Michigan HS ‘Coach of the Year’ resigns over parents

A Michigan high school basketball coach, who earlier this year was named best coach in his class, has resigned. And he calls parents the No. 1 reason for his departure.

Clayton Castor was the boys basketball coach at Gladstone High School, and last season he was named the U.P. Class ABC Coach of the Year. On Friday, he submitted his resignation, citing a number of reasons — mainly parents — for his decision.

Castor’s team advanced to the Class B regional championship last season, finishing with an 18-6 record. It was the program’s highest win total in 20 years, according to the Daily Press.

Here are Castor’s comments, as reported by the Daily Press:

“I have a lot of different reasons why I wanted to resign and only a few reasons to stick around.

“I thought our administration at Gladstone was really supportive of our program and they did a great job. But I thought there were some things early on in the year, small situations that were mind blowing … I dealt with our fan club. I ended up having a meeting with them. I thought the meeting was out of line.

“At the end of the day, the reason why I am resigning is because of parents. I don’t want to deal with them. The last five years I have coached at Gladstone I have given it my life. My time could have been better spent doing other things.

“I really, really enjoy this. But parents have taken the fun and enjoyment right out of it. Maybe some of this is on me. I just don’t have thick enough skin or the will to put up with it. For that amount of time, it’s just not worth it.”

Combative parents consistently rank in the top five of Coach & Athletic Director’s annual survey of “most concerning issues” in interscholastic sports. We offer a number of resources on handling parents and developing working relationships with moms and dads.

Click here for more on this story. 


16 thoughts on “Michigan HS ‘Coach of the Year’ resigns over parents”

  1. I hear you brother! I went through the same thing 10 years ago and took the same route you have. It took me several years to get past it. I’m now coaching again and have renewed outlook on things.

    1. My son is on his 15 th year coaching. His players are from low oncome and very few have two parents and some no parents. Makes coaching more than a coach. He is the father ,teacher and coach ! We are blessed in the process. His school has a 95 percent graduation rate and his players have gone on to college and some have played basketball.

  2. I love how you said my time spent could have been better spent doing other things. Once a college coach I recently tried helping my sons youth travel team. It became consuming as I found myself stepping up to do everything from scheduling, to uniforms, to parent communication and the only coach showing up for practice. For multiple reasons decided it was time to quit. And understand doing other things truly can bring joy! Just because you can coach doesn’t always mean we should. Here’s to new hobbies, travels, and precious moments with your family!!!

  3. I don’t agree at all. Set the rules for the parents and youngsters and hold them to it. You are the authority figure.
    May be different at a school but in 30 + years of baseball I learned if you are the strong role model and have the kids best interest at heart it usually eliminates pushback.

    1. I, too, have thin-skin and tell the parents, if you don’t like how I’m doing the job, you are more than welcome to take my place. In my case, I am a volunteer for recreation ball, but am still surprised at parents comments on how to run practices, or what I’m teaching.

    2. Trust me that doesn’t work. I saw how parent stood the wind out of my daughter as a coach of girls volleyball team. Sad
      Eat part was no backing from the athletic director. She let the parents run the team. Totally do
      If fervent attitudes of kids and parents I played high school sports and if I had an issue with the coach is was my responsibility to discuss with the coach not my parents. Helicopter parents are the worse. Let the kids fall on there own they will get up as long as you don’t baby them. They are never going to make it in the real world if they can’t face adversity failure and dealing with it. They are spoiled and don’t have any idea how hard you have to work to be good. Nothing is yours for free it has to be earned. We didn’t have equal playing time you played and did what your coaches told us too. They were never any comments that our workouts were too hard we would be sitting on the bench for those types of comments. Too watch parents these days is frustrating and you are not doing your kids any favors for always fixing things.

  4. But can you really blame parents . . . . . when the coach is the only thing standing in the way of their sweet little baby making millions in an NBA career????

  5. I coach for 15 yrs and parents r the reason why I quit. I had more fun coaching 8-12 yr old kid’s it was fun because the had fun. But one you get to high school it sucks. People don’t show up on time they think there kids is better then the other but put no time in off the court training. I just focus on my kids and one son jad ha basball scholarship and my daughter had a basketball scholarship. It’s our job as parent to do that NOT THE COACH.

  6. I am sure Ben Ashley, who was the Football coach at Amory High School in Amory, MS can relate to this real well. He managed to have winning seasons despite not having a healthy quarterback at any time but was relieved of his job due to parents and a school board member who undermined him ever step of the way.

  7. I am a high school band director.
    Many do not know this, but directing a competitive marching band, especially a very good one comes with many of the same problems. I manage a unit of 80 members, a staff of 12, write and arrange music, design the field program, create the schedule of rehearsals and performances, maintain all of our equipment, and handle administrative functions such as a very large annual budget, facilities, and of course, dealing with a parent booster organization as well as many other parents who dont get involved at all beyond complaining.
    From the start, I made sure to assert myself as the definitive authority. For the first couple of years, a small group of parents continued to challenge and be a serious distraction. I almost decided it was not worth it. Years later, our parents are a tremendous asset and our most prized supporters and fans. Some occasionally gripe, but nothing I cannot handle. It did take me at one point standing up in a parent meeting and yelling at a group of 40 parents that this is MY program. They can either jump on board and support us, OR get out and stay out. No third options. Being successful certainly helped that effort. I do understand this coaches pain. I hope at his next stop he will assert himself more as he is obviously talented.

Leave a Reply