Mr. Nowak:

I labor under no delusions that "coaching" plays a significant role in the success of any athletic program. There are innumerable examples of this - state wide. Your examples are exemplary and one would be hard-pressed to argue with you, in these regards.

But, at the high school level, I choose to believe that it is still the "Jimmie & Joe's" who carry the day (to a coveted state championship).

I hasten to add that the familiarity with an ultra-successful coach (and his "program") hastens the rise of that particular coaches program.

You may remember a football coach named Tom Young (a highly respected, coveted, football coach at Derby - I've never heard anybody utter an uncomplimentary remark about him or his coaching abilities, or the progarm he left behind at Derby).

In the last few years he went winless after leaving Derby, and he has now righted matters and recently competed for a state championship. Coach Young is the perfect example of your thesis. He will succeed!!!

It may well be that these steller athletes gravitate toward these proven programs (i.e. proven winners) or, then again, it could, then again, be the proverbial luck of the draw... (i.e. the local "pipeline" spillith over....)

or that these steller athletes did whatever they could do to be apart of this successful program - and bought into the coaches mind-set.

It's not unheard of, and it makes alot of practical sense.

I guess my point is that I agree whole-heartedly with you, coaching "can" make alot of difference...