Buckeye Local Football - your thoughts?????????????

[Rookie]

Since 2010, the in-house head coaches and their staffs have been trying to rebuild a once successful program. Obviously that takes time, more than ten weeks of time, but not 60 plus weeks. During those years the 'victories' may not have been on the scoreboard as much as they are on the game tapes. Improvements...large and small, improvements in technique, improvements in recognition, improvements in handling specific assignments and a team’s sense of a accomplishments year after year. The vast majority of fans, etc., won't even notice these kinds of victories. Coaches are teachers, and the question isn’t how many games the program has won, but did the coaches/players improve every week/year? IMO total failure = F-

Since 2010 there have been several assistant coaches that have left.
Since 2010 there has been several athletic players transfer to other schools.
Since 2010 there has been a decline in players at all levels.
Since 2010 there has been a decline in support of the program.
Since 2010 there has been a decline in game attendance home and especially away games.
Since 2010 there have been no improvements in the program at any level.

The current coaching staff includes the former 2010 HC and four others that don’t have much if any coaching background. The only positive note is RR.

What is it going to take to rebuild this program?

[trustno1]

You left out the most important part....since 2010 they have had little talent. I'm not sure any coach can get his program back to being a playoff contender without more and better athletes living in the SD.

[Jello Man]

Try to put yourself in a teenager's position.

Would you be excited to play for St. Clairsville's Brett McLean? Probably.

Would you be excited to play for Harrison Central's Justin Kropka? Probably.

Would you be excited to play for Indian Creek's Andrew Connor? Maybe.

Would you be excited to play for Martins Ferry's (and all the tradition they have) Dave Bruney? Maybe.

Would you be excited to play for Buckeye Local's Phil Pest?

[gjalways]

Phil Pest is a great guy, but I think it's going to take someone young and energetic to rebuild the program. Problem is though, with the BS and politics in the district, what young coach is really going to want the job?

The talent in the district might not be outstanding, but I'd imagine there's some talent walking the halls that doesn't want to play for one reason or another. Need to come up with a way to get those kids excited about football. Most programs have their ups and downs, and I don't think anyone's expecting Buckeye to be pumping out playoff teams year in and year out. Every program is going to have a down year, but there's no reason for back to back 1-9 seasons (and probably looking at a 3rd in a row). Should have been more progress so far, at least floating around the .500 mark.

Look at Ferry. Their last losing season was 2005. Since then, a down year for them has been 6-4 or 5-5. What's the difference? It's the same kind of kids that go to Buckeye. There's nothing different about a kid from Ferry, or St. Clairsville, or Dillonvale.

I guess the answer would probably a younger coach with something to prove and to get the kids at Buckeye excited about football. Like Jello Man said, a Brett McLean or Justin Kropka type guy.

[Champ Kind]

Phil Pest is a great guy, but I think it's going to take someone young and energetic to rebuild the program. Problem is though, with the BS and politics in the district, what young coach is really going to want the job?

The talent in the district might not be outstanding, but I'd imagine there's some talent walking the halls that doesn't want to play for one reason or another. Need to come up with a way to get those kids excited about football. Most programs have their ups and downs, and I don't think anyone's expecting Buckeye to be pumping out playoff teams year in and year out. Every program is going to have a down year, but there's no reason for back to back 1-9 seasons (and probably looking at a 3rd in a row). Should have been more progress so far, at least floating around the .500 mark.

Look at Ferry. Their last losing season was 2005. Since then, a down year for them has been 6-4 or 5-5. What's the difference? It's the same kind of kids that go to Buckeye. There's nothing different about a kid from Ferry, or St. Clairsville, or Dillonvale.

I guess the answer would probably a younger coach with something to prove and to get the kids at Buckeye excited about football. Like Jello Man said, a Brett McLean or Justin Kropka type guy.

Lost cause. It's just a bad district top to bottom.

[Rookie]

You left out the most important part....since 2010 they have had little talent. I'm not sure any coach can get his program back to being a playoff contender without more and better athletes living in the SD.

Yep give all the same kids a coaching staff they improve all around and the athletes don't-leave. StC, HC, and IC were all there and presto fool. With St. John's coaching staff this team is 1-1 and a much closer first game.

[knightime]

Maybe...if he brought 5 or 6 players with him!

[football7]

I hope I'm wrong, but it is not going to change within 5 years minimum. Multiple reasons.

In the last month alone, I've talked to a parent who had a kid in the district and took her to another district, a parent who had a kid go through the district and play multiple sports, and a man who lives in the district and has for 20+ years. Each of them said the same thing: the athletic programs are a mess 7-12 and there are absolutely no signs of improvement. Heard Buckeye had multiple good athletes in the 6th grade class that already left for other districts because their families all agreed there was no hope for their athletic careers going forward. I've never heard of 6th graders leaving a district but when this is happening, how are things ever supposed to get turned around?

Their Jr High programs are bad. 7th and 8th grade football (2 teams) scored a total of 4 touchdowns last year in about 14 games combined. Boys track did not score a point at the BMC league championships out of 7 teams. Track is not always a strong sport at many schools but to not even score a point shows either no one is interested in athletics there, or there just are no athletes there.

In all reality it is impossible to completely clean house 7-12 but it needs to be done as much as possible. They need youth and coaches that will bring excitement to the programs to get kids interested. They also need to complete revamp their scheduling in all sports. Can't believe I'm saying this but getting Conotton Valley and other schools like that on the football schedule. It will be embarrassing, but until the start getting some wins in multiple sports, nothing is going to change. Get a few wins, give the kids/families some hope, and hopefully the right coach will get them to stick around and build success.

I can't believe it is this bad but I do hope something changes and things get turned around but I don't see it happening anytime soon.

[ichs92]

Drop athletics at B.L.

[Rookie]

Maybe...if he brought 5 or 6 players with him!

Well that tends to happen when kids want to play for a coach. No doubt in my mind that more current students would have went out for the team and bought into the system. The opposite happens as in the last 6 years. It is my understanding they are having trouble fielding a JV team. The parents are doing the best they can to keep a positive attitude in support of the team.

Thank goodness for RR. He is the only one on the sideline that shows any enthusiasm and encouragement from start to finish. The body language of the rest is/has been fundamentally wrong.

Since the 2010 season you could see the rapid decline of the traditional familiar faces that would attend the games year in year out even if they did not know or have a connection to anyone on the team, band, etc. Those faces can now be seen at neighboring stadiums on Friday nights. In addition you would see a lot of younger kids having pick-up games in all the open areas at the stadium. Not so much anymore. In if fact at last Friday’s home game it was non-existent. There may have been a handful here and there. After the first quarter, several spectators from both sides were leaving and heading north or south to catch another game.

[sonofsam]

Drop athletics at B.L.

That isn't the answer. BL has made is father in the playoffs than most area teams. They have WON a playoff game, we HAVEN'T.

I hope I'm wrong, but it is not going to change within 5 years minimum. Multiple reasons.

In the last month alone, I've talked to a parent who had a kid in the district and took her to another district, a parent who had a kid go through the district and play multiple sports, and a man who lives in the district and has for 20+ years. Each of them said the same thing: the athletic programs are a mess 7-12 and there are absolutely no signs of improvement. Heard Buckeye had multiple good athletes in the 6th grade class that already left for other districts because their families all agreed there was no hope for their athletic careers going forward. I've never heard of 6th graders leaving a district but when this is happening, how are things ever supposed to get turned around?

Their Jr High programs are bad. 7th and 8th grade football (2 teams) scored a total of 4 touchdowns last year in about 14 games combined. Boys track did not score a point at the BMC league championships out of 7 teams. Track is not always a strong sport at many schools but to not even score a point shows either no one is interested in athletics there, or there just are no athletes there.

In all reality it is impossible to completely clean house 7-12 but it needs to be done as much as possible. They need youth and coaches that will bring excitement to the programs to get kids interested. They also need to complete revamp their scheduling in all sports. Can't believe I'm saying this but getting Conotton Valley and other schools like that on the football schedule. It will be embarrassing, but until the start getting some wins in multiple sports, nothing is going to change. Get a few wins, give the kids/families some hope, and hopefully the right coach will get them to stick around and build success.

I can't believe it is this bad but I do hope something changes and things get turned around but I don't see it happening anytime soon.

I agree with this, but do know that BL's 7th grade team is 2-0 right now. If they can somehow figure out a way to get a coaching staff around these kids, keep these kids, and get them excited to be part of the high school program, BL may start getting back to winning. They have to clean house with the coaching staff and get some younger and eager motivation in there...

[Rookie]

I hope I'm wrong, but it is not going to change within 5 years minimum. Multiple reasons.

In the last month alone, I've talked to a parent who had a kid in the district and took her to another district, a parent who had a kid go through the district and play multiple sports, and a man who lives in the district and has for 20+ years. Each of them said the same thing: the athletic programs are a mess 7-12 and there are absolutely no signs of improvement. Heard Buckeye had multiple good athletes in the 6th grade class that already left for other districts because their families all agreed there was no hope for their athletic careers going forward. I've never heard of 6th graders leaving a district but when this is happening, how are things ever supposed to get turned around?

Their Jr High programs are bad. 7th and 8th grade football (2 teams) scored a total of 4 touchdowns last year in about 14 games combined. Boys track did not score a point at the BMC league championships out of 7 teams. Track is not always a strong sport at many schools but to not even score a point shows either no one is interested in athletics there, or there just are no athletes there.

In all reality it is impossible to completely clean house 7-12 but it needs to be done as much as possible. They need youth and coaches that will bring excitement to the programs to get kids interested. They also need to complete revamp their scheduling in all sports. Can't believe I'm saying this but getting Conotton Valley and other schools like that on the football schedule. It will be embarrassing, but until the start getting some wins in multiple sports, nothing is going to change. Get a few wins, give the kids/families some hope, and hopefully the right coach will get them to stick around and build success.

I can't believe it is this bad but I do hope something changes and things get turned around but I don't see it happening anytime soon.

That hasn't worked. If you go back from the beginning and look at the schedule until now - they did that and it has not help. Matter of fact, IMO it has hurt them because they started and are getting beat by those teams they scheduled that were to be win games. I'm not sure by beating a historically bad football team is going to provide any positive sense of achievement. For example a horrible Pittsburgh Westinghouse team beat them 40-0. The ironic thing is if you have seen the team video taken before the game - the HC says something in the line of no high fives after scoring like those St. C. kids. PW was high fiving to the tune of 40-0.

[chinemback]

A good HC and assistant coaches will get the most out of their athletes and develop talent. As far as the athletes, they are just kids who need taught skills, work ethic, confidence, motivation, etc. You cannot blame the kids, it is up to the adults as coaches. Talent can be either natural or learned (i.e. from good coaches/teachers). Sounds like their school board needs to wake up if this has been going on since 2010. Just my 2c

[Panhandle Randle]

It only takes one good one to turn it around, and one terrible one to tear it all down...I have see both happen to the Red Riders in just the past 10 years...

[sonofsam]

Buckeye Local 7th grade is now 3-0. Sounds like Phil Pest and the VARSITY Panthers should go watch and learn a thing or two...