Burleson boys. He awarded me with a player of the year trophy my senior year. I have a lot of respect for Coach and think he will do a great job with the talent that Eastern has coming.
2. I have a lot of empathy for Coach Fitch. Somehow this was turned into a me vs him thing at some point. When my personal life came to a crossroads in Pittsburgh and I knew I was coming home, I called everyone who I knew that might be able to help me find a teaching job, so that I may not be jobless. Neil happens to be someone that I respect a lot from my childhood and someone that I trust. At that time I was told that teaching may be an option if lots of circumstances happened, but that I would have to wait to be a Head Coach in Eastern School District until after Coach Fitch decided to hang it up. At no time ever was it talked about to get anything over on Coach. I don't know Coach Fitch personally, and everyone says nothing but great things about him as a person, but I would not wish having your coaching job taken away from you on anyone. I have had to leave two jobs myself because of things out of my control and it is hard to stop, to leave kids and to leave friends. I am just sorry that people turned it into this.
3. Neil has not been my step father for 18 years. I could count on one hand how many times in 18 years that Neil and I have hung out one on one together, without his daughters (my little sisters) being present. And I could probably count on my fingers and toes how many times I have seen him in those 18 years for longer than a couple minutes at a time. Neil and I created a bond during those years that created a lot of respect between the two of us. I was a gifted kid who was never going to be ready to play Division 1 basketball without someone to push me. He taught me the value of self discipline and hard work and I will never be able to thank him enough for that. As far as where I am from? I started school in Waverly Ohio and when my mother and father separated and my mother married Neil I became an Eastern kid. I was there from 3rd grade until my Jr. year of high school. I loved my friends and teammates at Piketon after I left, but I have always explained that I was an Eastern kid to everyone who asks me the story about where I went to school. I graduated from Piketon, my grandfather had a gym named after him at Western, my grandmother taught at Waverly and was on school board at Waverly for many years, my aunts taught and lived in Waverly, my great uncles played at Stockdale and Waverly... I say all this to say that I have had family and ties in every school. I AM FROM PIKE COUNTY in every sense of that phrase. I know people at every school and I still get called "Heckie Thompson's" grandson. With everything being tilted in my personal life I simply wanted to come home and work with kids who are growing up like I did and as long as my situation works out so that I can still do that, I will still plan to do just that.
In the end I want Eastern to do well (I want all Pike County kids to do well), I want Coach Barrick to do well, I want PJ to find peace and I hope for the kids sake that we can all just let coach do his job. I have seen the talent that they have coming up and Coach Barrick will have some tools to make a few runs real soon. I love basketball and will continue to do what I am passionate about. I have no hard feelings or ill will towards anyone or any decision. Coach Barrick is a great choice!
Doug,
Be proud of being "Heckie Thompson's" grandson(I know you are). And Nancy's, and Ruth's nephew, and Beth's, and Amy's, and Heckie's, your multitude of cousins-first, second and third, and your Mother! You come from an amazing family that stretches from Scioto County to Toledo. Many people in your family have accomplished many great things in life. But, be proud of the many great accomplishments you have made through your hard work and dedication to the game of basketball, life, and kids that share your dream of playing the game at the highest level as possible. You will find a place to land based on your accomplishments. Eastern was but one door that could have been open, and another will open for you. Your post shows the type of class that will carry you as far as you want to go!