LETTER: Kids need to hear positive comments

Well said, Tom. All of it.

Tom,
Thanks for saying what needed to be said. I do not have children in the Fremont School System, BUT I was involved in the Jaycee Youth Football League for years. YOU STATED THE GOAL OF THE JC LEAGUE! I dealt with many local area parents who had nothing positive to say about anything, whether their kid was on a "winning" team or not. But their kids (aged 9-13)were having a great experience, learning the fundamentals of the game, making friends, learning sportsmanship and growing up in the process. Winning is not always everything.

We agree with you completely, Tom. Couldn't have said it any better! It has been a really fun four years.

The Lombardian Ethic * The Lombardian Ethic -"Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing * Win at all costs The first, which has been attributed to legendary NFL coach, Vince Lombardi, asserts that "winning isn't everything, it is the only thing." This ethic has been around for many years, and emphasizes that athletics should be product oriented, with excellence of outcome as the first, and perhaps only, justifiable goal.

Tom, well said. But how unfortunate to accept mediocrity like many other Tiger faithful. What else can you say when your child plays in a losing system. Statistics don't lie.

Record last 3 seasons
Football (5-23)
Boys basketball (17-56)
Girls basketball (24-46)
Girls volleyball (20-71)

Total record for team sports last 3 seasons (66 wins – 196 losses)

Changes are needed. These children will remember the friendships but the laughter heard 20 years from now will be them remember at their class reunion how bad Tiger Sports was during there high school career.

Tim, I'm so sorry that most of the ppl that posted a comment "DIDN'T" get your point! but as a mother with children "DID" and i totally AGREE 100%.

I have to disagree with the kids not remembering how tough 2 days were and there HS record....alot of these guys play there hearts out to be tripped up by Fremont Athletic politics..its a bunch of crap...Ive been there and seen it...years ago our class was sold out to make room for a new coach....it cost alot of scholarships down the road....and trust me when i say when they take those pads off for the last time it can be a crusshing experience. All they can do is try and hope for a little luck out there

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation,because your character is what you really are;your reputation is merely what others think you are.(John Wooden)

The FHS Coaches mentioned all have high character, that can not be argued.

Vince Lombardi once said:

"If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm."

"If it doesn't matter who wins or loses, then why do they keep score?"

"Coaches who can outline plays on a black board are a dime a dozen. The ones who win get inside their player and motivate."

"Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser."

"We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time."

And now for a George Halas quote:

"San Francisco has always been my favorite booing city. I don't mean the people boo louder or longer, but there is a very special intimacy. When they boo you, you know they mean you. Music, that's what it is to me. One time in Kezar Stadium they gave me a standing boo."

I love the fact that when people post about being robbed of scholarships because of coaching I would love for you to post your names and when you played and what sports. The reason you don't do this is because not only did your coaches realize you weren't very good, but so did most of the community. The only people that thought you were good were your family. Great you batted .500 for Beach Chiropractic in city league baseball. Congratulations for averaging 8 points a game for McDonald's in YMCA league basketball games. Being good as a 10 year old doesn't mean you are going to have the ability to play as a high schooler. There are 4 grades you are working with at the high school level. You might be one of the better players in your grade, but there might be kids below you that are better. That is life. That is what sports teaches kids. You have to constantly keep striving to get better and you must constantly keep working because there is always someone out there working harder then you. Win or lose you have to strive to improve. Fremont kids are always satisfied being the best in Fremont, but need to start striving to be the best in the state. If you are good enough to play at the college level then schools will find you. Not every kid that goes to college comes from state championship teams or even teams with winning records. The kids that get scholarships have the desire to get better everyday and refuse to let others take their position. I have never met a coach that doesn't have some sort of ego and I can tell you that coaches are going to play the kids that give them the best chance to win the game.
I enjoyed the opinion of a parent of an actual player. I think that is what matters.

Thanks Tom- As a former coach and teacher of your boy and many others, I want to say thank you for the positive comments and the support you have given to Fremont High athletics (and activities, etc). It does mean a lot to hear that. We (coaches, athletes, and students) truly do appreciate all the things that dedicated/positive/encouraging parents, students, and community members do for the kids involved in our programs. It may be something as simple as cheering at the game or asking how we did, to things like preparing food for our athletes or leading them to the field on Harleys! Thanks again and have a great rest of the school year! Go Tigers!

It's really sad that FHS has responses to a letter like this, but on the other side of the town, Bergan fans are offering a congrats to their team for a awesome season.

Good points made, but they don't hold true for coach's kids.
Do they MD?

Thanks Tom for telling it like it is. I very much enjoyed cheering the team on with you these past years. Our boys have had an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives.

I've taken time to read all of the comments from pretty much all of the stories regarding Fremont football for a few seasons now. I went to FHS. I played softball and tennis. I was a varsity SB player (I started) and played in varsity tennis meets.

My family does not have one of the last names allegedly required to be an athlete in Fremont. I did just fine. I did better than fine. In fact, the tennis coach back when I played is still involved in athletics at Fremont. He never ostracized me not having the right name. I don't want to speculate as to why people think that. It might have something to do with the manner in which Fremont is run (I've sinced moved far, far away). It's easy to make the connection. It just doesn't ring true in sports at a high school level.

I don't really know about the football team, as I never really cared to watch Fremont football when I was in school. I can, however, attest to the fact that the Fremont basketball staff has nothing but the best interests of the team at heart. Time after time, opposing coaches will comment how they always have to be ready to play Fremont because of how well coached the players are. Those coaches have said it to me directly.

As a grossly competitive athlete, I can understand the frustration of losing. I can even understand the mentality of some of the negative posters. The bottom line is this: dude, these are kids. Some of these kids have dreams of playing sports in college, some don't. What I take away from playing sports is that I made friends for life. I became disciplined. I didn't quite make the cut in college. It's fine-it doesn't take away from my high school experience.

There's so much more in the world to worry about. My success in athletics has about an 8% relation to my success in life. While I remember all of my coaches fondly (except one), I remember more fondly teachers that impacted my life and my path. So chill out. Seriously.

Tom---No matter how much you want to sugar coat this situation. Our coaches are the worst.You might be a friend of these coaches and I am sure they are trying but they are in the wrong job. Just wake up and look around you and see how many of the other teams are doing so good. Don't ever think these kids won't remember what there records were when they played in school. I am 73 years old and I still remember the ones we lost because of bad coaching but thankfully our school board had enough sense to fire the coach and four years later we won state. Just take a look at a small school like Howells, They are the best at wrestling but they have one of best coaches around and I am sure other towns the same size has kids that could do as good but don't have the coaches to do the job. So if people are that blind to see what is happening, maybe they think winning and giving there kids the chance they need to win doesn't make any difference but believe me if that is the way you are thinking you are dead wrong. They will remember as I do.

Heres's what they are saying over at Bergan....

"This is the 13th straight year we’ve hit 20 wins and that’s a tribute to our athletes and our coaching staff, and it’s a tradition that we’re going to keep going."

A whole different attitude and expectation.

I totally agree with 'amused' and can not figure out what magical power our coaching staffs have over the city of Fremont. 66 - 196 over the past 3 seasons in all major sports combined and there are only a few that see that as a problem? If you went back even further, the percentage may even be worse! These coaches may be absolute saints, I have not read any post that has attacked their character in the least! There simply needs to be a change! Be it with the same staff actually changing schemes OR just by cleaning house and getting different coaches to try and be successful. Want to stay positive? I am POSITIVE we have great athletes. I am POSITIVE that most youth programs in Fremont are trying to train our youth to be successful at the high school level. I am POSITIVE that our coaches are good people BUT I am also POSITIVE 66-196 says that changes are needed!
Oh, and in agreeing with 'compare this', Congratulations to Fremont Bergan, Coach Beacom and the entire Bergan coaching staff for ANOTHER great year! The offensive scheme CHANGES you made a few years ago to FIT YOUR TALENT, have definitely paid off! WELL DONE!!!

"Those who can, do. Those who can't, criticize." I can't find the source of that quote but perhaps it's Spin Doctor, former Fremonter or Amused. Step up to the plate gents!

I can't believe the dumb way these posts are coming in. You are saying it is OK if we have dumb coaches and we lose a lot more than we win. But the kids will forget about the losing record they had all through high school. What kind of idiots are you. I remember games from over 50 years ago that we lost due to poor coaching and when brought in a new coach the school starting winning again. That is the trouble with this city of Fremont. Nothing much bothers you if other cities are 20 years ahead of us in everything including sports. Please get you heads out of the sand and wake up. Oh bye the way I am not from Fremont but a small town not to far from Fremont where we have a winning record about every year due to good coaching.

My gosh.... Tom thank you for your positive post it seems some parents can't be the same and unfortunately this reflects on their children s attitudes. For all the negative parents who's children are reading and hearing you at home talk badly not only about their coaches but their school you should be ashamed of yourselves! Once you are being negative your children will too and loose focus and think why even give it my all!

For all of you who say oh it is all about the last name good excuse to try and sugar coat it but come on i heard the same excuses when i was a kid in high school. It is not about the last name. It is however about the last name of the children excelling and being team leaders from parents who are positive and leave excuses and negativity out and for the parents that think their child will loose out on a scholarship because of the coaching staff you are sadly mistaken. I did and know many people who got one on loosing seasons. I felt sorry for the kids in my school who's parents were waiting on them after the games to hear them tell their children why didn't you do this or that or it's not your fault the coach needs to do a better job. Any excuse to make themselves feel better and these parents are the ones who take the loss worse than the kids.

A team is a team! win or loose & good or bad seasons. I don't want my children looking back thinking the only reason they were in sports was to win, i want them to remember what being a team meant, the experience, the friendships and no matter what the situation giving it their all for the team! If my child came to me upset because he was disagreeing with the coaching staff moves i am not going to sit and bash them with him. I am going to remind him do your best with what you have and motivate your team to do the same. Give it your all and know we (your parent)are proud of you. All in all when my son is in his 30s-40s when he is sitting around with his friends they can talk all they want about their wins and no one is going to care it was about the experience, what team meant and friendships. I really don't still sit around and lick my wounds on all the bad seasons i played!! I also find it amusing that if a team does bad it is automatically the coaches fault! Perfect example of all you Husker fans you love them when they are winning and have nothing good to say when they are not and there is always someone to blame.

and the comment for Compare this is also a sad way of trying to make themselves feel better by posting a comment like that. When Bergan is loosing i still hope you and your school are still offering up positives high fives but i am guessing winning to you must be everything as well. I also hope the 73 year old who lost games can let the past go.

To all the complainers why don't you take your comments to the people that can do something about it. I learned something many years ago from a wise women (my mother) if you have nothing positive to say don't say it at all. Turn a negative into a positive don't turn a negative into more negativity!!

stop with the bergan comments no one cares.... and go watch your little kid football and stay there..fremont might be losing but there losing against the best of the best. I have nothing and will route for bergan, but when people get on here and talk about a totally different school its annoying and you cant even compare the two you either go to a "winning" program where theres 30 some kids on the team and you only need one or two good players or go to fremont and play the best of the best and try to turn a program around...your choice...untill then comment on your team.

Why is it that people who have a different view are labeled "negative".
Fremont had better focus on academics instead of this preoccupation with sports teams and winning.
The true "winning" occurs in the classroom and Fremont has not been "winning" there either.
Unfortunately, Fremont is happy in all aspects of mediocrity.

There are many students "winning" in the classroom - but those are the students that make this a priority for themselves. I graduated a few years ago from FHS, and did not pay a dime for college.

In every school there are good and bad teachers. You have to be smart (or if your a parent, involved) enough to find them and learn from them. I'm sure this goes for coaches as well. If you have problems with the football staff, for example, go out for a different sport.

Admittedly, I did not care much for sports in highschool, but I was on the football team. The thing that sticks out in my mind the most about that experience was it seemed like we tried to imitate Nebraska football, instead of have plays designed to fit our team's strengths.

The problem with our school is if my son or daughter is playing I am happy. If they are not playing then I want change. Until this starts to change there will be no "total" happiness with our sports programs at FHS.

To bergan: it is the Fremont supporters such as I that are commenting about the other school and how appreciative and supportive their fans are to their successful programs. Don't turn this into a Bergan issue. I know several parents in the Bergan family and they have never stated a bad thing regarding Fremont. Unfortunately, I can't say this is true within the Tiger family. What's even more amusing is that some of these Bergan bashers within the Tiger faithful (coaches, parents, players) attend St. Patrick's Catholic Church. Remember, this is a Tiger issue and should stay a Tiger issue. It is unfortunate that the Tiger faithful including coaches themselves have to look down on other schools to make themselves feel better. Wouldn't it be nice if the Fremont coaches and administration would worry more about competing in their own class then worry about who the other school is competing against. All I hear from several Tiger coaches that I know real well is that if Fremont played Bergan's schedule they would be successful. Now that is an intelligent comment made by our so called Tiger land leaders. I am assuming these coaches probably also think that they can be successful playing Prague's six man schedule. The excuse year in and year out is we are a small class A school, we should be a B school, we have too many kids on reduced lunch program, etc. As I analyze the numbers for class C over the years. Bergan is at the bottom of C2 and in some years probably could have played 8 man football given their enrollment. However, they petition to play 11 man and year in and year out their coaches find a way to develop and compete with other schools in their class that are larger in enrollment numbers. They design systems to fit their talent level and limit the excuse making. By the way bergan, I am getting to the point where I might not spend my money watching my Tigers so I can see who might be the next Zach Wiegert to come out of Bergan. I am sure he would tell you that his little kid football team limited him in his college and pro playing days. Tiger faithful, don't accept mediocrity any more. Not a negative but a truth. If the administration would start taking some ownership, accountability and responsibility things might be different. Our administration is more concerned about approving articles in the Fremont Rustler newspaper that provide false and inaccurate information/comments about other schools when they should be cleaning up the internal mess that exists. It pains me to say my kids are involved in the Fremont School system.

Let us not forget Brad Ottis, another NFL player, that came from that small kid Bergan program !!

To "former player" tennis and softball perhaps dont share the same presidence as football ,basketball, track at FHS...The football program for sure had politics up and down the sidelines...the change of hands from Gdowski to schrader changed the paths of alot of seniors...Matt Robinson.. all state QB was moved to wideout to make room Nate Kincannon (spelling) to help out the future of FHS football...so you say Matt wasnt a good athlete? The whole state of nebraska in Football and Basketball knew his name...so you say politics wasnt a player there? I dont want to put Nate down he is a good athlete as well but taking an all state QB and moving him out of position is plain DUMB......Ill start naming good influential coaches that ACTUALLY cared about the person and the athlete....Byron Mccune, Jerry Donahue, coach Applegate,, Pat Murphy..Ted Husar....Mark Legband....and the list goes on....I was lucky enough to play for such coaches...As far as performances Former Player....Im sure we could compare trophies,medals and ribbons from your point of view to the people in question and your opinion would be GREATLY different.....The past is what it is and theres nothing that can be done about it now. Mediocrity has been a staple in the football program for 25 years...1988 is the exception....giev the kids a break im sure they dont like the record books any more than the parents.

Nice try, but sad to say..apparently there isn't much positivity in Fremont. Come on people...give it a try! Negativity is a trap and it will kill your spirit. Everything doesn't have to be do darned serious ALL THE TIME.

While Mr. Kindler's intentions are good and touching, I disagree with some of his statements. To begin, I do agree that you will remember the friendships but the things that I remembered the most were the things like 2 a day practices and our record. I can still remember the feeling of a tough loss or a big win. I remember the success that we had.

For every job that people hold, there has got to be accountability. Wins and losses is not the only piece of information that should be evaluated. If a team is not winning then the administration needs to take a long look at improvement. I do not think that anyone can honestly say that there is a whole lot of improving going on in that football program.

It just seems that there is no energy around the program.

I agree with outside and living in Omaha:

I played 4 years of high school and can tell you that the things I remember were being in the big games and the big games we won. Yes I do remember teammates and the other stuff surrounding the seasons but can honestly say I remember our win and lost records.