Lots of parents are talking about their unhappiness with this past year's football coaching....I saw plenty of justification for that unhappiness when I attended numerous games this past year.....

.....I don't have a child on the team, I don't have a child at all; but I have a nephew that is a very good defensive lineman....He's contemplating quitting because of the VERY VISIBLE friction/conflict in the coaching and the way/effect it carries to the team....

........At several practices conducted in scrimmage format the varsity boys just could not compete with the jv squad.

...So where was the qb substitutions during bad games...and several other substitutions should have been made.

We had, and will have (if understandable frustration doesn't push them to quit) several jv kids that should have played MUCH more, but they didn't have the right family name (A NEVER ADMITTED BUT WIDELY KNOWN FACT IN NORTH KNOX SPORTS, WHICH I UNDERSTAND IS THE CASE AT MOST SCHOOLS, BUT TO THE POINT OF CHRONIC OBVIOUS AT NORTH KNOX).

One assistant coach has NO BUSINESS on the sidelines, because he's too headstrong for team sports, and acts as if it's HIS pride he's playing for rather than the kids playing for their pride and ability, and constantly sends in plays that don't work rather letting another quarterback call plays and develop experience.....

Two coaches DO NOT get along (NO MATTER WHAT THEY'D SAY IN RESPONSE TO THIS OBSERVATION)...this has been displayed at practices and at games in front everybody; I for one watched them have words and storm away from each other and stand at opposite ends of the field several times, and it appeared to be really bad at the Linton game (their homecoming).

..imagine the signal this sent to the kids.

....on second thought, don't imagine, just ask some of them......

.....We had one kid who continually got to play in spite of his VERY POOR conduct and penalty record on the field....

....I understand that there is a certain amount of accepted temperamental behavior and explained as competitive spirit and adrenalin...but, it got carried away SEVERAL times on the sideline by, of all people, our head coach...and that was towards his own son....to the point on one occasion I was VERY TEMPTED to remove him from the field myself as a police officer for BATTERY...

....I also know the coaching staff is always pressured by the school administration and school board to use the roster a certain way.

..They'd never admit it, but anybody whose ever been involved knows it....

....I grew up in Vincennes playing football from 8 yrs. old in the YMCA league through high school; until I moved to the NK area for part of freshman year, then returned permanently sophomore year....and chose not play because it was a big joke.

....Now the NK area is able to benefit from a youth league that EVERYONE should be proud of.

....when the '05 season starts all four grades will have passed through the youth league program, and we'll have a wonderful potential...but it's not been utilized as of yet and taken advantage of.

..We have numerous kids at the JV level this past year that are/will be absolute monsters on the field, but the good ol' boy mentality and family names were on the field instead of deserving players...

....Years ago I used to watch a young man named Johnny McKinnon just devastate people on the field and you could hear the pads smack a mile away; his son is just like him, when given a chance this kid is a machine at jv level but hardly ever saw play time in varsity games.

....The sub. qb should have been the starting qb, Matt is a hard hitter, good runner, and a good qb (a rare triple threat); several other jv threats who were not used to their potential; Cory Moreland is a very good defensive lineman that is programmed with quarterback radar (he got that from his Uncle Terry); and got an award for it, but that award wasn't enough to get him varsity playing time......

....If the parents voice themselves we could have an awesome varsity team in '05. That isn't conjecture, that's already witnessed, proven fact......

....Leave the head coach there, leave John Trotter there, tell the school board/administration to leave them the hell alone and let them coach.

.The other assistants, well, I could sugar coat it all day to make the departure sound cordial, politically correct, or whatever, but the fact is they don't belong.....

We have OUTSTANDING talent waiting for the much deserved, over-due chance to display their ability and drive; we have a very experienced head coach with a history of killer/domination playing (just needs to work a little on his temper, otherwise a very good man and coach); we have an assistant that has good football experience and play history, and the kids admire him and listen to him (John Trotter).

...Let's use them.

.....Let's have a team next year..... HEY, NORTH KNOX SCHOOLBOARD & ADMINISTRATION, ARE YOU LISTENING! ???

Terry W. Stewart