I’ve often mentioned here that the main problem with youth sports today is adults. And that was borne out again this weekend as the “real story” surfaced as to why Appleton East Boys Basketball Coach John Mielke suddenly announced his resignation mid-season on Saturday. As Appleton Post Crescent reporter Ricardo Aguello hears it Mielke quit after being accosted at a bar by a group of angry parents.
Per sources quoted in the story, the “concerned parents” confronted Mielke about his team’s performance–calling it “embarrassing”–and complaining that “he yelled at their kids too much”. The parents also claimed that many of the players wanted to quit. I’m guessing that Coach Mielke wasn’t alone in the bar when this confrontation took place, so it probably caused quite the spectacle–as the sources sound like people that just happened to be in the same establishment at the time.
Parents confronting coaches is nothing new. There probably hasn’t been a sports coach yet that hasn’t had to field questions about why someone’s son or daughter isn’t playing more or getting more touches or being allowed to wow college scouts (that have absolutely no idea who their son or daughter is because they obviously don’t have “next level talent”.) Most of those confrontations take place in offices or over the telephone. It’s not often that groups of disgruntled parents choose to embarrass a coach in public–and that is likely why Coach Mielke decided he’d had enough.
Our friend at the EAA, Dick Knapinski–who has covered high school sports in the Fox Valley for decades–took to Twitter last night demanding that the parents who forced Mielke out go on the record. Let their sons know who “got coach to quit” and be detailed and specific with their accusations of “being too hard on the kids”. If any Appleton East parent that confronted the coach wants to join us here on WOSH, the phone lines are open at 1-800-236-9674.
Since a number of other East coaches have joined Mielke in resigning–so they can avoid the same confrontational parents–I would like to suggest that one of those “basketball experts” themselves take over the bench. See how effective you are clapping and calling out “good job guys, way to try!” after turnovers, foolish fools and allowing easy shots by the opponents. Spend a few hours working on substitution patterns that get all 15-kids on the roster equal playing time–or devise a system that gets every player the same number of starts for the rest of the year so they can all “feel good about themselves”. Your first game as Patriots coach will be against top-ranked Oshkosh North–whom I hope hangs about 125-points on your team and wins by almost triple-digits–just to teach you what “embarrassing” really is.
Oh and get ready for a lifetime of having to yell at your son’s boss on the workplace floor because he or she is “pushing too hard”. And keep that old bedroom ready for every time he quits a job because it was “too tough”.
