September/October 2019 - 50

TURNOVER IN
THE COACHING
RANKS
An Illinois high school athletic director discusses how
he confronts the biggest challenge facing programs
By Jon Kerr, contributing writer
Folded T-shirts rest on the edge of a desk. Award medals
sit on the inside of an opened box. Papers lie on top of a
copy machine, waiting to be scanned or duplicated.
The cramped office of Troy Parola, director of athletics
at Mundelein (Illinois) High School, contains materials
that could be associated with any busy high school athletic
administrator. But above the main desk is one distinct
feature of Parola's office: A row of color-coded binders,
each containing information for the various sports offered
at Mundelein. Yellow binders are used for fall sports, blue
for winter, and green for spring.
" Our (athletic) trainer said, 'Be careful, Troy gets upset
in the spring,' " Parola said with a chuckle. " I told her, 'Just
take a look at the folders, which one has the most.' "
It's not just managing the number of folders - or
navigating Chicago's unpredictable spring weather - that
can frustrate Parola. It's constantly changing the coaches
printed on the sheets of paper inside. Since taking over
as Mundelein athletic director in 2015, Parola has had to
hire 14 head coaches. That represents 42% of the school's
33 teams.
" What makes it difficult is to find that balance, " Parola
said. " You want the best coach who is also the best
teacher. A high school coach is nothing like pro or college.
They are not making a living off the dollars they make.
They do it for the love of it. "
On a daily basis, Parola seeks solutions to his
conundrum: Keeping coaches who are good at their
job and love what they do. Of the 14 new hires made
since 2015, only a few were necessary due to poor job
performance. The rest left their positions voluntarily, most
citing family obligations that prevent them from dedicating
the hours necessary to be a successful coach.
" It's a 12-month commitment and if you really want to
get to that cruising altitude, the good coaches put in so
much time they sacrifice a lot, " Parola said, " and a lot of
that is family. "
50 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019
" All the negative stuff can be a deterrent for a
young coach. We live in a different society. "
- Troy Parola, director of athletics
Parola said outside cultural forces - mainly the rise in
club sports - has ramped up pressure on coaches. The
profession is more regulated than ever, as coaches must
acquire licenses, certifications and background checks
before getting hired. Smart phones and social media allow
for direct access to coaches, and the information being
passed is not often complimentary.
" All the negative stuff can be a deterrent for a young
coach, " Parola said. " We live in a different society. "
Parola was a coach and physical education teacher
before becoming an athletic administrator in 2005. He
believes strongly in coaching coaches and giving them
directives to establish team culture.
Preseason meetings with athletes and parents are
mandatory. Handouts clearly state the chain of command
when it comes to communication - a freshman team
athlete must first have a conversation with a freshman
coach, not jump to varsity or the athletic director. He
encourages coaches to ask players and parents to write
September/October 2019

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