[bigtimecharlie]

The two first interviews are both OUTSIDE people. Period. Now, some of you have hit the nail on the head. Lancaster has no talent to speak of but if the coaching staff can't develop "interested" kids, this will never get better. Other than Groveport (which makes worse coaching staff decisions than even Lancaster), Lancaster won't win in this league for years. Most players that are studs or studs to be in this league all play at a high level of AAU. Please, tell me one player from Lancaster that plays MAJOR AAU. Reynoldsburg, Gahanna, Grove City, Newark, North and Central ALL have multiple kids playing on the nationwide circuit so the cycle is going to continue. North will move down to third from the bottom because of very few players. The OCC for the next couple of years will continue to run through Newark, Reynoldsburg, Gahanna and of course, Central, who returns 4 of their top 6, if Charlton returns and doesn't graduate early. Bess plays for King James and Tate joined Kern on All-Ohio Red. The truth is, many folks, those guys included, are playing in Milwaukee this weekend and haven't stopped playing. It's just not going to change for the Gales, no matter who comes in...for quite some time.

[derby 4]

Mr. Greathouse needs to take the lead on this search and find the right guy. The bad karma in the Golden Gales basketball program started when he left our once in a lifetime team (2004 - 2006) which had the talent to win at LEAST one State Title to Mr. Coffman instead of one of many top coaches who would have loved to take over that team when all the top talent were still sophomores and freshmen.

[bigtimecharlie]

Coach Coffman is a great guy but some coaches are assistane coaches and some are head coaches and he's one of them. Greathouse did a nice job here and will make sure the next hire is not a mistake. With Hester graduating, there is no talent. This is a LONG TERM job and the people Lancaster is talking to but AT LEAST one of the two first interviews aren't sure it can be done. He might be right...

[timbo_hoagie]

I agree. The "fans" in Lancaster need to realize that it will take MORE THAN THREE YEARS to rebuild Lancaster Basketball. The junior academy is now in place, which was an absolutely necessity. It's time for us to get behind a coach that is looking to continue the rebuilding that already began under Coach Hites.

[Rapture]

Originally Posted by bigtimecharlie

AT LEAST one of the two first interviews aren't sure it can be done. He might be right...

Are you saying they've actually started interviewing? Any leads on who?

[Rapture]

Three days and no new info? bigtimecharlie, they interviewed two already? Good candidates yet?

[sportfan97]

I hope whoever they get to take over the coaching is a better pr person than coach hites was because if your going to take three plus years to rebuild a program you better sell yourself to the parents and community and make lots of friends quick and that will buy you more time to get things turned around.

[Rapture]

Originally Posted by sportfan97

I hope whoever they get to take over the coaching is a better pr person than coach hites was because if your going to take three plus years to rebuild a program you better sell yourself to the parents and community and make lots of friends quick and that will buy you more time to get things turned around.

sportfan97 - I don't mean to be arguementative, but as a parent of someone in the program I don't care if the coach sells himself to me or not. In fact, I think a fair amount of the problems we have at LHS are the parents. Some of the crap that parents get away with wouldn't go over at other schools. Can you imagine the kids in Pickerington looking into the stands to find out what "dad" wanted them to do and get coaching from parents? It happens at LHS. The parents are often too spoiled with getting their way from the horrible biddy program we have. Maybe you didn't mean it that way, regardless - I hope the coach sells himself to the kids and helps them enjoy their high school years as well as become competitive.

[The RingLeader]

almost all communities have problems with biddy and little league! hurts many varsity coaches down the road. mom n dads little boys n girls get passed by in high sch because they never got any better or only played cause the family member coached them,yet the varsity coach hears the whining! as for lancaster, i thought they made a mistake then in hiring an outsider or someone not familar with the b ball program. hopefully they hire a coach from the general area who understands the culture n tradtion of this once powerful program! good luck gales

[sportfan97]

Rapture,
the points you make are kind of what I'm talking about with the coach selling himself to the parents. If he can get the parents to buy into the program and let him coach the kids the way they need to be coached without interference from the parents you won't have the kids looking into the stands. Not to mention its a lot easier to get the kids to buy into your system when the parents are on board with you.

Any word on the coaching search? I thought I heard at a OYB tournament in Newark over the weekend that interviews were starting this week

[OnTime]

The coach's teams won over 300 games in his career. His hard work will reap some reward in the future. I think this coach will get his good credit in due time. Oh yes, some of the things parents say are clueless. The word gets out about the parent interference, so I doubt if their will be a lot of outside interest.

[Rapture]

I've heard that there are over 50 applications and some with a very good resume but the whole thing is being kept pretty secret for some reason.

[K-Zone]

One thing needs to return to Lancaster athletics. The 3 sport/ multi sport athlete. I'm talking about the key players at key positions. Pick Central does it with success and I'm sure there are others in Central Ohio.

Also, leave Greathouse OUT of the decision making process for the new coach. As mentioned earlier, the timing of his coaching resignation forced Lancaster to promote Coffman. While his head coaching record will go down as one of the best in LHS history, anyone close to the program knows the decline began under his watch.

[alwayslearning]

Good luck to lancaster! The Gales play in the hardest division in the OCC and the state in the 3 major sports(basketball, baseball, and football). Lancaster does have tradition so it will be ok. I hope Lancaster gets the best man for the job and let him that person do his job.

[The RingLeader]

wow, greathouse heck of a coach n person! lancaster needs to quit playing around. go get an established coach from the area who has a clue about,coaching,people, and lancaster in general and move forward! another mistake n it will be YEARS before they ever come back!

[lancaster90]

The decline of Lancaster Basketball did not happen with Greathouse. He got to most out of kids who had average talent at best. He is in the OHSBA Hall of Fame because of the success. Cofman was fortunate to have the McKnights, Leitnaker and Carr so to say the decline happened on Greathouses watch is obsurd. Hites on the other hand couldn't get the best athletes out to play basketball. Many kids that played at the younger levels never played at the JV or Varsity level. Some of it has to do with the lazyness of some kids and others just didn't like Hites approach to the game. I knew coming from California and Colorado Hites would struggle. Also, a lack of coaching familiarity was another draw back for Hites. Plus what was with him always standing at the back of the bench away from the kids during games. Thought that was odd. Lancaster truely is not a bad program as long as they get the right coach that not only gets kids excited about playing Basketball but also encourages these kids to participate in other sports as that will only make every other sport better. If the right coach gets hired this time, maybe it won't take as much time to turn things back to where Lancaster basketball should be, amongst the best in Central ohio.

[The RingLeader]

90 well said good luck gales hope basketball people in the school n community are part of the hiring process!

[K-Zone]

[quote=lancaster90;5307854]The decline of Lancaster Basketball did not happen with Greathouse. He got to most out of kids who had average talent at best. He is in the OHSBA Hall of Fame because of the success. Cofman was fortunate to have the McKnights, Leitnaker and Carr so to say the decline happened on Greathouses watch is obsurd. Hites on the other hand couldn't get the best athletes out to play basketball. Many kids that played at the younger levels never played at the JV or Varsity level. Some of it has to do with the lazyness of some kids and others just didn't like Hites approach to the game. I knew coming from California and Colorado Hites would struggle. Also, a lack of coaching familiarity was another draw back for Hites. Plus what was with him always standing at the back of the bench away from the kids during games. Thought that was odd. Lancaster truely is not a bad program as long as they get the right coach that not only gets kids excited about playing Basketball but also encourages these kids to participate in other sports as that will only make every other sport better. If the right coach gets hired this time, maybe it won't take as much time to turn things back to where Lancaster basketball should be, amongst the best in Central ohio.[/QUOT

90 - I can see how you may have mis-interpreted my post. I should have made it clear that the program decline began on Coffmans watch. Jack's resignation was ill timed and forced the hiring of Coffman. If I knew Jack, I would say that to him. I agree, Lancaster needs to hire the best coach, but I don't think that coach is in the system.

[final4]

Lancaster football is Lancaster's basketball problem. Since I am not from there, I will say it.

[misterT1970]

final4,
I am not affiliated with Lancaster either, so I will say this - they have no talent in the program. I saw many of their teams (middle school thru varsity) play this season. They cannot win with the talent on the floor. I understand that not everybody can coach talent, but nobody can coach no talent. Lancaster could hire Krzyzewski and they wont win.