Paul was a first-year teacher my senior year. He was the RB coach ... Hickey was not going to listen to him, let's just say. He was totally befuddled by some of the actics we got away with ... different times!
But he built a nice program - decently successful. Sadly, he is leaving because he is tired of the BS of folks not liking his triple-option.
www.stltoday.com
Bassler said he could handle the push for change from people outside the program.
“The community, I could deal with and I have dealt with over the 25 years I’ve been doing this,” he said. “Everybody wanted more throwing, more of this, more of that. The kind of stuff they see on Saturdays and Sundays, they wanted to see. Some of the parents and people in the community would corner me and say something to me. I would say, ‘Hey, come on out to practice and watch us complete 20% or 30% against no defense.’ That wasn’t going to be a good formula for us.”
What Bassler said he wasn’t able to handle as well was the restlessness. He sensed the desire for change from his assistants and players coming into the program.
“I’m at the point now where I’m coaching kids of kids I’ve coached,” Bassler said. “I’m getting the second generation of kids. I think they’re getting antsy and they want to move on and do some other stuff. I felt like I was the lone ranger, philosophically. Being the lone ranger isn’t a fun place to be. It was a lot more fun when we were all on the same page, talking the same language and doing the same things. The past couple of years weren’t as fun.
“I have guys on staff that want to go a different direction. They want to air it out and throw it all over. I think they have a good group coming back to be able to do that with. Some of the kids we threw to this year are coming back and Isaac Ackerman will be the next quarterback. He can sling it and spin it really well. He’s got a great arm. They’re going to be able to do some of the things they want to. I just don’t know whether, year in and year out, those (players) are going to be available.”
Bassler, a Belleville East graduate, called former Althoff coach Glenn Schott before he made his decision to resign. Bassler was an assistant under Schott in 1990 and 1991. “Coach Schott was hilarious. I said, ‘When did you know it was time?’ He goes, ‘Paul, when I was more excited about coming home and watching CSI than coaching football, I knew it was time.’ I understand. You get to the point where you’re so tired of watching film and doing the things that were necessary. It just struck a chord with me.”
But he built a nice program - decently successful. Sadly, he is leaving because he is tired of the BS of folks not liking his triple-option.
Bassler resigns after 25 seasons as Triad's football coach
Paul Bassler led the Knights to 17 playoff berths and 11 league titles
Bassler said he could handle the push for change from people outside the program.
“The community, I could deal with and I have dealt with over the 25 years I’ve been doing this,” he said. “Everybody wanted more throwing, more of this, more of that. The kind of stuff they see on Saturdays and Sundays, they wanted to see. Some of the parents and people in the community would corner me and say something to me. I would say, ‘Hey, come on out to practice and watch us complete 20% or 30% against no defense.’ That wasn’t going to be a good formula for us.”
What Bassler said he wasn’t able to handle as well was the restlessness. He sensed the desire for change from his assistants and players coming into the program.
“I’m at the point now where I’m coaching kids of kids I’ve coached,” Bassler said. “I’m getting the second generation of kids. I think they’re getting antsy and they want to move on and do some other stuff. I felt like I was the lone ranger, philosophically. Being the lone ranger isn’t a fun place to be. It was a lot more fun when we were all on the same page, talking the same language and doing the same things. The past couple of years weren’t as fun.
“I have guys on staff that want to go a different direction. They want to air it out and throw it all over. I think they have a good group coming back to be able to do that with. Some of the kids we threw to this year are coming back and Isaac Ackerman will be the next quarterback. He can sling it and spin it really well. He’s got a great arm. They’re going to be able to do some of the things they want to. I just don’t know whether, year in and year out, those (players) are going to be available.”
Bassler, a Belleville East graduate, called former Althoff coach Glenn Schott before he made his decision to resign. Bassler was an assistant under Schott in 1990 and 1991. “Coach Schott was hilarious. I said, ‘When did you know it was time?’ He goes, ‘Paul, when I was more excited about coming home and watching CSI than coaching football, I knew it was time.’ I understand. You get to the point where you’re so tired of watching film and doing the things that were necessary. It just struck a chord with me.”
