Duluth East stunned at state
March 8, 2012 at 6:00 pm in Duluth News Tribune
ST. PAUL Lakeville South’s star forward Justin Kloos wasn’t in a giving mood Thursday night, even though it was Duluth East star Jake Randolph’s 18th birthday.
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“Who are these guys?”, says Coach Mike Randolph. What? Here’s a coach who demands, absolutely demands, his players make a total commitment to him. A total commitment to the extent every player on the team knows if they do not totally commit, they’ll find themselves on the bench. He teaches a system – not skills development – and there is little room for discussion. His way or the highway.
So all he can say is “Who are these guys?” when the players run into a solid opponent. He demands commitment, yet turns his back on the entire team in his comments. Where is your commitment to the team, Mike? You get paid to coach, don’t give me the ‘so many hours’ story – you choose to coach. The least you could do, the very least you could do, is support your players, not simply pass judgement that rubs the faces of the players in the mud of their performance.
DE was outcoached against LS, plain and simple. Wonderful Plan A, but non-existent Plan B or Plan C. Non-existent. Play the first line every other shift? By the middle of the third those three kids were gassed – they gave it all and were getting beat. Who’s in charge, Coach? Who needs to lead by example, Coach. When you coach with intimidation, your best teaching tool is a hammer. You pounded on these kids as hard as you could, for as long as you could, and then, after all that, you have the gall to say, “Who are these guys?”.
I feel sorry for you Mike, but I feel even more sorry for Jake. You can leave coaching, but he’ll carry your name forever. He’ll also carry the burden you created this year, forever. If you like what you see in the mirror, Coach, it’s time to get a new mirror.
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