FB: Washington's fate could be decided soon
(left) instructs one of his players during two-a-day drills in August.
Washington's fate at Timpson could be revealed soon, according to
Supt. Dr. Mid Johnson. (Photo by John Krueger)
The decision whether to keep Kenny Washington as Timpson ISD athletic director and head football coach could be decided in the coming days as superintendent of schools Dr. Mid Johnson and the TISD Board of Trustees continue to discuss not only the future of the football program, but the entire athletic department vision, Johnson said on Monday.
The possibility of a change in the athletic department became public when the district posted an advertisement on the Texas Association of School Administrators (www.tasanet.org) website on Nov. 18, according to the site's posting, with the contact person being Johnson.
When contacted last Tuesday about the posting, Washington denied knowledge of the posting and said that he had not been contacted by Johnson or the school board about his possible dismissal from the district.
"I know what you know," Washington stated last week when ask what he's been told by the administration and school board. "I'm the athletic director and head football coach and I'm going to continue to do my job until I'm told different. That's all I can do at this point."
Johnson, however, said on Wednesday that he had spoken to Washington previously and informed him of the situation. On Monday the superintendent said the decision whether or not to keep Washington on staff is a "district decision, made collaboratively within the district. It's based upon an evaluation, done by the administration here at the school."
Johnson said he couldn't go into detail about Washington's situation because of legal issues dealing with personnel. But he did say that no final decision on Washington's future has been made, despite the posting of the advertisement for a possible replacement.
"After a consultation with the current athletic director, the decision was made (to post the ad)," Johnson said Monday, stating that Washington is still under contract with the district. "That may or may not change in the near future."
When asked why the district is advertising for a possible replacement before a decision is made in Washington's situation, he stated, "We've been discussing those issues and right now it's a private personnel issue as to why. I will know more in the next few days."
When contacted on Monday morning, Washington still denied having been informed of the situation and as to why an advertisement had been placed.
Washington just completed his third season as AD and head football coach of the Bear football program. Hired in January 2009 after the retirement of Norman Cobb, Washington has posted an overall record of 7-23 (23.3%) during his three years with the district. In 2009 and '10 the Bears finished with identical 3-7 records, before falling to 1-9 this fall.
But the woes of the football program began before Washington's arrival. The Bears' last winning record came in 2004 when the team finished 7-3 under first-year coach Kevin Hall. The following year the team posted a 2-7 record and Hall and the Timpson ISD parted ways. Since the '05 season the program has an overall record of 16-52 (23.5%).
When asked why he thought the program has struggled for so long, Johnson said the level of the competition could be a contributing factor.
"I think part of it is the competition level that we face," the superintendent stated. "If you've noticed, a lot of the teams we've played and have a rivalry with are still playing in the playoffs. So the competition level is very high.
"It's been a struggle to stay up with that level. Teams that beat us by a few points this year are just now getting beat out of the playoffs. Teams very similar performance-wise to us (Garrison and Tenaha) are still playing."
Johnson said several factors go into the evaluation of Washington and the other coaches in the district.
"The administration has to make a decision as far as the direction it goes, according to the performance it feels like the staff has performed," Johnson said. "To say our talent level is down, I'd say that overall it has been stronger at times in the past, but we still have some good kids that work really hard to be successful."
Johnson said the district currently employs five coaches for the high school football program. When asked whether that number has decreased in recent years he said it's gone "back and forth."
"I know at times we've looked for a coach and probably would have hired somebody. We struggle here because, and people need to understand, that we can't just hire a coach, because we have to have something they can teach. When we have an opening in science or mathematics, we have to fill that opening. If it's somebody that can coach, that's great; we'll hire them as a coach if we have an opening.
"Unfortunately it's becoming more difficult to find teachers that teach in those areas that coach. We can't hire six coaches and have six P.E. teachers. They wouldn't have anything to do all day.
"So, yes it s a struggle. That's probably the reason we just have five or so (football coaches)."
Johnson said if the district could find more qualified coaches, the district would probably hire as many as seven or eight and that the community wouldn't have a problem with it. But he added that he didn't think the number of coaches on the football staff had any relativity to the program struggling.
"I've seen coaching staffs with four or five be very successful. I know that they only had that at Joaquin for years. It might have some bearing, but I wouldn't think it would have significant bearing."
Johnson, who coached for more than five years in the past and is in his second year as superintendent at Timpson, said he feels that a major problem with the district's athletic department, as a whole, is the lack of fundamental skills in the athletes.
"We've got to create something here that causes people to want to have a work ethic and really understand that hard work is the means by which that can be achieved," he said. "One of the things is creating a system within the district that emphasizes the sports fundamentals.
One of the things that we've done in our elementary school and in the lower grades is implement as part of the P.E. curriculum as in integrated part of the curriculum that has to be taught, according to the state, is ways to reinforce those kills. Kids need to learn how to dribble a basketball with both hand, they need to learn to throw a ball properly, learn proper catching technique and proper foot work. All those athletic-type skills transfer into athletics.
"But people understand that those fundamentals have to be taught, and part of that responsibility lies within the school, to find the right personnel that will reinforce fundamental skills. We have to find coaches that go back to the basics, that teach and reinforce those fundamental skills. And until we do that we're going to be beating our heads against the wall because programs that are successful teach fundamentals."
Johnson went on to say that the district has students that are excited about the football and other programs, but a way has to be found to get them focused so they will take ownership in it. "That'll take the right people in the right place and teaching those skills."
Johnson said although there is some parental involvement in athletics, there needs to be more with the district. He also said there needs to be a more concentrated effort to get athletes involved in out-of-season leagues to fine-tune their skills.
For now, Washington's future appears to be in limbo. And whether he will be part of the Johnson's plan to reinforce basic skills and to improve the athletic department as a whole has apparently yet to be decided.