Do HS Football Coaches in Texas Really Only Coach?

[disney junky]

I watch Friday Night Lights, and the only responsibility Coach has is to coach and run the football program, and I was wondering how realistic this is. I understand high school football in Texas is different than other places, but is that common?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I watch Friday Night Lights, and the only responsibility Coach has is to coach and run the football program, and I was wondering how realistic this is. I understand high school football in Texas is different than other places, but is that common?

I don't watch the show but my dd went to HS in TX and had coaches for teachers.

 

[Catira]

I watch Friday Night Lights, and the only responsibility Coach has is to coach and run the football program, and I was wondering how realistic this is. I understand high school football in Texas is different than other places, but is that common?

Not here in our Texas high school. All the coaches teach other subjects besides coaching the football team.

 

[cabanafrau]

I've wondered the exact same thing. I get that football is supposed to be a way of life down there, but it seems strange the only other responsibility we've seen Coach Taylor have is when he was athletic director I believe and had to handle coaching girls' volleyball, in between commercial breaks, and then handed it off to Tammy.

 

[princessmom29]

Our head football coach is also our athletic director and does not teach, but all assistants also teach.

 

[Gina]

Our coach (Pearland HS) only coaches. I can't imagine how they'd also have time to teach! So much goes into the football program. And since we're the reigning State Champs, I want him to keep being focused on coaching! We have a title to defend!

 

[tlbwriter]

I know of two high school coaches in Texas, and they both teach. I suppose it's possible that some districts may have enough money to have a coach who doesn't teach, but it's certainly not the norm.

 

[kellermomof3]

Our football coaches teach except for the head varsity coach, he's the athletic director also.

 

[NotUrsula]

Not just in TX, but in situations where the athletic program is heavily subsidized by alumni and community donations, coaches sometimes have to devote a LOT of time to development activity -- meeting with possible donors and stroking their egos. Most of the time in this scenario, the coach's salary is also paid by the booster program, so it usually isn't a real hardship for the school.

That kind of coach operates more like a college coach; lots of speeches and meetings when he isn't on the field.

 

[brerrabbit]

Depends on the district. I also live in Pearland and as Gina said our Head Coach only coaches football. When he was initially hired he was the HS Football coach and director of football operations for the district which was okay because we only had one high school. There was also an Atheletic Director for the district. The head of football for the district was just a tricky way of letting the Head Coach have his fingers in all the feeder Jr Highs. He could start 7th graders into the system by providing the HS playbook to them and control what offense and defense they ran. He also got a say in how to use the kids in the pipeline at different positions and could identified talent early. It was almost his own farm system like professional baseball uses. We have since added a second HS so I am not sure how his position has changed. The second HS is 4A while the old one is 5A so they don't compete directly and go into seperate playoff brackets. Our coach is well compensated and part of his deal is the booster club leases him a new suburban every year. I don't know if it is true or not but according to rumor several years ago he was a finalist for another coaching job in the state but we wanted to keep him so he got a raise. The principal of the HS and the AD of the district had contracts that said the principal had to be the highest paid employee on the HS campus and the AD had to be the highest paid employee in the atheletic department. As a reult of keeping the coach they both got raises.

Some schools, specifically those in larger districts can't get away with such things so they have coaches that both coach and teach. In our district if you are the head coach of a sport you don't have to coach anything else. If you are an assistant then you have to coach something else. They all have classes as well.

 

[AustinTink]

Native Texan here.

When I was in HS the coaches also taught. In our school, they taught History. These days, in my district, the head coaches don't teach and the assistants teach PE or Health.

Football is extreme here in Texas, way over the top. I've officially earned the title of "meanest Mom in the world" by banning my son from playing tackle football. Sorry, it's just not worth the risk of injury.

 

[Gina]

I don't know if it is true or not but according to rumor several years ago he was a finalist for another coaching job in the state but we wanted to keep him so he got a raise. The principal of the HS and the AD of the district had contracts that said the principal had to be the highest paid employee on the HS campus and the AD had to be the highest paid employee in the atheletic department. As a reult of keeping the coach they both got raises.

I would chip in some of my own salary to make sure Coach Heath didn't go anywhere.

 

[mamacatnv]

Native Texan here.

When I was in HS the coaches also taught. In our school, they taught History. These days, in my district, the head coaches don't teach and the assistants teach PE or Health.

Football is extreme here in Texas, way over the top. I've officially earned the title of "meanest Mom in the world" by banning my son from playing tackle football. Sorry, it's just not worth the risk of injury.

Can't put them in a bubble. I felt the same way for years, I did however allow DS to play HS football.
True story - I stepped onto an airplane 2 years ago, stepped a bit wrong, blew out my ACL, tore my meniscus, had to have surgery and 5 months of PT. I still have to work it everyday since I no longer have an ACL.
My point is, I got one of the worst injuries an athlete can get and all I did was take one wrong step.
Sure, DS had a few bumps, bruises and more than one visit to the orthopedist but he loved the game and probably always will.
Get over yourself, deal with your fears and let your son play ball if that is what he really wants to do. Its hard, I know and I spent 4 years holding my breath but it was one of the best things "I" overcame on his behalf.

Around here, football is not a religion like it is in other parts of the country and all of our coaches are teachers. I think actually that teachers are always considered first for head coaching positions before an outsider is brought in.

 

[castmember19]

At my high school, most coaches taught on the side. I had a volleyball coach as an English teacher my freshman year. Some taught PE or Health. I think there was probably only the top dog who didn't do anything but coach.

 

[Disnydad]

I grew up in Massachusetts (long time ago) and in our high school the 12th grade US History teacher was the basketball and football coach. You could tell he was there just for the sports as that's all he wanted to talk about in class.

 

[SouthernExplorer]

I watch Friday Night Lights, and the only responsibility Coach has is to coach and run the football program, and I was wondering how realistic this is. I understand high school football in Texas is different than other places, but is that common?

Not in the TX school district I grew up in. I had at least three football coaches as teachers. Two coaches taught health ed, and another coach taught, I kid you not, flower arranging.

 

[Momvic5]

I have lived in Texas all of my life, had brothers who played football, married a football player of 10 years, and now have a freshman football playing son. In my experience, the athletic directors have not taught or do not teach classes, but all other coaches have and do teach other classes. Currently, at our local high school, I know for certain that football coaches are teaching Spanish, Algebra 1 and 2, Speech, History, and Geography.

 

[LisaNJ25]

At mien the current high school football coach is a security guard at one of the elemetery schools.

In the past when I was in HS the coaches were usually the gym teachers