Coaching Change

[Ramsfan]

I hear Rob Eckenrod has resigned as Richlands girls coach.
They've struggled but its surprising given the elem program he got going and how much talent they have coming up.

Think he's going to McCort?
I hear Hahn is quitting.

[pats39]

I heard a lot of people fed up with Eckenrod. Don't really know about elem. program, but was doing a terrible job with the varsity.

[Portage Alum]

Richland does have a number of very good girls, with size, on both the 7th/8th and 5th/6th grade levels. I guess Eckenrod just can't take losing for another few years before he gets them.

Whoever gets the Rams job will look like a coaching genius if they stick it out.

~PA

[ctbooster]

With the good young talent they have on the way hopefully they will give the job to someone who knows basketball and will commit to the program and not some teacher who just wants to pad their income to increase their pension

[sledge]

Rob decided that he didn't have enough time to coach a high school team to be competitive. He has three kids who he'd rather spend quality time with. Period!

[Ramsfan]

Eckenrod doesn't teach at Richland, he works at UPJ and doesn't have summers' off, I think that was the problem.

He told the kids and parents at the banquet that the program needed someone who could spend more time on it, especially in the summer.

Otherwise doesn't make sense to quit with a lot of talent coming up.

[Sleepy Floyd]

There has to be more to this story. He was a professor two years ago when he accepted the coaching job. Nothing changed.

[pittisit85]

if westmont get so fed up with crissifauli as im sure they will down the line i can see him taking the reigns. also possibly winber's coach does not like the commute from johnstown to winber and would rather coach richland. but in all honesty this girls program is pathetic. i dont think jesus could ressurect this one. :shock:

[heart or nothing]

Coaching is sometimes a thank less job. I have never found a way to make parents happy. I will admit I don't know much about the Richland program, not being able to make their games. I know even less about their players or fans.

Getting a program back on track sounds like a fun and interesting challenge. They certainly should have the talent in a school district such as Richland. If smaller schools can field strong team such as those in Somerset county it shouldn't be much of a problem getting the same results in Richland.

Coaching is a thankless job unless you can win, I often think about the heat that a good coach like Crissifauli has taken. I wonder is the parents, players and school board would support a new coach long enough to get results.

I'm not sure if it is the challenge for me but it is interesting though it would shock my daughter and some others even just commenting on it in a thread. However up righting a sinking ship and developing new players does make it an interesting thought.

[psycho]

Unless kids play in the summer in a competitive environment, they do not improve to the point that they become competitive. Case in point -- compare the best girls programs to the best boys programs in the area. No comparison. The girls ( BG, McCort, North Star, Ferndale, Northern Cambria, Westmont a few years ago) compete on a statewide level and the boys don't. There have been good summer AAU programs around for years for girls. Boys have had nothing.

If Richland girls will commit to a summer program that includes fundamental development and competitive play, they will eventually compete as well as the other girls teams that do so. I am sure they have just as good athletes. The issue is whether any coach can get this committment out of Richland kids. Do not blame the coach.