There’s Value and Talent at all Levels

Provided by: NFCA

Many of us who coach at colleges and universities often capitalize on the opportunities to work outside camps and clinics in an effort to supplement our income, network and recruit. In addition, many of us are truly passionate about teaching, interacting, and sharing information.

I'm sure you have heard many a coach say, “I would do this for free if I could.” The reality is, most of us cannot and the personal satisfaction and rewarding nature of what we do makes below-average salaries bearable. Now, you as the reader may be a parent coaching a Little League team, a volunteer, a part-time coach, a full-time coach with dual responsibilities, a high school teacher who also coaches high school ball, a full-time coach making an average salary or in the small percentage of coaches who are compensated into the six-figure range.

As an NCAA Division II coach, I have experienced the slights that come with not having the notoriety of a big-name institution or the omnipotent Division I label. We here at Adelphi work hard to debunk the myths. For example, the quality, competitiveness, facilities, resources and ability of a program are not necessarily synonymous with division.

There are divisions within divisions. At every level, there are highly competent, effective, dedicated coaches and there are the opposite. Many coaches choose the level at which they work, and should not be judged on their ability to coach based on the attitudes and values associated with their division.

I would venture to say that for the most part, we as a coaching community understand this. While there are always outliers, the majority of us appear to value collaboration and information exchange, the ability to teach and impact others, and the desire to grow our sport for the greater good of softball and those to follow.

Those outside of our coaching community, however, do not always share our values. Outside businesses (and business people) that run camps and clinics often follow business models that do not match with our philosophies.

A little over a year ago, I had an unpleasant experience with an outside organization that had asked me to work a clinic prior to a recruiting tournament (that I was expected to attend as part of the deal). Before I elaborate, I want to make one thing clear: Coaches talk. Communicating with each other is something we feel to be vital to our sport, our profession and our careers.

Many of us have probably worked in environments or had experience with an administration or a boss that understood the dangers in coach communication and worked to prevent it. Our sport and our profession would not be where it is today if we didn't collaborate or if we embraced an every-man-for-himself mentality.

Here's what makes sense to me: Equal pay for equal work, pay commensurate with experience, transparency, and rationale. While I know that big names sell - both the individual and the school - and businesses want to maximize their profits, I also know that, statistically speaking, most participants at a camp or clinic will not be competing at the Division I level.

There are over 100 more NCAA Division III institutions that sponsor softball than Division I, Division II, and NAIA each do. At the time I worked this clinic, I had eight years of collegiate coaching experience under my belt, including six at Division I institutions, and I was representing my university as a head coach with the power to make recruiting decisions while there, should I so desire.

Following the clinic, I spoke with many other coaches in attendance, as I typically do, and discovered that the pay scale appeared to be based on division and division only, regardless of position within a program, ability to teach, knowledge or experience. The funny thing is, I have never worked in a camp or clinic environment where I felt a colleague believed they were owed more because of the name on the front of their shirt, or for their personal accolades.

It actually led to some pretty awkward conversations amongst us where those who were compensated more were apologetic for having been. Fairness mattered to them, regardless of the benefits they reaped because of the level at which they coached, even if that meant they would profit less financially if the pay structure differed. Sounds to me like the epitome of collaboration, teamwork, and greater good. Furthermore, the one handing out the paychecks seemingly forgot one thing: coaches talk.

Those of you who know me probably know that I do not bite my tongue very often, but I do make sure to express myself in appropriate and professional ways. Following this experience, I did express myself. I shared many of the same thoughts I shared with you here, after sleeping on it, thinking through it and gathering and revising my thoughts and words, so as to leave little to no room for retaliatory language or action. Regardless, the response was retaliatory, and misdirected. As we all know, we cannot control the actions of others, but only our own.

Please don't misunderstand me here. If anything was ever about the money, I'd probably be doing something very different with my life. The message is greater. What are we saying to coaches when we measure value by division or measure value by the ability to profit in our own endeavors?

Furthermore, we do not work in a profession where it is merely an exchange of services. Anyone who sees it that way is grossly misunderstanding what we do. The emotion and passion that contributes to the ways in which we do our jobs makes it a bit more difficult to feel under-appreciated or undervalued, in a world where many of us are overworked and underpaid as it is. I'm not complaining about that, and I never would, because what I gain by doing what I do cannot be measured in dollars.

So what is the point, you may ask? Treat people right. Don't get lost in the dollar signs. Understand that your profits may not be immediate if you do the right thing, but they will be long-lasting, and you cannot put a price on reputation. Furthermore, if we want kids to thrive in college, we need to help them find a school that feels absolutely perfect for them.

We have to help them find a place where they can be impactful, even if it doesn't look flashy on a brochure or a t-shirt. What we say we value and what we actually value need to be the same and we need to act accordingly.