Long-time Peters Township High School softball coach Bea Rhodes was informed this week that her position has been opened. Rhodes guided Peters Township to an 11-6 record in 2009 and the Indians' fourth WPIAL playoff appearance in five years.
An interesting side story to the opening is how Rhodes found out.
According to Rhodes, she along with Peters Township athletic director Rich Relich were under the impression she'd be back for the 2010 season, her 13th as Indians coach, followng Tuesday's school board meeting. On Tuesday night, Relich received an e-mail from superintendent Dr. Nina Zetty informing him that Rhodes' position had been opened.
For more on this story, read Saturday's Observer-Reporter.
38 comments:
Looks like another case of whiny parents running off a good coach because their precious little ones didn't see enough time on the field. I know this happens everywhere, but doesn't it seem to happen more often in the Pittsburgh suburbs?
I suppose you live in Peters? Do you know the coach or some players or are you speculating about something you know little about?
Typical high school sports in western pa. Everyone thinks their kid is the second coming of Babe Ruth, Joe Montana, Michael Jordan or Mario Lemieux. Local Athletic Directors do need to grow a pair when it comes to parents complaining about their kids playing time and not force the coach to play them. What the parents need to do is take their kids to the fields, court or ice in the evenings and on weekends and work with them to make them better players. That way some parents won't have to force their kids to accomplish something they we not able to do as a child.
Anyone that chooses to coach in Peters is out of their mind. Every parent thinks their kid deserves a D1 scholarship and its always the coaches fault, no matter what happens. Even when the teams are successful, its because the kids are so good, never because the coach knows what they are doing.
The only exception to this is Gary Goga, the parents recognize what he has meant to that program and without him they would still be a middle of the road program. With him they are the WPIAL champs.
99% of the time when a parent has an issue with a coach at ANY level in any sport, it is about playing time or stats/awards. This situation is EXACTLY that.
A few parents at Peters were either mad that 1. their daughter didn't play as much as they thought they should have, 2. their daughter didn't make varsity in the first place, 3. their daughter did not get the post-season "ink" or recognition with all-star type teams that are selected by local newspapers, or 4. their daughter's stats were not what the parent thought they were.
Instead of following the proper chain of command, these parents went directly to the superintendent, who by the way never even met with with the coach herself. This looks like another situation where parents can get one ear on a school board or with one administrator and try to ruin a good coach's reputation and take their job away from them.
Anyone who coaches high school sports these days is NUTS! It's not worth the time, money or headaches such as these. Coach Rhodes will be better off in the long run away from these people.
Good luck to the next poor sap that takes over the job. Yes, you will have a lot of talent, but you will have a bunch of meddling parents who will eventually want your head as well, unless you are doing what they want you to do.
Guess what? One of the parents who complained has his wife on the school board. Coincidence? hmmmmmm...........
Unless you have a student that plays on the PT high school softball team, you have no idea what occurred during the softball season, why parents wanted action taken with respect to the coach, or why the school board/superintendent decided to open the position to other applicants. And you should not assume that the parents went directly to the superintendent first, because they did not. Could a few of the parents have had issues with playing time, yes. Were there many other issues with the softball coach and how she ran the program, also yes. Many parents, including those whose daughters started every varsity softball game or whose daughters are not the "second coming", had issues with the coach. When all of these issues were brought to the attention of the superintendent, she obviously informed the school board, who must approve the coaching positions each year. One person on the school board doesn't make the decisions for the entire school board. There are nine board members and the superintendent who have input. And when was it said that once you get on the school board your family has to stop voicing their opinions or doing what they feel is right. It's easy to blame the parents, blame someone on the school board, or blame the sports mentality in Western PA. But why has no one actually considered in these comments that the coach had issues of her own. There are two sides to every story, and you should consider both of them before making uninformed comments.
"There are two sides to every story, and you should consider both of them before making uninformed comments."
Alright then, tell your side of the story. What were the issues with the coach? What were the problems with how the coach ran the team? What did she do? Yell too much? Make the team practice the day before the prom?
Here we go "DRAMA" Peters Twp
The current school board at PT is the worst combination in the past 10 years. They are extremely political and base their decisions more on power politics than whats best for kids. Anyone that thinks that 1 school board member doesn't sway the number of votes needed to make a decision is simply naive or stupid.
Go out and try to find yourself a puppet to coach your little Prima Donna, it won't be long until you'll be inventing a conspiracy that all the D1 coaches don't know what they are doing when they don't recruit your daughter. You and that entire school board are pathetic.
ha ha ha....
Off topic, but has there been anyone named as possible replacements for this job and also the bethel park boys baseball job?
I haven't heard any candidates for this PT job, but I have heard that Steve Bucci and the Char Valley coach are the favorites for the Bethel Park job. Any additional info would be much appreciated.
Don't worry parents, PT will get Joe Torre to quit his job as manager of the Dodgers to come coach your girls.
Parents just don't get it.
Look at the bright side: At least PT didn't waste more money buying off another superintendent contract.
Bethel Park would be smart not to give their baseball job to Bucci. The C.V. coach or one of their assistants from previous years would all be much better choices than him.
As for the P.T. job, just guessing here but I think Chartiers Houston's coach would be a great choice. They have always had a successful program there and consistently produce players that move on to play in college.
The poster with the arguments on the coaches issues needs to realize there is a chain of command that should be followed. What are the Athletic Directors for, to scheduloe buses? The issues should have been brought to the attention of the head coach first, but I am guessing a coward would not want to approach a coach. After speaking with the coach, if it is not resolved, meet with the AD and the coach, again not the thing a coward would do. After the AD meeting should be the principals meeting, then the superintendent. Too many times the chain of command gets turned upside down and agendas get in the way. I really don't know why we have ADs, principals and superintendents anymore when school boards end up trumping all of it anyway.
I've started to write many responses to the post about supporting parents, school boards, and not knowing the situation if you don't have a kid on the team. Each response became way too lenghty and too many things to say. So I will say them in numerous posts. What were the issues? Did she practice too much with the kids and put in too many hours when she practiced 6 days a week for roughly two hours a day? Maybe it was the non-paid time she put in during conditionings or fall ball? No, it must have been the countless hours on the phone getting scouting reports, calling in stats, talking to other coaches, or attending clinics to improve her overall knowledge of the game. I know I was really unnerved and wanted to personally thank the school board when I read her quote about being from Peters and that being her dream job. To think coaching loyalty to a program. These parents should be considered for a Nobel Peace Prize for putting up with such antics for so long. Or does this come down to what someone mentioned in a previous post playing time, stats, and post season awards?
From a previous post..."Were there many other issues with the softball coach and how she ran the program, also yes. Many parents, including those whose daughters started every varsity softball game or whose daughters are not the "second coming", had issues with the coach."......
My question is what are the issues they had with the coach then?? The program is successful and was a JOKE before she took over!
Also from above...."One person on the school board doesn't make the decisions for the entire school board."
EVERY school board member can round up the 4 other votes they need to do what they want for the benfit of their own daughter or friends of their daughter who are on the softball team and feel the coach needs to be replaced.
From above.... "And when was it said that once you get on the school board your family has to stop voicing their opinions or doing what they feel is right."
I have no problem with the family of a school board member voicing their opinion. However, how all of a sudden does the PT softball team get a new field/facility with only ONE vote on the board??? Or all of a sudden a good coach's position is opened because of petty issues brought up to the superintendent to mask the real reasons???
Finally from above...."But why has no one actually considered in these comments that the coach had issues of her own."
Again, WHAT ARE THESE ISSUES??? No one seems to want to say because quite frankly, it all comes down to PLAYING TIME.
Two sides to every story! Should we feel bad for the parents and school board members? Let's look at the coach's side in dealing with parents....
After putting in countless free hours of conditioning time you start your season. You pick your team and someone is always unhappy about whether they are placed on Varsity or Junior Varsity.
Two weeks into the season parents are unhappy about their kid's playing time. It always happens every season. So the parents either have the courage or deceny to call and address the problem, but most say "Please don't tell my kid I'm calling.", or they come to the games and find other unhappy parents to cry to and try to devise a plan to get rid of the coach.
As the season goes on maybe the paper misspells or misprints something about a player in the paper, and you can almost guarentee you are getting a phone call from a parent.
End of the season comes and the papers choose, not the coach, the all star teams. Again you know a phone call is coming. However in some cases, the coach is really lucky like at Peters, and these parents don't have the courage to address the issues with you so they go directly to the school board member or the superintendent
I am not from Peters, but I have been around high school sports long enough to know this is why hardly anyone on here is taking the parents or school boards side. It is because no matter where you go, except in a few great and successful school districts, the story and the parents are all the same. Now when you post the reasons please be honest with yourself and tell me if I didn't just sum up most of the Peters situation.
What ever happened to when you don't make varsity, earn enough playing time on varsity, or don't make the post season teams, you don't have mommy and daddy cry for you so you can get your way. But instead, you use it as motivation in the off season to work harder and make sure that the "unfair" coach has no other choice but to play you, or your name is in the paper so much that they have to remember how to spell it or put you on the post season teams.
Here is another one for you... mommy and daddy can't buy you these things. They have to be earned through hard work and dedication.
Surely after all of the heartache they have put this great coach through, these girls and the parents will go on to see them win WPIAL and State titles, and go on to also win national championships and Olympic gold medals. Then maybe all of this will be worth it to them. Let's remember this and see where this team really is in three years.
Peter's Twp. Drama,Drama...can we get a new post.
All speculation here. No facts.
There lies the reason that PT is only good at the non contact physical sports. No back bone in that district at all! Whiny soft parents raise whiny soft kids. Facts are facts and the truth hurts!
I don't respect PT athletics at all!
Anon at 9:20 today.
Get a clue. PT has recently won State Championships in hockey, a WPIAL title in boys hoops last year and dominate in soccer and baseball annually with multiple WPIAL and PIAA titles. The only sport that they stink at is football and thats only because they've hire the WRONG guy the 2 hires prior to their current coach.
PT has the best overall sports programs in the WPIAL over the past 5 years. You're probably just another jealous CM fan sick of losing to Peters.
peters has been probably one of the most if not the most successful sports school overall in this area. they have done a tremendous job there. an article in the observer last week even stated that (wash high, carmichaels, and peters were the schools mentioned). it also went on to state that one of the reasons why they are successful is because they KEEP their coaches and have good ones. i guess the softball parents and some board members failed to read that article.
Wouldn't it be great to see Coach Palermo from Sto Rocks coach at Mt. Lebo for just one year??? Those parents wouldn't know what to do!!
Coach P at Peters would be a sight to see! ha ha ha
Maybe Peters can do a 'nation wide search', hire a coach from Ohio, then pay them off half way through their contract.
Nah....been there, done that.
Maybe Peters should hire Steve Bucci so that he can leave before the administration cans him
Here let me help. If the school/parents or school board wants to replace a coach than so be it. No matter what the reason is! Its tough understanding why they do it but so be it. The media blows this up then all the questions and imaginations run wild. If the coach is upset with being replaced then welcome to the real world. If that is the worst thing that has happened to you then be glad. She will find another position in a different district and maybe even enjoy it more. Great job at Peters now move on and show people no matter how difficult things seem you have the CLASS to except the decision right/wrong.
Why should taxpayers in the Peters Township School District accept wrong decisions, if that's the case here? Don't they deserve to have decisions made on merit, not the whims of a few school board members who lend their power to a small cabal of unhappy parents whose precious little ones didn't get their way?
There are basically three levels of atheletes in high school sports. The top level is your superstars, and there a few of them. But, they deserve to play, all the time. Then you have the third level, these kids are probably trying or not trying, but regardless, they really don't have the ability. Then you have the second level, in the center, who basically have the same talent, maybe in different areas. Some may be good at one thing, some at another. These are the kids, where the politics come into play. I have seen it time and time again. Kids sitting and others playing and those kids sitting also deserve to play. I have no kids in any program.
This will never change.
"Here let me help. If the school/parents or school board wants to replace a coach than so be it. No matter what the reason is! Great job at Peters now move on and show people no matter how difficult things seem you have the CLASS to except the decision right/wrong.".......
Boy this comment shows a lot of backbone. No matter if the decision is right or wrong ACCEPT, not EXCEPT, the decision? (She's not making an exception to the decision.) Also, she is not fighting the decision! Coach Rhodes has stated that she isn't going to reapply! Although maybe she should be fighting this so any good employee in the Peters district doesn't have to go through a situation like this because the coach was recommended to be re-hired by all of the administrators, other than the superintendent. I am quite sure she will be able to find employment as a coach in another district who will be happy to have her.
What about standing up for the girls on the team and in the program who want you to stay and give them great coaching (which i would assume outnumbers the ones who didn't want you back since this all seemed to be very hush hush)? Why should you just ACCEPT a group of disgruntled parents getting their way and making slanderous and frivelous accusations against your character?
I would love to see these parents try to coach for one season. Also, I hope in sports terms that I would never have to count on someone with an attitude like this when my team is down in the last inning. Otherwise, the bags would be packed up, and we would be calling it a season.
Hey Backbone! Looks like to me you don't understand life. There are times to fight battles and there are times that you just move on and when a coach is not WANTED by the district then you move on. Obivously your vote for the school board members wasn't the right choice since the super was hired by the board. Maybe next time you can make the right choice and make sure the right people are in place.
Then again you probably struck out with the bases loaded in the last inning.
Whiny, rich PT people fighting against whiny rich PT people.
I love it.
I guess money can't buy happiness.
School Boards should be eliminated. They base all decisions on whether they like someone not job performance. Just look at what is happening at Fort Cherry. Principals are being forced out with no explanation. Just let people do their jobs!!! School boards should only deal with policy and taxpayer money!!
I played under Bea Rhodes and was a member of the WPIAL semi-final team in 2007 (one of the most successful softball teams in Peters Township High School history). Take it from someone who wore a uniform for her, the parents need to back off and get day jobs instead of worrying and living precariously through their daughters. Just because you come and help out with batting practice doesn't mean your daughter is entitled to a varsity uniform and playing time.
Bea, if you read this, I wish you the very best and am sad to hear all of this. I chose to keep my identity a mystery because I'm sure one of the softball moms and/or dads would have something rude to say.
Thank God Bea is officially gone the smoking in front of the girls and the mental games finally came to an end!! She may have had a winning record but losing record in how she acted around and treated the girls!! Feel bad for however hires her as a coach!
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