Portsmouth Trojans 2023-24

[SpaceJamMan]

Posting on OHSAA needing games for Dayton Northridge. Decision been made yall just in denial

[trojandave]

I agree with the above posters about a decision has to be made soon, with the school year being very close to starting.

If Jeff Lisath will no longer be the coach, then remember that a whole new staff must be hired with the new varsity coach. This sounds like an easy task, but it is not. You have to have a varsity assistant, a JV coach, and a freshmen coach unless it has been decided to combine the freshmen and JV players.

The coaching hire should have already taken place. The school board owes the players the best hire they can make. Can the school board hire someone that is willing to make a long term commitment? Having a coach leave after 1 year is not the best way to build a program that was just starting to get its legs back under it.

With the transfers that have come to Portsmouth, the Trojans look to have a very competitive team, but like any ship, you need a captain to guide it through the tough waters that will inevitably come.

The PHS basketball job is one where the banners will always stare you down every time you enter Trojan Arena. Not everybody is suited to take on the challenge of resurrecting a program that has been the gold standard for SE basketball for 100 years.

[trojandave]

PInwheel: Is your post about possible coaches.......a rumor, wishful thinking, or some fire with the smoke?

I hear a lot of things myself but the names you posted have completely thrown me off the trail. I've lost the scent.

[Prime Time]

TrojanDave, Why in the world wouldn’t the school system do everything possible to find Coach Lisath a job in the school system and work out the salary with him. His hire would be a giant boost to entire Trojan community. In my eyes anything less would be a slap to the Trojan followers in community and the kids in entire school system. His hire would be like Urban Meyer being hired at Ohio State but the Portsmouth School System would benefit on many facets in both the schools and community. I hope this hire hasn’t already been decided weeks ago but from reading this it seems they’re keeping there decision hid until last second for some reason. Southeastern Ohio would add another great role model for the kids. Up in Glouster, Howie just retired and they lost a great mentor and basketball Coach . Good Luck to both party’s involved here that the outcome is a favorable one for Portsmouth.

[trojandave]

Stopped by Superintendent McCorkle's office today, and he told me that Jeff Lisath is still the basketball coach at PHS. I told him that a decision on his future has to be made very soon, and he told me that Jeff has indicated he will inform Mr. McCorkle at the end of this week. He told me that there is no current job available to offer Jeff, so in all likelihood he will stay in Dayton at Northridge unless Jeff has plans otherwise.

I did ask the Super if the job would open up to outside the district, and he told me that it would be open to anyone. Right now he felt that he wasn't sure that anybody (teachers or other coaches) in house would be willing to take the job. I did tell him that a hire has to be made soon because the school year starting is just around the corner, and I also added that hiring a new coach will also require a whole new staff. I also said that the current players have to get some time to know their new coach and his staff.

I asked him about the financial health of the district, since at the last school board meeting the public was informed that the district was on fiscal watch. He told me that currently the administration is still trying to straighten out the situation.

My final point with Mr.McCorkle was that I told him that the basketball program at PHS is a very important sport to the community, and he acknowledged that. The Super was principal at Wheelersburg for 9 years. He was very cordial in giving me the time to talk to him, and I sincerely appreciated that.

[trojandave]

PrimeTime: We as a community would love to see Jeff retained as our coach, but evidently it is just not possible due to the lack of a job opening for him. If it doesn't work out, and it certainly looks that way, we must go on. Hopefully the PCSD will hire another coach who can carry on the momentum that Jeff started last season with a 17-7 record and the 1st trip to the Convo since 2017. There are other coaches out there who would probably like to take on the challenge of Trojan basketball.

[shoelace]

So has Northridge hired a new coach

[trojandave]

A decision has to made ASAP. This has gone on long enough. Yesterday was supposed to be the deadline for a yea or nay decision by Coach Lisath.

[BandWagon]

Any update with what’s going on?

[ItsMyOpinion]

My understanding is the coach his finally resigned his position at Portsmouth HS. I'm not sure but I was told last week he was listed as the head boys basketball coach at Northridge H.S. so I'm not sure why this resignation didn't happen last week.

Regardless, it's time for Portsmouth to move forward and find a coach that can dedicate his full attention to the position. Portsmouth Basketball is still Portsmouth Basketball. Yes .... it has hit a few bumps in recent years but it still has the potential to be a good job.

I'm just a basketball fan like everybody else here so I don't know the right way to turn Portsmouth Basketball back into a great program. From the outside looking in, it seems like an emphasis on the youth program would be a necessity. Of course that is just my opinion.

Best of luck moving forward.

[BandWagon]

I saw Jeff Lisath made a post on here yesterday saying he would let us know if he was coming back or not but now it’s deleted so i don’t know what’s happening

[Prime Time]

I was thinking the same thing Bandwagon about that post. Itsmyopinion looks like your probably right ,But until Coach Lisath says he's not Coaching, I consider your post heresay! I just find it mind blowing that the Portsmouth School District couldn't make this happen , just mind blowing if it's true! Good Luck in your future Coach Lisath wherever that takes you, all I. all I can say is Wow!

[BandWagon]

Whoever the coach is he’s going to have good looking team having 4 transfers Connie Thomas, Dea Dea Woods, Logan Adkins and Crishawn Dukes

[Rza1]

Pretty sure that lisath was at least some of the reason they transferred.... and it's a darn shame...for them an all the kids at Portsmouth.. runnin a tight ship down there sounds like.... lol

[Pinwheel]

Pretty sad that someone that claimed this to be his dream job do his hometown like this..
No one cared if he wanted to roll with the money it's simple and I don't blame him but when he is in Dayton looking for summer games for Northridge ridge and Portsmouth is only getting 3 or four playing days out of 15 is sad.

All l the people wanted to know is where he stood

[BuckeyeBlood]

Pretty sure that lisath was at least some of the reason they transferred.... and it's a darn shame...for them an all the kids at Portsmouth.. runnin a tight ship down there sounds like.... lol

Stupid post, this has nothing to do with the school. They don’t have a job for him, he knew that when he took the job initially. They told him they’d try to find him one, they were not able to. With powers that be way higher than the school board on their butts about finances there was no job to be had, especially at the level of pay he wanted because that’s what he was making in Dayton. So it has nothing to do with how tight than ship has been ran moron.

[Rza1]

Pretty sure that lisath was at least some of the reason they transferred.... and it's a darn shame...for them an all the kids at Portsmouth.. runnin a tight ship down there sounds like.... lol

Stupid post, this has nothing to do with the school. They don’t have a job for him, he knew that when he took the job initially. They told him they’d try to find him one, they were not able to. With powers that be way higher than the school board on their butts about finances there was no job to be had, especially at the level of pay he wanted because that’s what he was making in Dayton. So it has nothing to do with how tight than ship has been ran moron.

Lol. I was talkin about the basketball program and the lack of communication...moron. you brought up how well the school in general is bein run... lol.

[BuckeyeBlood]

Pretty sure that lisath was at least some of the reason they transferred.... and it's a darn shame...for them an all the kids at Portsmouth.. runnin a tight ship down there sounds like.... lol

Stupid post, this has nothing to do with the school. They don’t have a job for him, he knew that when he took the job initially. They told him they’d try to find him one, they were not able to. With powers that be way higher than the school board on their butts about finances there was no job to be had, especially at the level of pay he wanted because that’s what he was making in Dayton. So it has nothing to do with how tight than ship has been ran moron.

Lol. I was talkin about the basketball program and the lack of communication...moron. you brought up how well the school in general is bein run... lol.

That makes your post even more pathetic. Just shows you have zero clue the nonsense you’re spewing. The only lack of communication has been between the school and coach Lisath. Coach has actually addressed the players on numerous occasions. The actual basketball program has been just fine. Coach Aaron Smith was really involved all summer, he’s been very transparent with the kids, he’s unlocked the gym for them to have access, he’s still been raising money for the team. See you didn’t know any of that though, because you just like to come on here and talk out of your ass. Also the school is ran fine, I’m not sure it’s on the actual school to be at fault because the former SI, his secretary and a board member were stealing money to fund personal vacations, trips, dinners and so on.

[trojandave]

I spoke up publicly for Jeff Lisath at the last school board meeting, so I feel I have a right to say what I'm about to say.......

There's no shortage of blame as to how this ended up in August with Portsmouth HS looking for a new coach. First, the administration let this drag on way too long considering there was not a job available for Jeff. Despite this, he was rehired in May to be the basketball coach. I don't see the rationale by the administration of rehiring a coach who didn't have a job in the school system where one was not available, and yet still had residence in Dayton. Also did they take into consideration that Jeff traveled to and from Dayton last season with the possibility that he wasn't going to do it again this coming season? So why didn't they at the May board meeting inform Jeff that no job was available within the PCSD, and that the logistics of traveling back and forth was not the best thing for the program? They should have told him either relocate or he can't hired back as the HC. A deadline for a yea or nay decision should have been made long before the calendar turned to August. Instead, the administration couldn't seem to decide what to decide.

Now for Jeff Lisath......I and a whole bunch of people spoke up for him publicly at the July board meeting yet he basically gave no clear picture as to what his intentions were. Why didn't he coach the team in June, the "second basketball season"? He left it up to Aaron Smith to basically fend for himself as he scrambled to find scrimmages, all the while we saw just a glimpse of Jeff during this time, but not coaching. Then there was the OHSAA advertisement looking for games for Dayton Northridge with Jeff's name attached to it. Many were suspicious about this ad, and for good reason. Jeff was just rehired for the PHS HC job, yet he was publicly looking for games for D.Northridge. How else were people in Portsmouth supposed to look at this? He can't serve two masters when he's the official coach of Portsmouth HS. He did not handle this well nor did the administration. It was bungled on two fronts.

If his intention was to stay in Dayton and make the big bucks, I have no qualms with that. His filibustering as to whether to keep the job or not was reminiscent of what happened 15 years ago, when he was up for the job, but took almost 2 months to decline the offer. Thank goodness Eugene Collins hung in there and patiently waited for the job, keeping it for 14 years, turning a once proud program around with 201 career wins and 2 Final 4 appearances.

Now we're faced with a similar situation these 15 years later, looking for a HC, but now also a varsity assistant, a JV coach, and a freshmen coach. Kevin Monroe and Joe Greene coach the JH, so we're in good shape there. About 99% of the varsity coaching vacancies though have been filled with summer winding down. I nominate Aaron Smith to the be the next HC, because he was varsity assistant last season, and did an admirable job handling the team in June scrimmages, in addition to conducting open gym regularly. He could always lean on former outstanding PHS coaches Tom Smith (Aaron's father) and Eugene Collins for advice on how to deal with the nuances and demands that are unique to Trojan basketball.

Whether the administration considers Aaron a serious candidate, I have no idea. All I know is we Trojan fans and alumni are left wondering what's next? Can this be righted in time so that the kids returning can have faith that the next Trojan HC and staff will be the best that they could hire? They at the very least deserve that.

[ItsMyOpinion]

Dave, Great Post. It is unfortunate that things played out the way they did. I'm not sure why the coach decided to handle things the way he did because it put PHS in a very bad situation. It was pretty obvious that he had no intentions to return to PHS since he didn't work with the team all summer and was trying to get games for Northridge most of the summer. Regardless of why he did that to PHS that is water under the bridge.

It's now time to move forward and get a coach that will be able to give 100% of the time and energy into the coaching position. I'm not sure who will be available at this time but Portsmouth Basketball is still Portsmouth Basketball. I'm sure there will be a lot of interest in this position. Hopefully they will find somebody to fill the position and get the program back to its former glory.