Eric Burns named new West Genny coach

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[Stealth4785]

Good luck to Mr. Burns. Hopefully the parents stop meddling.

 

[kirbivore]

Good luck to Mr. Burns. Hopefully the parents stop meddling.

This should be the new coaches approach

Tyler Durden: Listen up, maggots. You are not special. You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake. You're the same decaying organic matter as everything else.

 

[WoodyUK]

What happened to the Coach from last year?

 

[Cusester]

The coach of the boys team and the girls team both resigned right after the season. There have been rumors that they left for the same reason Mike Messere stepped down. Too much parent meddling and players that put themselves before the team.

 

[Jack_Ball]

The coach of the boys team and the girls team both resigned right after the season. There have been rumors that they left for the same reason Mike Messere stepped down. Too much parent meddling and players that put themselves before the team.

This is not true on both accounts. The boys record this year was 6-10 i think? That's not going to work at West Genny. The girls were better at 11-5 but there were other issues that factored into the decision

 

[Vshukla]

If West Genny struggles and the parents get restless, just remember they aren't booing, they are saying "boo-urns".

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

This should be the new coaches approach

Tyler Durden: Listen up, maggots. You are not special. You are not a beautiful or unique snowflake. You're the same decaying organic matter as everything else.

Aren't all snowflakes unique?

 

[Stealth4785]

Aren't all snowflakes unique?

Yes, but in the end they are all snowflakes.

Mike Messere on West Genesee lacrosse coaching change: I knew the bottom would fall out (7 questions)

The Wildcats are in the market for a new coach after Messere's replacement, Shaun Smith, resigned last week.

www.syracuse.com

The drooping socks - take it or leave it, but the concept would be that no one player is above the whole team and that's what he kind of hints at as well as parental interference.

 

[ClvrUsrnm]

Good luck to Mr. Burns. Hopefully the parents stop meddling.

This will never happen. The only way it doesn’t become a bigger issue is if the administration has the coach’s back. Sounds like that wasn’t the case with Messere or the last guy.

 

[ClvrUsrnm]

Yes, but in the end they are all snowflakes.

Mike Messere on West Genesee lacrosse coaching change: I knew the bottom would fall out (7 questions)

The Wildcats are in the market for a new coach after Messere's replacement, Shaun Smith, resigned last week.

www.syracuse.com

The drooping socks - take it or leave it, but the concept would be that no one player is above the whole team and that's what he kind of hints at as well as parental interference.

Messere seems to be obsessed with the socks. We scrimmaged West Genny when I was in high school in the 90s. I remember the game and the indoor facility we played in. I do not remember their socks. We certainly weren’t intimidated by their socks. The fashion at the time was no-show socks. If anything we would have thought their socks looked lame or dorky.

 

[kirbivore]

I'm tangentially related to the WG Hockey coach. Next time I see him I'll ask if he has the same issues with the hockey parents.

 

[tombacuse]

Messere seems to be obsessed with the socks. We scrimmaged West Genny when I was in high school in the 90s. I remember the game and the indoor facility we played in. I do not remember their socks. We certainly weren’t intimidated by their socks. The fashion at the time was no-show socks. If anything we would have thought their socks looked lame or dorky.

there was a bit more than just socks, it was only a piece. Some 80's/90's WG teams could have fielded two full teams,winning class A and Class B titles. The depth of talent was unmatched by any other high school. messere helped build a legendary program, but he was far from the only reason for WG success. his last interview is/was an embarrassment. He himself had many flaws, and I think the WG community was the reason for unmatched success. that should have been the statement from his last meaningful interview, instead it was a disgrace.

 

[ClvrUsrnm]

there was a bit more than just socks, it was only a piece. Some 80's/90's WG teams could have fielded two full teams,winning class A and Class B titles. The depth of talent was unmatched by any other high school. messere helped build a legendary program, but he was far from the only reason for WG success. his last interview is/was an embarrassment. He himself had many flaws, and I think the WG community was the reason for unmatched success. that should have been the statement from his last meaningful interview, instead it was a disgrace.

Oh absolutely, I’m not in any way downplaying West Genny’s success. I just don’t understand Messere’s obsession with the socks. The socks are not why they won.

 

[wgdsr]

if you are going to say "the reason", it was messere. your earlier bit about being far from the only reason is closer. he had a group of coaches that contributed similar ideals and acumen.
the talent was brewed from that and their efforts. the community, players and parents fell in line by supporting those concepts. they supported because it was successful. chicken and egg.

 

[wgdsr]

Oh absolutely, I’m not in any way downplaying West Genny’s success. I just don’t understand Messere’s obsession with the socks. The socks are not why they won.

i'm fairly sure the interview wasn't 3 minutes long. the reporter took out of it what he wanted to. he was never obsessed with... that. he was obsessed with doing things the right way, for a host of reasons.
in your (and his) example, a clear bucking of wanting to be coached on that ideal.

 

[orlandoorange]

i'm fairly sure the interview wasn't 3 minutes long. the reporter took out of it what he wanted to. he was never obsessed with... that. he was obsessed with doing things the right way, for a host of reasons.
in your (and his) example, a clear bucking of wanting to be coached on that ideal.

John Wooden taught his players how to put their socks on. With Wooden, it was about attention to detail. It seemed to work out fairly well in both cases.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

I listened to this awhile back and thought it was interesting. ‎Lacrosse Recruiting 101: Episode 11 - Mike Messere - West Genesee on Apple Podcasts

I have no real insight into West Genny's success, but suspect there will be more parity in general due to the accessibility of year round club programs and private training. That, in addition to communities having more moms and dads who played the sport, will "lift all boats." I think more affluent communities are particularly aided in this. That's why you're seeing the rise of programs in Main Line Philly, Northern NJ, Metro Boston, Metro DC, Dallas, Charlotte, The Research Triangle, Atlanta, San Diego, etc. It's just a matter of time before Section 5 programs catch up with Victor, and Section 2 catch up with Niskayuna. It's also why the talent level of Section 3 appears to be diminishing.

 

[sholokov2]

I listened to this awhile back and thought it was interesting. ‎Lacrosse Recruiting 101: Episode 11 - Mike Messere - West Genesee on Apple Podcasts

I have no real insight into West Genny's success, but suspect there will be more parity in general due to the accessibility of year round club programs and private training. That, in addition to communities having more moms and dads who played the sport, will "lift all boats." I think more affluent communities are particularly aided in this. That's why you're seeing the rise of programs in Main Line Philly, Northern NJ, Metro Boston, Metro DC, Dallas, Charlotte, The Research Triangle, Atlanta, San Diego, etc. It's just a matter of time before Section 5 programs catch up with Victor, and Section 2 catch up with Niskayuna. It's also why the talent level of Section 3 appears to be diminishing.

The 80's and 90's suburban upper middle class culture in West Genesee supported and helped nurture very young kids' programs where Mike built his tactical and disciplinary systems. Parents encouraged a rules based team vibe. They loved the guy because he led their kids to educational and athletic success. He was fair but tough. I witnessed up close the way parents backed almost his every decision. I knew many Genny parents. Never heard a bad word uttered.

Enter 2000's, 2010's. Other states took his model for youth programs. Competition in Section 3 became more intense. More importantly, a new generation of parents went off the rails. Decided they had to make sure their super athletic Jimmy "showcased" his marvelous talent. What an awful word. Team cohesion took second place to Jimmy's stats. Discipline of any kind threatened Jimmy's college prospects. By virtue of his being the son of wonderful parents, He was entitled to special treatment. My son, who won over 100 college games as a coach, became coach at a suburban high school outside Portland Maine. He is the kind of coach who barely ever raises his voice when he coaches. Kids pay attention. He was accosted for sitting a player down by an outraged father of a " Jimmy". The AD called him on the carpet while the father stood as witness. My son described to them a method for sticking into a cozy place their lacrosse coach job.

All this is not to defend Mike but to empathize with the predicaments facing high school coaches in all sports.

 

[Stealth4785]

The socks weren't about intimidation, they were about uniformity and conforming to the team ideals. When everyone wears the same uniform or follows the same dress code, it means no one person is above the group, that's the message being sent.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

The socks weren't about intimidation, they were about uniformity and conforming to the team ideals. When everyone wears the same uniform or follows the same dress code, it means no one person is above the group, that's the message being sent.

I like when teammates all wear the same uniform, right down to socks and even shoes when possible, and while I doubt "socks" were the reason Messere* faced external pressures, I don't like the double standard that these coaches don't have to evolve their views overtime about the team and the program to align more with modern trends and standards. Coaches are not bigger than the teams or programs either, and dogged refusal to meaningfully consider reasonable player supported trends is not better than petulant behavior by a player (or parent).

I couldnt say whether Messere demonstrate some flex over the years or not, just making the larger point.

 

[ForCuseSake]

What surprises me about the turnover at WG (both programs) is who honestly gives a hoot about high school sports anymore?

Travel/club organizations dominate most (if not all) college recruiting decisions to the point that most high school varsity games don't move the needle for elite talent.

I gotta think high level DI coaches only go to a few Section 3 games to emphasize their interest in an elite player; not to actually scout the kid.

I guess they might want to see Jimmy/Billy play on a different team or showcase skills in a different role. But is how they did against a local rival going to move the needle much?

And lastly, if I were a parent hell-bent on using lax to get my kid into college (or partially paid for) I'm focused on his club team performance. Not gonna waste my time with the varsity coach.

(I find all of what I said above mostly gross but understand it's the way things are in sports today)

 

[wgdsr]

I like when teammates all wear the same uniform, right down to socks and even shoes when possible, and while I doubt "socks" were the reason Messere* faced external pressures, I don't like the double standard that these coaches don't have to evolve their views overtime about the team and the program to align more with modern trends and standards. Coaches are not bigger than the teams or programs either, and dogged refusal to meaningfully consider reasonable player supported trends is not better than petulant behavior by a player (or parent).

I couldnt say whether Messere demonstrate some flex over the years or not, just making the larger point.

if anyone in the history of high school sports had the right to run a program the way he saw fit and not at the beck and call of players and parents, it's mike messere.

 

[Stealth4785]

I like when teammates all wear the same uniform, right down to socks and even shoes when possible, and while I doubt "socks" were the reason Messere* faced external pressures, I don't like the double standard that these coaches don't have to evolve their views overtime about the team and the program to align more with modern trends and standards. Coaches are not bigger than the teams or programs either, and dogged refusal to meaningfully consider reasonable player supported trends is not better than petulant behavior by a player (or parent).

I couldnt say whether Messere demonstrate some flex over the years or not, just making the larger point.

A fair and valid point.

His track record of success speaks volumes and thus by extension, his rules and the way he ran the program. Last I checked, you play the way the coaches asked you to play or you simply don't play; playing a sport is a privilege and not a right. With that being said, if the record reflects poor play, I simply imagine the coach wouldn't be coaching for much longer given the high profile nature of the position at West Genny.