Why high schools struggle to keep coaches long-term
High school sports have a long history in Minnesota, and with that history comes the people who have built it from the ground up. Coaches.
But today, high school sports teams find it difficult to hire good coaches and keep them. But why?
A study released by the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association (MSHSCA) quoted by the Minnesota Star Tribune shows high school coaching turnovers are more prevalent than ever. Why is this?
“Hockey being an expensive sport, you know, it comes back to a lot of people feel like they’ve put a lot of money into their kids, lot of travel in the car, driving different places, spending a lot of money on equipment.” said Minnehaha Alum Dave Palmquist (‘82) “And I don’t know if there’s a sense of entitlement or but with that, they do feel like, maybe they’re owed something, and it makes it really hard for coaches, because the expectations of parents has become more difficult.”
Going into his 38th season coaching, Palmquist has seen it all. After playing for Minnehaha’s hockey team in high school, Palmquist went on to play for Bethel College, later coming back to coach the Minnehaha boys hockey team, but with the rise of girls’ hockey, Palmquist took up a job with South St. Paul’s girls hockey program.
Palmquist says a lot has changed over his 38 years of coaching. The thing that sticks out the most is parents.
“I remember my days back at Minnehaha, and then early on, the relationship between player and coach. I was really much closer to my parent group in my early days. I really had a lot of fun with my parents, and it’s become more challenging. So it’s kind of a little bit more a standoffish or distant relationship, a little bit more as we’ve gotten as I’ve gotten older, because I just think there needs to be a it, because it’s because it’s because of the challenges, it’s just better to I’m coaching their daughters, not them, and kind of keep that relationship.” said Palmquist.
Parents have become a lot more involved in their children’s roles in athletics. Many parents can become pushy for coaches to give their child more playing time or a better role on the team. This can lead to a toxic parent-coach and even athlete relationship.
“But I have seen a lot of these young guys who have gotten into the coaching, they get so beat up mentally by parent groups or whatever, and just for the amount of money that [you get], I mean, when you get into coaching, you don’t do it for the money, but for what you’re getting paid, your mental health is more important than that paycheck,” said Palmquist, “Part of it is that the parental pressure and that type of thing, it’s really challenging.”
Coaches can face long grueling hours, with very little pay, coaching can be a lot. This has led to coaches leaving due to burnout.
But how can we solve these problems? By supporting coaching staff even when you don’t have the resources to raise their pay.
“Whenever you can, find a way to reward your coaches.” said Minnehaha athletic director Josh Thurow. “give them a new polo shirt, a new jacket, do those little things. Buy them meals when you can, you know, anything. Have a champions room they’re welcome to stop in any time and meet in and relax and, you know, if they have to bring their kids to a practice every now and then, okay, that’s fine. Make them comfortable. and then pay attention. You know, I think we do a good job of not just supporting only the teams that are winning all the time.”
Athletic directors play a large role in keeping coaches, they are a foundational support system for coaches.
But coaches also have to support themselves.
“I always say you’ve got to be able to be true to yourself and not try to be somebody else. If you’re a woman or man of character, and you know you’re doing what’s best for kids, you can go to bed at night and feel good about what you’re doing regardless of what’s going on out there.” Palmquist said “know that you’re a good person regardless of what you hear you your self worth isn’t what parents are saying out there. There’s always going to be people that never are going to be happy, and so you have to do what’s you have to do the right thing.”