Crybaby coaches

•Not enough school support

•Not enough community support

• A lack of quality athletes

• A lack of quality coaching

• Don’t know

Wagner was upset that the Journal dared asked that question. Maybe that’s because in the three years he’s been at WBHS, Wagner hasn’t won a single football game. Yet he doesn’t expect anyone to notice that, or even ask the obvious? Wagner is in a high-profile job in the community as a head football coach. He is a public employee, as are all the coaches in the school system. The football program uses tax-funded stadiums and training rooms. For Wagner to think he has no obligation to be under the public limelight in his position is foolish. It goes with any coaching job.

The truth is, the Journal has never been critical of Wagner or his teams. Despite three years of losses, the newspaper has been very supportive of the WBHS football program. We spend thousands of dollars every year to cover the school’s football program and related activities.

And nobody has questioned the commitment of WBHS players to becoming successful. It’s not the fault of the players at WBHS that they find themselves in this situation. Every boy on that team wants to win. No athlete does the drills in the heat of the summer, or takes the physical pounding of football planning to lose. The boys want, and deserve, a winning program.

But it doesn’t mean that questions about the program should not be asked. The online poll was a way to let the community express its impression of what the problem might be with the years of trouble in the WBHS football program.

Coaches live and die based on their success. While high school athletes learn valuable life lessons no matter what a team’s win-loss record, the reality is that coaches are measured on their W-L record. Every coach who goes into that field knows that. If they can’t withstand the pressure of W-L and the public scrutiny that comes with it, they need to find another profession. Hypersensitive coaches with thin skin won’t last.

Wagner got his job at WBHS because his predecessor had not been as successful as many had wanted. Ben Corley was forced out after two years and a record of 3-17 when athletic director Justin Grant decided to bring Wagner in to replace him.

At that time, Chris wrote an opinion column in which he questioned that decision, saying that Corley needed more than just two years to build a program.

Grant was furious about that column and called to complain — how dare Chris question his decision to oust Corley!

But now three years later, the program has not been any more successful than it was under Corley. At 0-24, and being outscored 182-824 over the last three seasons, Wagner’s record is worse. Yet nobody, least of all this newspaper, has called for him to go.

To any objective observer, the problems in the WBHS program seem to be bigger than any single coach. That the community is concerned about that should come as no surprise; nor should questions about the situation be shocking. Shouldn’t the community hold the leadership of that very public program to some modicum of accountability?

One of the best things that could happen to Winder and Barrow County would be for WBHS to build a strong football tradition of success as it had many years ago. The economic downturn has had a huge negative impact on the community both economically and psychologically. The community needs something to rally around — a program to be proud of — an event that brings people of all ages and backgrounds together in a positive way. Everyone in the community would love to see WBHS build a successful football program.

But that won’t be done by coaches who put their heads in the sand and say “Hush!” to anyone who dares to ask “what’s wrong?” Pretending there isn’t a problem won’t make the problem go away. And a coach trying to suppress a newspaper’s coverage of high school sports won’t make that sport become more successful.

If Wagner is concerned about “negativity” in his football program, he can’t shift the blame for that on the newspaper or anyone else who dares ask questions.

If he wants to stop questions from being asked, there is a solution: Win some ballgames. Trying to change the focus away from himself and cast blame onto others is just being a crybaby.

Of course, the Journal can’t make Wagner, or his staff, talk to us. While that reflects poorly on him as a leader, nobody can force him to speak if he doesn’t want to.

Still, the Journal will continue to cover WBHS football as it always has. It would be unfair to the athletes and our readers to allow such pettiness by a coach to interfere with coverage of a sport. We will still be on the sidelines making photographs and we will continue to write about the WBHS football team, along with other school sports.

And if Wagner won’t talk with us, well, that’s his choice.

In fact, we’d rather he do his talking on the field by winning a few games.

Results speak louder than words anyway.

Mike Buffington is co-publisher of the Barrow Journal. He can be reached at mike@mainstreetnews.com.