What a shame for the football team. What is wrong with that coach? Word is that kids are quitting? What is going on? Why isn't something being done about this new coach he doesn't seen to be doing that great of a job?

First of all, the first three games were against the best teams in our division. It is a new coach and perhaps a rebuilding year. You can't fire a coach becasue he is losing, give the guy a chance.

First of all he is not only losing games kids are quitting the team? How can you call that rebuilding? What about the boys that are seniors that have worked hard the last 3 years playing football. Do you think this is how they want to remember there last year of high school football? I just think that it is a shame that nothing is being said or done I do not have a child in high school but I have friends that do I listen when they talk there was no camp this year, not much practice etc..... How is that fair to any of these boys?

I don't believe this is a coaching issue at all. If you've attended the games, you've seen that KO has been mostly outsized and outnumbered. There are at least two games remaining on their schedule that they should win. KO is also probably mis-classed. They may be identified as a AA school but they are on their way to an A classification. They can't compete at AA. They would be much more competitive if they play the likes of other class A schools - Anonworth, Bentworth, Brentwood, Canevin, Carlynton, Sto-Rox.

Let's all give the new coach - and the kids a chance. At least through the entire season.

Two games out of how many? Winning two games (possibly) does not seem like a very good record for the season? I am all about giving the coach a chance so far from what I have seen he is not doing that great of a job. Just my opinion. What about the kids that quit the team or do not get to play where is there chance? I think that for as many kids that have quit the team there is somethign wrong? I understand that they quit on there own but for as many of them that have quit someone should of stepped in to see what the issue was/is. Something is definately wrong if you have that many players quitting the team in a season.

This may also be part of the district's "shrinking pains." As I understand it, the enrollment is down again this year, for something like the 15th consecutive year and expected to do the same next year. As the total population continues to shrink, the pool of interested athletes will continue to shrink.

Another hurdle the new coach might face is the old coach. As I understand it, he's still a teacher in the district. How supportive is he of the new coach? What is he saying to the students during the school day? Does anyone know for sure? Maybe that should be looked into first.

I agree that a two win season is nothing to write home about. But because there are so many factors at play here, I'll agree with other posters and adopt a wait and see attitude.

You can't just blame the coach for kids quitting. Where are the parents here? These kids made a commitment to their school and most importantly their team. If a child of mine wanted to quit anything they had committed to (especially others), I would expect to hear some valid reasons beyond "we are not good" or " I don't like the coach". This isn't about sports, it's not about winning...it's about building character.

Does anyone know the number of students who actually have quit? And do you have an exact number (if so, please provide a source for that info), or is it an estimate?

Erin, I have heard from listening to parents talking at the games (I know thats not real reliable) that it is 6 kids that have quit and one being kicked off the team?

@ just saying I agree with you if I had a kid that played sports I would make them aware of the committment that they made to the team and the school. I guess what I am getting at is how can you expect a kid(s) to go and build character when they are sitting on the bench or not being played? The ones that I feel bad for are the seniors they have worked hard for the last three years to get to this point. I guess I just think that something should of been done or looked into befor it got to this point. Just my opinions.

It's called being part of a TEAM! Win or lose you are in it together. It builds character and gives some of these boys a support system they don't have at home.
My kids would never be allowed to quit, they made a commitment and I don't care if they are warming the bench or starters they are not allowed to quit. Perhaps they are still working hard just because they are losing doesn't mean they aren't enjoying the game. SOMETIME IT'S NOT ABOUT WINNING BUT NEVER GIVING UP...

I'm not saying warming the bench is easy but its quite possible that this coach was trying to teach these kids a lesson about team commitments, quite possible he was trying to tell our community what priorities his program will embrace...honestly I don't know. I DO know that if parents blame the coach we all miss an opportunity. Maybe these kids do have a valid reason to quit in which case I say own it...don't blame the coach.

One last thing. I apologize because I don't want to be "be on the high horse" I just think we don't do enough to honor the tough decision anymore. On the small chance that these boys may be reading this I would say...

Approach the coach directly and openly. Ask him what you can do to get on the field, he may suggest that you can't but you can support your team from the bench. I can't guarantee that you will play but, boys, I promise twenty years from now the experience will come in handy when your child faces adversity.

I guess maybe I am missing something I just don't understand how you can play football as a fresman, sophmore and junior and the all of a sudden your a senior and sitting on he bench? At some point in time someone felt that these boys were good enough to play for the first three years? Team committment these boys played on the team for three years a new coach comes along and now all of sudden they are not good enough to play with the team any longer? What opportunity are we all going to miss by this coach doing what ever it is that he is doing? DormontMOM how happy would you be if your kid worked his butt off for three years on a team and then in his forth year sat on the bench? Would you be excited to go to every game just to see hiom sitting on the bench when in years past you have gone to watch him play? Just a thought I still think for as many kids that have quit the team this year there is more going on than we know or will probably ever know.

Well for you information, may daughter has had that very thing happen to her this year. You know what it sucks, but I told her to work harder and prove to the coach that she deserves to be on the court. If she gives it her all and he still doesn't play her then she needs to respect his choices and be part of the team. Is it fair no, but Life sometimes isn't and this is where you learn to rise above it and move on and do what's best for the team.

This just proves why the KO head coaching job in football is not a desired job for aspiring coaches. The community (especially my fellow Dormont bretheren) are big time second guessers. They know everything. It has been a revolving door since Coach Durham some 15 or 20 years ago. Some success, but no long term stability.

There has been one player who quit and one player dismissed from the team. Dont know where all the misinformation is coming from. Any senior who has played in the past has been on the field. There are some seniors who have never played, maybe there are others better, I don't know. Lots of misinformation. I have a friend who's son is on the team and there are a lot of errors by born and raised in dormont. get the facts