Neil Gordon, one of the WPIAL's more successful and recognizable coaches, most likely will not be back as the head football coach at Penn Hills High School.
His position was opened at Monday's school board meeting.
Gordon coached the last 22 years at Penn Hills, where he won the WPIAL and PIAA titles in 1995. The Indians played for the WPIAL championship two years ago and lost to Upper St. Clair. Gordon's record was 156-74-2 and his teams reached the playoffs 16 times and won five conference championships.
I can't say I know Gordon though every time I've needed to speak with him, he's been professional, courteous and always returned a phone call, which is a lot more than I can say about many other successful football coaches. I do know that if Gordon can have his position opened, it can happen to any coach.
Consider this:
Over the last several years, school boards have attempted to oust Jim Render (Upper St. Clair, football), Jack McCurry (North Hills, football) and Tim McConnell (Chartiers Valley, boys basketball). Those are just a few.
As someone who deals closely with high school athletics and coaches, it's a profession I would not want to enter.
4 comments:
These school boards are bad news and a pox on the greater community and the coaching profession.
What are the details and the story behind his decision and situation in giving up the A.D. job???? Would love to know.
The problem -- nobody will want the job if he still does.
It is a shame that most coaching position is determined if the School Board Members kids are playing. Too many times you read these types of stories in every News Paper. What should determine a Coaches position is not even winning or loses, but how these kids are setup for life. I guess that is the reason some kids do not go out for certain teams, they expect things handed to them, or even favoritism shown to student cause who their parents are.
I would also not want to be in that position, Mike. I'd like to know how many events at their respective schools, not only sports, that these school board members attend. I bet not many. You think about all the events that go on in high school. Yes sports, but also music concerts, art shows, plays and musicals and inductions into academic societies, to list just a few. I see our AD at quite a few and at all hours of the day and weekends too. It sometimes seems like a never ending thankless job. No thanks, I'll keep my current job. I get home at a decent hour.
Mike, I tend to agree with you most of the time. Not on this one. I've never met this young man and I've only watched him a few times. He is tremendous. All I can say is I've never walked in his shoes. I've not grown up in his area. All our lives are different. Some of us are luckier than others. So if you don't see the manners you'd like maybe there is a reason. I too believe in respect and being humble. Some of us don't learn this until later in life and some of us never. Maybe we should give this young man his days or months in the sun. Life is unpredictable and you can never tell the way the wind will blow. Did anyone ever think maybe TP is tired of all the hipe too. I wish him the all the best.
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