FB: New England Small College Athletic Conference

[MENESCACFAN]

No offense PolarCat but I don't have the time or desire to read 4-5 months worth of posts so I may repeat things.  If something the newbies comment is boring to you, ignore it and the board can move on.

[NewtoNescac]

Agreed menescacfan. I do not have the time or desire, either. Polarcat, perhaps you have the time to direct me to the page number when an answer can be found there.

That said, what's going on with Williams, other than mere speculation about Kelton's future.

[PolarCat]

So that's 2 votes for sound bites instead of in-depth analysis.  Seems to be the way of the world these days.   "

[NewtoNescac]

I like in-depth analysis, I just don't have time to search pages of previous postings.

[MENESCACFAN]

My preference is not at all soundbites over analysis as you will see over time.  Perhaps you should let things play out and see that rather than trying to direct traffic.  You seem to see these boards as you turf and we are infringing upon it (not uncommon on these boards but not the way I see things).  I look forward to joining in debates and analysis, don't see why we should do so on your terms though.

Should someone new come to the soccer board I have been chatting on for a while, I wouldn't see it as my place to tell them what they should be discussing.  I don't think it is your place here.  As I said, reply to what interests you, ignore what doesn't and maybe avoid condescending people because you have been on this board longer.

[PolarCat]

I wasn't playing traffic cop, and I certainly wasn't being condescending.  Frankly, I'm offended by those comments.

I was merely noting that the questions the two of you raised have been discussed here at length, and if you're new here, you can find far worse ways to pass the time than reading those posts.  I think you'll find most of us here are good natured and at least moderately entertaining.

Might be quicker than waiting for a direct response too.  But that's your call.

[nescac1]

Curious for the latest from Williams as well.  I can't imagine we are talking about a coaching change this late in the game -- if that were to happen, why wait so long?  But perhaps there is other news ... the Ephs sure as heck need to find some big-time playmakers on the defensive front seven, and a star running back, for starters, and hope some of the young, talented linemen on offense are ready to play to their potential.  I do think the returning QB talent is good enough to win, but other than WR, I'm not sure who the big playmakers could be on offense.  D just wasn't nearly as good as I anticipated last year, not really sure why because there was certainly talent there, but unfortunately a good chunk of that talent has graduated.

Maybe admissions could ... cough cough ... do what Little Three brethren have each done in the past (in one case, fairly distant past at this point) following down periods in respective programs, and for a two-year window take a few extra guys to help jump start a turnaround ... but nothing I've heard suggests that is likely. 

[Pat Coleman]

So in setting up this board nearly a decade ago, we decided to go in the direction of keeping the entire conversation about a conference in one conversation, rather than break things out into multiple threads. That's become the standard elsewhere but we decided to keep it this way because it's less cluttered.

What it does mean is that yes, sometimes old topics that might be of interest are hard to find ... sorry about that.

[meguloki]

My son's friend who plays for Wesleyan told him that Whalen announced to team during meeting today that he is stepping down as HFC. Dan DiCenzo to be officially named HFC on February 1.

[NewtoNescac]

It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that Whalen is stepping down. That was the plan from the beginning. He's brought the program to prominence, if not to a championship. He's done a remarkable job in a short time.

[Nescacman]

My son's friend who plays for Wesleyan told him that Whalen announced to team during meeting today that he is stepping down as HFC. Dan DiCenzo to be officially named HFC on February 1.

As we have been hinting at for months, this will be the last major bit of 'CAC football news until early September. I took the over (3 or more coaching changes) this offseason and will lose. No changes at Tufts, Bates or Williams. We will report on the Williams situation after Coach Dicenzo is officially announced as the new HFC of Wesleyan. Congrats to him on the well deserved promotion and to Coach Whales on his retirement and being able to focus on the AD job full time.

[polbear73]

The low turnover of head coaches in this league is stunning when you think about it as the positions themselves are very desirable and administrations have been reticent to fire based on record alone.  A program with only 4 winning seasons in 30 years (only two coaches) (Bowdoin) attracted 125 applicants and the last coach to "move up" was Trinity's Priore about 10 years ago.  One would think that NESCAC would have been more of a breeding ground for Division 1 FCS, at least the more successful coaches like Mills, Devanney, Ritter, and Whalen.  A testament to the league and it's member schools as coaches of this caliber stay for many years or forever. 

[PolarCat]

You raise an interesting question.  I wonder what the compensation package is like for a NESCAC head coach?  That information is probably available somewhere in the public record, but I wouldn't know where to look.

Is the "typical" NESCAC head coach well-paid by industry standards?  I would be surprised to hear they were, particularly given the rumors surrounding Tufts last year.  If not, why don't more of them move on to bigger programs, with more stability in their assistants, and richer paychecks for all concerned?

If the pay isn't outstanding, and the coaches have to battle Admissions each year for their tips (plus lose qualified candidates to DI scholarship offers), why do they stay?  Quality of life?  (Even though he was a NESCAC coach, the stories Dave Caputi told when he retired indicated he didn't have time for much of a "life" outside the program).  The ability to get their own kids educated at a NESCAC school at a discount?  Lower pressure to win (withess Kelton)?  Allegiance to the NESCAC model?

Don't get me wrong: I am thrilled that my kid is being coached by Mark Harriman, and I hope he stays at Bates "forever" (or at least 3 more years).  But what's the value proposition that keeps men like Harriman on board?

[polbear73]

Great questions PolarCat and not having the answers fueled my surprise at the Bowdoin response.  I have heard that, in general, the pay scale is nominally better than other D3 leagues and restrictions on in-person recruiting cut down on out of season travel.  Perhaps the total package of perks that you mentioned as well as job security in a business where there usually is none, combine to make coaching at these schools a very nice lifestyle. 

[PolarCat]

I did a little (a VERY little) research.  Each year, each college must file an IRS Form 990, which is at least in theory, a public document.  Part VII of the form lists the compensation which lists the compensation of the highest compensated emaployees.

• Bates' Forms 990 are not available online, but can be requested from the College
• Bowdoin's 2012 Form 990 shows the AD's comp as $245,000.  No coaches appear on the list
• Colby's 2012 Form 990 does not include any members of the Athletics Department on the list.  The compensation of the Dean of Admissions was $160,000, so Coach Michaeles is presumably paid less.
• Middlebury's 2012 Form 990 does not include any members of the Athletics Department on the list.  The compensation of the last active faculty member on the list was $220,000, so Coach Ritter is presumably paid less.
• Wesleyan's 2012 Form 990 does not include any members of the Athletics Department on the list.  The compensation of the last active faculty member on the list was $210,000, so Coach / AD Whalen is presumably paid less.
• Williams' 2012 Form 990 does not include any members of the Athletics Department on the list.  The compensation of the last active faculty member on the list was $190,000, so HCOF Kelton must have been paid less.

I didn't have time to look for Amherst, Tufts or Hamilton (and didn't bother with Conn, since they don't have a football team).  Of course, it's possible that the coaches aren't employed directly by the colleges, so don't appear on the Form 990, but instead are employees of the "XXX College Athletic Foundation" or something similar.  But I would expect the AD's to be college employees, and in my limited research, none of them appear to be "highly compensated."

It appears a coach is never going to get "rich" coaching in the 'CAC.

(Slow day at work, as you can probably tell.  But at least this little project took my mind off the embarrassment of "Deflate-Gate."  Here's a nifty little website I found, if you ever want to research compensation at a non-profit: http://www.eri-nonprofit-salaries.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=NPO.Search&trkid=485-161 )