Coach Pooch Resigns

[1972Shocker]

http://www.goshockers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=205151864&DB_OEM_ID=7500

I wonder if this was totally voluntary or if he was given the option of resigning or being fired? My guess is the latter.

In any case, I think it was time although I do think Pooch was a good guy and I wish him well in the future.

Let's see what ADES comes up with as a replacement.

[Quick Pitch]

Very nice guy and wish him the very best. I have said this before, but Tim Walton was a very tough act to follow.

[flyingMoose]

Re: Coach Pooch Resigns

... I do think Pooch was a good guy and I wish him well in the future.

Very nice guy and wish him the very best.

Hear, hear!!

[WuDrWu]

Re: Coach Pooch Resigns

... I do think Pooch was a good guy and I wish him well in the future.

Very nice guy and wish him the very best.

Hear, hear!!

+1

[vbird53]

All eyes on ADES.

[flyingMoose]

http://www.kansas.com/2011/05/17/1851925/perniciaro-out-at-wsu-after-six.html

[1972Shocker]

All eyes on ADES.

Maybe stretching the interest in the softball program some. I suspect that a good portion of the WSU fan base could not tell you the name of our softball coach and some might not even realize we have a softball prgram.

Yes, some eyes will be on ADES but he won't be under a microscope on this one.

Still, we need to be more competitive on the softball field and that probably starts with someone who can recruit good pitching first and foremost.

[WuDrWu]

Hovpen has been great with information on local prospects and the such. I don't know the first damned thing about softball talent and recruiting. I guess my only hope is that if we are not going to be hugely successful, then I'd just as soon be mediocre with local kids.

[Hovpen]

Over the last four years and the next two years, we have had local softball players commit to or sign and play well at: Oklahoma State, Florida, Arkansas, Notre Dame, Missouri, Missouri State, Oklahoma, Nebraska, UMKC, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pacific, Baylor, Utah, Louisiana Monroe, Purdue, Costal Carolina, South Florida, Central Michigan, Kansas, Georgia Tech, Jacksonville State, Nebraska, Dayton, U of Illinois-Chicago, Kent State, Northern Illinois, Drake, Creighton, Harvard, North Dakota, Eastern Illinois, Iona, South Dakota State, Southeastern Louisiana, Tulsa, Northwestern, and U of Indiana Purdue. Why shouldn’t WSU go after a few of our local girls? Several of those players have even been selected to their all-conference teams. We have two local teams who compete well with the best California and Texas have to offer at the national level in the Mustangs and Peppers. Currently we have three junior colleges in the national tournament and one feeder school, Butler, has six players who could be headed to D-1 programs next year not to mention, they owned the Shockers this past fall.

If anyone thinks our local kids are going to be mediocre, think again.

Now, anyone want to get me started on our local kids playing basketball at the D-1 level? I'm seeing around 30 within a two hour drive of campus who for whatever reason got away.

For the future in softball, this is as good of a freshman class this year as I have seen in the past 10 at the high school level with our top talent in Kansas.

KU btw, beat WSU with six Kansas players in the starting lineup and although they are currently at the bottom of the Big 12, they are a much improved team and the Big 12 is this season one of the top leagues in the country, playing some excellent ball.

That said, good luck with whomever is the new hire and good luck also to the current staff in securing their future. I do believe a current Big 12 assistant was interviewed according to my sources.

I don't think it would be too hard to put together a competitive program in the Valley.

[WuDrWu]

Hovpen, I didn't mean to imply there aren't competitive athletes in Kansas. The list you provide is impressive.

Let me ask this, and hopefully with the change in leadership you will feel comfortable going into some details;

Why do you think WSU let's so many local type players get away? I know it's FAR more expensive to recruit someone from another state, plus there is the added expense of out of state tuition.

As I see it (and again, I know nothing of softball recruiting so I am just attempting to use what's left of my own common sense) there are 3 explanations:

1)Our program just refused to recruit local players that given an option, at least some would have chosen WSU.

2)There is some rift between the WSU staff or program and the AAU type teams that has really driven a wedge between the 2 and hinders WSU from successfully recruiting these young ladies (I don't know the first damned thing about any of this, I am just doing this from memory of what I can think was posted over the years).

3)And this is really what I was getting to......that most if not all of these potential student athletes just don't want to go to WSU for whatever reason...they don't like the school, they want to get away etc. This isn't meant to place blame...I am just curious if that's a perception that you may have noticed.

[luvthoseshox]

There is definately a rift with one of the local club teams. Pooch didn't bow down to this "club" and that didn't go over well. So, this "club" not only would suggest their kids not go to WSU, they actually talked girls out of going there when they had already verballed.

I guess we will see if this new coach bows down to this "club" or if he won't. That will determine if we see more local girls at WSU.

[SubGod22]

There is definately a rift with one of the local club teams. Pooch didn't bow down to this "club" and that didn't go over well. So, this "club" not only would suggest their kids not go to WSU, they actually talked girls out of going there when they had already verballed.

I guess we will see if this new coach bows down to this "club" or if he won't. That will determine if we see more local girls at WSU.

Based on my little experience with U12 softball I have a pretty good idea which "club" you're talking about.

[vbird53]

All eyes on ADES.

Maybe stretching the interest in the softball program some. I suspect that a good portion of the WSU fan base could not tell you the name of our softball coach and some might not even realize we have a softball prgram.

Yes, some eyes will be on ADES but he won't be under a microscope on this one.

Still, we need to be more competitive on the softball field and that probably starts with someone who can recruit good pitching first and foremost.

In my mind, this has nothing to do with softball. It's more about how ADES handles the hiring of a head coach.

[1972Shocker]

All eyes on ADES.

Maybe stretching the interest in the softball program some. I suspect that a good portion of the WSU fan base could not tell you the name of our softball coach and some might not even realize we have a softball prgram.

Yes, some eyes will be on ADES but he won't be under a microscope on this one.

Still, we need to be more competitive on the softball field and that probably starts with someone who can recruit good pitching first and foremost.

In my mind, this has nothing to do with softball. It's more about how ADES handles the hiring of a head coach.

He has already done it once and hardly anyone paid any attention.

[flyingMoose]

If you get an assistant from a successful BCS program (read Tim Walton), we are most likely a stepping stone. If you get a coach from a successful D-II program (read Brent Vigness), we may have a chance of them sticking around. If you get an assistant from a successful mid-major program, it probably depends.

Note the use of the word "successful". Why we would want a coach who has not been recently successful is beyond me, especially a deposed head coach from a BCS program.

I think a coach with roots in the Midwest would be more likely to stay - Brent Vigness, Kerri Blaylock, Rich Calvert.

Just my thoughts.