Best Coach in SEO

[Super trooper]

Howie Caldwell

[Ironman92]

The Maddox skepticism on here seems just silly. It truly truly does.

[beg003]

The Maddox skepticism on here seems just silly. It truly truly does.

He’s won a lot of games and is a great coach, I would know. With that said, we have had multiple teams in the last 5 years that could or should have been district champions. We have underachieved in the postseason, frankly.

[Knowitall222]

Just because a coach is a great guy , doesn't make him a great coach .

We can all have an opinion right? I know some think they know more or they know everything and think they are always right but it's not so Joe. Lol

[Ironman92]

Ok, Maddox has been the head coach of disappointing teams with his recent tournament outcomes.

2013 State Final 4
2014 District Finals
2015 District Finals
2016 District Semis losing to best VC team ever
2017 Sect Final to Logan Elm*
2018 District Semis to Unioto who went to regional
2019 District Semis to arguably best Jackson team ever

*2017 they were the 3 and lost to 6 seed and that’s their worst loss. Doug Stiverson and Logan Elm a chopped liver program and coach.

2x were 2 seed and lost to 3, no other “upsets”

So, he’s no longer in the best coach conversation anymore...he’s clearly just lost control of things too much. Now that we have established that, who do those who have proved his unworthiness think is the best coach in SEO?

[avalanche]

Norm Persin, and it isn't even close.

State Title

National Coach of the Year 09

700+ wins

Currently 3rd all-time in Ohio HS Basketball History.

[beg003]

Ok, Maddox has been the head coach of disappointing teams with his recent tournament outcomes.

2013 State Final 4
2014 District Finals
2015 District Finals
2016 District Semis losing to best VC team ever
2017 Sect Final to Logan Elm*
2018 District Semis to Unioto who went to regional
2019 District Semis to arguably best Jackson team ever

*2017 they were the 3 and lost to 6 seed and that’s their worst loss. Doug Stiverson and Logan Elm a chopped liver program and coach.

2x were 2 seed and lost to 3, no other “upsets”

So, he’s no longer in the best coach conversation anymore...he’s clearly just lost control of things too much. Now that we have established that, who do those who have proved his unworthiness think is the best coach in SEO?

The point is, we can’t get over that district hump. 2014 was a state level team, and 2015 and 2017 were regional level teams. And 2016 was a sectional final loss.

[Ironman92]

Ok, Maddox has been the head coach of disappointing teams with his recent tournament outcomes.

2013 State Final 4
2014 District Finals
2015 District Finals
2016 District Semis losing to best VC team ever
2017 Sect Final to Logan Elm*
2018 District Semis to Unioto who went to regional
2019 District Semis to arguably best Jackson team ever

*2017 they were the 3 and lost to 6 seed and that’s their worst loss. Doug Stiverson and Logan Elm a chopped liver program and coach.

2x were 2 seed and lost to 3, no other “upsets”

So, he’s no longer in the best coach conversation anymore...he’s clearly just lost control of things too much. Now that we have established that, who do those who have proved his unworthiness think is the best coach in SEO?

The point is, we can’t get over that district hump. 2014 was a state level team, and 2015 and 2017 were regional level teams. And 2016 was a sectional final loss.

And they lost to teams that went to the regionals.

Norm Persin hasn’t been great in the tournament the last few years either.

Persin, Maddox, Barrick, Combs, Stiverson, Buecler are all great coaches. Arey from Peebles is a great coach. Howie is right there. Several others are building that direction.

[final4]

Alex Eversole - Fairfield Union - 4 Straight District Finals/1 District Championship - 3 MSL Buckeye Titles... in 5 years.

[Ironman92]

Alex Eversole - Fairfield Union - 4 Straight District Finals/1 District Championship - 3 MSL Buckeye Titles... in 5 years.

Very good and successful. He’s put his name into the discussion. Coach Speed at Fairland as well.

[Fletchlives]

beg003,

Maybe you should apply since he seem to know what's best! You guys have a great coach and even better person....never happy are ya?

[JC2124]

I agree, Maddox is really good. You should be thankful you have him.

[beg003]

I think my point is being misunderstood. I believe Coach is one of the best in Southeast Ohio, no question. He always had us ready to play and we knew he cared deeply about us. I’m just saying some teams we have had have underachieved in the postseason for our standards, that’s all. I still have a great relationship with him today and I’m sure he feels the same way about a lot of this. Hope this clears it up a bit.

[mlittle]

I think my point is being misunderstood. I believe Coach is one of the best in Southeast Ohio, no question. He always had us ready to play and we knew he cared deeply about us. I’m just saying some teams we have had have underachieved in the postseason for our standards, that’s all. I still have a great relationship with him today and I’m sure he feels the same way about a lot of this. Hope this clears it up a bit.

There could be several reasons a team underachieves. Especially when you get into dealing with teenagers and also the politics of small schools. It happens and sometimes it’s just outside of a coaches reach.

[beg003]

I think my point is being misunderstood. I believe Coach is one of the best in Southeast Ohio, no question. He always had us ready to play and we knew he cared deeply about us. I’m just saying some teams we have had have underachieved in the postseason for our standards, that’s all. I still have a great relationship with him today and I’m sure he feels the same way about a lot of this. Hope this clears it up a bit.

There could be several reasons a team underachieves. Especially when you get into dealing with teenagers and also the politics of small schools. It happens and sometimes it’s just outside of a coaches reach.

Absolutely, it’s a two way street. My goal was to give a perspective of someone who has been in the program and seen it in a more personal way for four years. I’d take him over just about anybody.

[bman]

Doug Stiverson at Logan Elm - state tournament appearance, 4 district championships, 2 district runner-up, 5 league championships. First 10 years he was at LE, the MSL was an absolute grind. League has tailed off since then, but was at the same time LE had a bad downturn in boys sports. Basketball has remained competitive, despite that, and it should be coming back up.
Matt Combs at Vinton County, a school with not a lot of athletic tradition and he's turned that into a consistent program that has won multiple district championships.
Blaine Maddox, could you argue Warren should have won another district or two? That's fair. You also have to get their first and Warren is consistently one of the better programs in the district. That's worthy of being on the list.
Alex Eversole is a good young coach at Fairfield Union. Came through that Bloom-Carroll program under Tom Petty and you see some trademarks of that program, beginning on the defensive end.
There are several other coaches who are worthy of being on the list, some of which have been mentioned. I respect any coach who wants to help build kids into young men in today's trying environment.

[pfloyd]

Coming up with a list of the best of the best coaches Below the Lancaster-Dixon Line it obviously is ALL dependent on your criteria used ... if you put "state appearances" as your main criteria or making it to the regionals or sectional championships ... the more narrow you make it your criteria the more coaches you eliminate from consideration ... I've watched a whole bunch of basketball in SEO in my many years of traveling Southern/Southeast Ohio ... I have a good feel for what IS good basketball imo ... the coaches who have put together "systems" that work no matter the talent levels in any particular year ... I give high points to coaches who emphasize the basic fundamentals of the game at both ends of the floor, that hold ALL players - especially the best athletes - to being fundamentally sound ... I like Defensive minded coaches - these are the coaches who START building TEAMS from the defensive end of the floor out ... coaches who can mold players of talent with those who are the role players on the team to come up with a product on the court that knows how to get "W's" ... coaches who can make "in game" adjustments ... there are coaches on my list who I KNOW are worth points on the scoreboard based on their game decisions ... then you have coaches who are great "preparers" of their team for games - their TEAMS are ready from the opening tip to the final buzzer ... for what it is worth here's my list - these coaches imo "do it right" year in year out , these coaches I go out of my way to make sure I see their TEAMS play EVERY year :

Coach Maddox ... Warren Local
Coach Stiverson ... Logan Elm
Coach Beucler .... Eastern Brown
Coach Persin ...... Oak Hill
Coach Combs ..... Vinton County
Coach Howie Caldwell ... Trimble
Coach Collins .......... Portsmouth
Coach Morrow ......... Jackson
Coach Davis ........... Chesapeake
Coach Kellough ..... Zane Trace
Coach Hoops ......... Unioto
Coach Huffer ....... Chillicothe
Coach Speed ....... Fairland
Coach Eversole ..... Fairfield Union
Coach PJ Fitch ..... Ironton
Coach Barrick ...... Russell KY
Coach Arey ......... Peebles
Coach Vanderhoof ... Coal Grove
Coach Scott .......... Washington CH
Coach Stewart ...... McClain
Coach Carpenter .... Circleville
Coach Copas ....... North Adams

... ALL of these head coaches fit MY criteria - many are in the 300+ win club - some in the rare air of 400+ ... then Norm has 672 ! ... some are the younger generation of coaches who WILL get their 300+ W's if they stay in coaching - they are excellent, and have what it takes to develop "programs" that will compete year in , year out ... these are some of the best HC I have seen in my travels ...

[Leave No Doubt]

Howie Caldwell

It's a lot easier to coach when you have more talent than the teams you face and we all know Howdy chases the talent, soooo....

[mlittle]

Coming up with a list of the best of the best coaches Below the Lancaster-Dixon Line it obviously is ALL dependent on your criteria used ... if you put "state appearances" as your main criteria or making it to the regionals or sectional championships ... the more narrow you make it your criteria the more coaches you eliminate from consideration ... I've watched a whole bunch of basketball in SEO in my many years of traveling Southern/Southeast Ohio ... I have a good feel for what IS good basketball imo ... the coaches who have put together "systems" that work no matter the talent levels in any particular year ... I give high points to coaches who emphasize the basic fundamentals of the game at both ends of the floor, that hold ALL players - especially the best athletes - to being fundamentally sound ... I like Defensive minded coaches - these are the coaches who START building TEAMS from the defensive end of the floor out ... coaches who can mold players of talent with those who are the role players on the team to come up with a product on the court that knows how to get "W's" ... coaches who can make "in game" adjustments ... there are coaches on my list who I KNOW are worth points on the scoreboard based on their game decisions ... then you have coaches who are great "preparers" of their team for games - their TEAMS are ready from the opening tip to the final buzzer ... for what it is worth here's my list - these coaches imo "do it right" year in year out , these coaches I go out of my way to make sure I see their TEAMS play EVERY year :

Coach Maddox ... Warren Local
Coach Stiverson ... Logan Elm
Coach Beucler .... Eastern Brown
Coach Persin ...... Oak Hill
Coach Combs ..... Vinton County
Coach Howie Caldwell ... Trimble
Coach Collins .......... Portsmouth
Coach Morrow ......... Jackson
Coach Davis ........... Chesapeake
Coach Kellough ..... Zane Trace
Coach Hoops ......... Unioto
Coach Huffer ....... Chillicothe
Coach Speed ....... Fairland
Coach Eversole ..... Fairfield Union
Coach PJ Fitch ..... Ironton
Coach Barrick ...... Russell KY
Coach Arey ......... Peebles
Coach Vanderhoof ... Coal Grove
Coach Scott .......... Washington CH
Coach Stewart ...... McClain
Coach Carpenter .... Circleville
Coach Copas ....... North Adams

... ALL of these head coaches fit MY criteria - many are in the 300+ win club - some in the rare air of 400+ ... then Norm has 672 ! ... some are the younger generation of coaches who WILL get their 300+ W's if they stay in coaching - they are excellent, and have what it takes to develop "programs" that will compete year in , year out ... these are some of the best HC I have seen in my travels ...

And behind this list of coaches are a bunch of really good assistants. Sometimes those guys just don’t get the credit they deserve, nor the recognition.

[pfloyd]

Coming up with a list of the best of the best coaches Below the Lancaster-Dixon Line it obviously is ALL dependent on your criteria used ... if you put "state appearances" as your main criteria or making it to the regionals or sectional championships ... the more narrow you make it your criteria the more coaches you eliminate from consideration ... I've watched a whole bunch of basketball in SEO in my many years of traveling Southern/Southeast Ohio ... I have a good feel for what IS good basketball imo ... the coaches who have put together "systems" that work no matter the talent levels in any particular year ... I give high points to coaches who emphasize the basic fundamentals of the game at both ends of the floor, that hold ALL players - especially the best athletes - to being fundamentally sound ... I like Defensive minded coaches - these are the coaches who START building TEAMS from the defensive end of the floor out ... coaches who can mold players of talent with those who are the role players on the team to come up with a product on the court that knows how to get "W's" ... coaches who can make "in game" adjustments ... there are coaches on my list who I KNOW are worth points on the scoreboard based on their game decisions ... then you have coaches who are great "preparers" of their team for games - their TEAMS are ready from the opening tip to the final buzzer ... for what it is worth here's my list - these coaches imo "do it right" year in year out , these coaches I go out of my way to make sure I see their TEAMS play EVERY year :

Coach Maddox ... Warren Local
Coach Stiverson ... Logan Elm
Coach Beucler .... Eastern Brown
Coach Persin ...... Oak Hill
Coach Combs ..... Vinton County
Coach Howie Caldwell ... Trimble
Coach Collins .......... Portsmouth
Coach Morrow ......... Jackson
Coach Davis ........... Chesapeake
Coach Kellough ..... Zane Trace
Coach Hoops ......... Unioto
Coach Huffer ....... Chillicothe
Coach Speed ....... Fairland
Coach Eversole ..... Fairfield Union
Coach PJ Fitch ..... Ironton
Coach Barrick ...... Russell KY
Coach Arey ......... Peebles
Coach Vanderhoof ... Coal Grove
Coach Scott .......... Washington CH
Coach Stewart ...... McClain
Coach Carpenter .... Circleville
Coach Copas ....... North Adams

... ALL of these head coaches fit MY criteria - many are in the 300+ win club - some in the rare air of 400+ ... then Norm has 672 ! ... some are the younger generation of coaches who WILL get their 300+ W's if they stay in coaching - they are excellent, and have what it takes to develop "programs" that will compete year in , year out ... these are some of the best HC I have seen in my travels ...

And behind this list of coaches are a bunch of really good assistants. Sometimes those guys just don’t get the credit they deserve, nor the recognition.

mlittle ! when I was typing up my post I was thinking the exact same thing - some outstanding assistant coaches for sure ... Coach Easterday at the U, Coach Holbert/Coach Dropsey at LE, Coach Bell at Logan, Coach Helber at FU , Coach NJ Kight at VC, Coaches Colgrove/Mitchem/Coffman at Warren , Coach Mcknight at Ironton, Coach Beard Chillicothe, off the top of my head ... and there are many more excellent assistants in SEO ...