Fairland Non-Renews Coach Wilcoxon

[bgmonster]

I don't think anyone can argue that Snyder has the experience but there are several other issues that make you wonder what the Board was thinking. First, it's been rumored pretty strongly that Coach Snyder is retiring after next year. If that's the case, I don't see how another short-term coach can help the program. Another thing, I believe Coach Snyder is the baseball coach as well as the AD. The AD is a year round position and most football coaches I know work pretty much year round too. I don't see how the guy is going to have the time to give the program the attention it needs and handle his other duties too.

[Ump]

Why not do a search for a long term expirienced coach. One with a succesful past. I've heard a very successful WV coach was wanting to come to Ohio to teach and coach. was the job ever posted outside the school district?

[the pooper]

sportsnut mom, i only see one losing record in 12 years. i see 3 out of 4 with one .500 season in wilcoxin. i fail to see the similarities you speak of?? and the program took off even more once jack harris took over. fairland has had a lot better program then you want to give credit for.

[sportsnut mom]

Pooper, let's hope this year is better than ever. I hope a HUGE team comes out and nobody can stop 'em. I hope the stands are full and people are actually cheering instead of stirring the pot.

[the pooper]

well at least we can agree on one thing sportsnut mom

[osunut77]

it wouldn't be like fairland to hire a long term coach, not anymore at least. i know they passed over coach lucas a couple years ago for coach wilcoxin, even though i'm not complaining, but i'm sure he would've been a long term coach again. i wish all the best to the team but it'll be up to the team to win the games because coach snyder's mind will be somewhere else at least until june.

[MTSWNGRVSG]

Things will work out fine.

[the pooper]

well u don't have to worry about coach snyders mind being somewhere until june, the man knows football!!

[catch22]

congratulations to coach Snyder, he coached against me when I played and I thought he done a good job then. just glad all of this is over and we can move on. I know everyone had their own opinion and thats fine. time to play football now. hope all the boys come out and make a great year out of it.

[getagrip]

I think it's good that he coaches another sport. That used to be common. Coaches were coaches throughout the year. Too much unnecessary "specialization" of coaches (and players, for that matter) nowadays. I don't see how coaching another sport is a detriment to football.

[osunut77]

what's wrong with a coach being the best at one thing with others that are the best at what they are?

[earp]

Article today in the Huntington paper about Fairlands new coach here it is:

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/sports/highschool

[getagrip]

Boy, Gorby and the H-D have really been on top of this story. They ignore all the controversy over Wilcoxon, then do the puff piece after Snyder is hired. Pathethic. Gorby lives in Proctorville, so he knew what was going on. Doesn't he coach in the Fairland system? Guess he didn't want to ruffle any feathers by just reporting what happened. Sad we have a newspaper that completely ignored the controversy over Wilcoxon being let go.

[earp]

I am not really seeing how you get that??It is more or less an article about his record and his coaching resume.THATS ALL

[getagrip]

I am not really seeing how you get that??It is more or less an article about his record and his coaching resume.THATS ALL

You're right - that's all it is, and that's the problem.
Gorby and the H-D found it newsworthy that Fairland has a new coach, but completely ignored the controversy over Wilcoxon getting the ax. And then, in his story on Snyder, Gorby writes the following:

"Snyder said he is eager to get started. He said his biggest adjustment will be getting the players to 'buy the product' that he has to sell. With a resume that includes 115 career victories as a head coach, it shouldn't be a hard sell."

Are you kidding me? He ignored the controversy over the decision to fire Wilcoxon. If it was newsworthy that Fairland hired a new coach, it certainly should have been newsworthy when Fairland got rid of its coach. Gorby ran for school board last year, so maybe he didn't want to write about anything controversial surrounding the school board. If that's the case, he shouldn't be writing at all.

There were legitmate reasons to get rid of Wilcoxon, but how it went down and how his replacement was selected seems really fishy to me. On Feb. 11, the board voted 3-2 to reject a motion to renew his contract.

Then, on Feb. 28, the board had a special meeting and approved another motion, 3-2, to "non-renew" Wilcoxon.

At the board's meeting in early March, the board votes to hire Snyder. That's a really fast hire. How long was this job posted? It does not appear there was an honest attempt to hire the best candidate. Maybe it is Snyder. He has a decent record and is probably a good coach, but the board certainly didn't cast a wide net to try to get the best coach. Instead, the board cast the smallest net possible to, in my opinion, get the one fish it wanted without having to consider anyone else.

[bucking red]

It had been a done deal for awhile and I think it was a different Gorby that ran for school board.

[bike111]

I said this a week before the hiring of Snyder:

Mark My word

2008
Snyder HC
McClung Asst
Ward Asst

2009
McClung HC
Ward Asst

Snyder (retired)

And yes it was a different Gorby that ran for BOE

[the pooper]

while i don't necessarily agree with the hire, coach snyder is an awesome coach and man. coach snyder wont be around long,which is why i question the hire, so there will be another new coach introduced soon. i think the board felt enough was enough with wilcoxin and got the best candidate available. i do recall the parents on here complaining to get someone fast. when they do hire someone fast, they are still complaining. the board didn't have anyone outside the district apply that im aware of.

[2trap_4ever]

sometime to go forward you have to go back, it has worked with the grove, so hopefully it will work for you guys to(except when you play us)

[bgmonster]

I think the complaint with parents was not the issue of hiring someone fast, but giving someone enough time to build a program. A lot of people felt that Wilcoxen was well on the road to doing just that. Also, for every year since Wilcoxen was hired he's not known if he was going to be renewed until almost time for the season to start. I believe one time it was almost August before he knew if the board was going to re-new his contract. There was talk last year about Snyder being hired but when it came down to a vote, Mayo sided with Wilcoxen. Unfortunately, Mayo has moved on to bigger pastures and Lewis' vote tipped the scale this year. What I don't get is how it can be good for a program to hire someone for a year, knowing he's gonna retire, and then start over the following year with a new hire. Why not just let Wilcoxen stay for another year or hire someone you know can commit for the next few years? It was before my time, but can someone comment on the state of the OVC during the years that Snyder coached?