News and Announcements
Posted: 2006-05-20
HartlandFootball.com No Longer Needed?
The rumors are true. Our new head coach, Marcus Dukes, has informed me that he and the administration feel strongly that the HartlandFootball.com "service will no longer be needed" and that "it would be best if we discontinued the use of the current site."
New head coach, Marcus Dukes, in his e-mail to me regarding HartlandFootball.com: "...service will no longer be needed."
What prompted such statements? It's simple. The administration thought a single news brief about the interim head coach selection that appeared on this site "reflected poorly on the administration." You decide. Although it was a completely accurate description of the people and events that took place that day, I immediately removed the "offending" news brief at the request of Dukes. No problem, right? I get it. Let's move on.
Well, not so fast. The administration (without warning) yanked the link from the high school's athletic page and told the athletics department to remove itself from any affiliation with HartlandFootball.com. Two terse e-mails from Dukes followed, firing me — even though I'm not even on his staff. (After years of service and countless hours dedicated to the Hartland football program at all levels, the interim, first-year-ever head coach decides my services are no longer needed.)
I can understand if they sat me down and said, "Listen, we like what you're doing for the program, but to make this transition easier on everyone let's keep any remotely negative opinions off the site. Agreed?" I would have absolutely agreed to that because this site is for YOU, the players, the parents — all the Hartland football fans. But, they didn't. No phone calls. No e-mails. No meetings.
After that, knowing the impact the site has had on the program, I requested a meeting with Dukes directly to assure him of my good intentions moving forward and the importance of continuing with this site. I tried to get him to see the benefits of what we're doing and why we're doing it. After he reiterated his position it became clear to me that he wants absolutely nothing to do with this site.
So where does this leave HartlandFootball.com? Actually, it leaves it in a BETTER position. Go ahead and scroll-down to the bottom of any page on this site and read the disclaimer that has been posted from DAY ONE. I'm not going anywhere. HartlandFootball.com was built on my time, using my resources, with my money — never once did I ask anything of the program. I was just thrilled to be involved and give back to the football community that has given me so much over the past several years.
This whole thing has actually encouraged me to do more. I'm going in a different direction — taking the site to a whole new level. I've decided to rebuild from the ground-up to offer more functionality than ever before. Coming this season will be a more interactive HartlandFootball.com. More pictures, more videos, blogs, surveys/polls, player profiles, login accounts, discussion boards, and much, much more! The site will be non-biased and fan-based. The football community will drive its content and direction — not the administration or coaching staff. And although it would be nice to have the blessing of the head coach and the administration, it is certainly not necessary or required.
Let me know your thoughts on a new site.
Go Eagles!