Enough walking on eggshells with the coaching “stipend” joke.
It’s time to stop sweeping this issue under the rug and meet it head on. How can administrators sleep at night when their coaches, who work 12 months a year are being paid a lot less than minimum wage to shape the future of this country.
While many believe that it’s all about sports, this is where you show how little you know about this vital subject.
What our head coaches and their assistants, in all sports, are doing, is influencing young men and women – in and out of the sports arena.
Coaches spend far more time with their student/athletes than parents and teachers combined. They are there to guide these young students and help them solve life’s problems in addition to leading by example as mentors.
When professional athletes talk about their high school coaches and how they played such a major part in their life, many just pass those comments over and pay no attention to the facts.
No matter what sport it is, it’s a good bet that they are working year-round. Whether it’s off-season conditioning and helping raise money to travel and participating in important events at colleges and universities, there are so many demands made – in and out of the classroom – our coaches and their staffs are putting in the time, often spending hours and hours away from their own family.
When you are an administrator and making a comfortable income, the last thing before you go to bed at night is to think about how vital coaches are to the schools and your students.
It's almost disgusting that we even have to talk about this – while other states and private schools are compensating coaches for what they do around the year.
Perhaps the recent slap in the face that high school athletes will be able to strike up their own Name, Image and Likeness deals is a further embarrassment to this coaching profession.
While our athletes are not leaving the state, and most likely will never move away, our more than capable teachers/coaches are departing from communities that they have been a huge part in – some all their lives.
The state of Florida, south Florida in general, has some of the worst pay in the nation. You wonder why we have a teaching shortage? Our loyal and longtime teachers – especially in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties – must beg for a raise. That is truly sad and speaks volumes about how many local and state school districts could care less.
IS THERE IS A SOLUTION?
Instead of closing their collective ears when this subject comes up, it may be time to listen and not just continue to push things off – again and again.
Since the student/athletes are going to make money, it may be time for athletic directors to loosen rules and give these coaches an opportunity to be compensated as well and have some well-earned dignity.
In several school districts in the Midwest and other progressive areas, they are letting their sports teams sell uniform advertising with patches, tastefully, placed on jerseys like they do in NASCAR. The revenue is passed on directly to the coaches and not grabbed by the athletic department.
Here is a suggestion to administrators. Maybe it would be in your best interest to reach out to other parts of the nation and see what they are doing to at least keep their coaches home. In many cases, it’s local boosters that help fund local schools, but no matter what it is, lets find out.
While this is just another waste of time article, attempting to reach those who really care and have the power to do something about this issue, we will leave you with this. The average stipend for coaches in south Florida – at public schools – is a whopping $12 per day!
MIAMI-DADE/BROWARD INFORMATION YEAR-ROUND. https://larryblustein.com/
Miami-Dade/Broward Summer Top 20. https://larryblustein.com/news/miami-dade-broward-summer-top-20
Are You Keeping Up With Miami-Dade & Broward High School Football Transfers? https://larryblustein.com/news/keeping-up-with-miami-dade-broward-high-school-football-transfers
For the past 54 years, we have spent more time on football fields than anyone in the country. From games to practices, camps, combines and 7-on-7 events, we get to as many events as possible to see the athletes LIVE. Follow us on Facebook (Larry Blustein) Instagram (@OurBoyBlu) and Twitter (@PrepRedzoneFL). Contact us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..