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NOTE: Almost two months after I wrote this post, Sean Carty was reinstated as head football coach at Mead High School. Backed by the community, Coach Carty fought hard against a very small group of parents. It didn’t take long for all allegations to be completely discredited. The district struck down the decision of the principal and immediately reinstalled Carty to full head coaching duties. CLICK HERE for my wrap up blog post that includes reaction from Coach Carty.
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Late last night a good friend and former high school teammate of mine sent me this link. I read it with sadness. The article conveyed the news that the head football coach of Mead High School in Spokane, WA., would not have his contract renewed. I attended Mead (2005) where I played football under Sean Carty’s program for all four years. My brother (2008) also played four years of football for Coach Carty. Preceding both my brother and myself, my sister (2002) was a track athlete and a gymnast in high school. While Carty surely didn’t coach her in gymnastics, he was an assistant coach on the girls’ track and field team.
As you can see, my family has had a long history with Sean Carty. With this timeline established, I want to say two things.
It has been ten years since I played for Sean Carty. During this span, the only time I actually had the chance to speak with him was after a football game in Missoula one year ago.
First, when I was a member of the Mead High School football team, Coach Carty ran a clean, honest program. During my three years suiting up for varsity we had a losing season, a championship season, and a 500 season. Throughout these very different experiences, Carty always did what was best for the team. I can honestly say that the four years I spent in the Mead football program made me a better person. I learned how to persevere, win, work, think, compete, communicate, work out, fundraise, prepare, and more. I am not embellishing anything when I say the following, many of the most important lessons I learned came under the tutelage of Sean Carty and his staff.
Now, I will admit that it has been ten years since I played football. It has been seven years for my brother. Things change, people change. However, I have a hard time believing that Coach Carty’s philosophy and methods could change so much as some might allege.
This rock that I am standing next to (excuse the hair) plays a large part in the legacy of Sean Carty. Read on to find out how.
Second, parents ruin things. I saw it when I played, I saw it when I worked in intercollegiate athletics, and I even see it now…people who should just keep their mouths shut don’t. Luckily for me, I grew up with two parents who respected all of my coaches and would never think about confronting them, let alone going behind their backs and over their heads. But it happens every single day in America. Dads and moms live through their kids and/or erroneously believe that they know more than the coaches who spend countless hours pouring their souls into a program. It is an absolute shame. What is an even bigger travesty is when parents take it upon themselves to make the life of a coach miserable, or, in some cases, ruin it.
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Coach Carty could be a tough coach. But he was also a fair coach. As he throws what many might consider a Hail Mary as he appeals the termination, I hope the school district really analyzes its final decision. An overall winning record with fourteen issue-free seasons should always trump a group of disgruntled parents.
A couple years after Coach Carty took over as head coach, he hauled a giant boulder from his property and had it installed on the edge of the football practice fields. He painted it gold, called it “The Rock”, and started a beloved tradition where the hardest working football player each week would have his name written on that rock. At the start of every new season it was painted over and the process started again. If Sean Carty’s appeal falls on deaf ears and he is not head football coach of the Mead Panthers next season, I sure hope the high school rightfully names that rock after him. It is the least they could do. Don’t Blink.
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A friend directed me to your post and asked me to respond to you.
Your loyalty to Coach Carty is admirable, but your assessment of the situation is incorrect. The Mead football program has been a mess for several years. His release was based on numerous violations of district policy and compromised safety of the students, not a “few disgruntled parents.” No one went over his head, he knew exactly what the problems were, he was given opportunities to self-correct, and the district even hired an independent investigator. People change, and not always for the best. The Coach Carty you knew would still be coach at Mead.
“Parents ruin things.” Yep, they do. And they also make a lot of good things happen. I am the dad of 10 kids and as you might imagine my wife and I spend a lot of time driving to and from sporting events, buying sports gear every year, volunteering at snack shacks, donating to booster clubs, staying at hotels for out-of-town tournaments, etc. And cheering at our kids’ football, basketball, track, and wrestling events. I have never criticized a coach’s methods or decisions and I do not go around complaining about losing games and losing seasons. As a basketball and football coach myself I’ve had my share of complaints from parents, and became a better coach because of it. A coach grows thick skin or you don’t coach for long.
Be professional and build character. Be a good role model for sportsmanship. Teach lessons for life. These are the core values for any coach at any level, and Coach Carty consistently failed to live up to these standards the last several years. I’m glad your experience with him was positive, but it ain’t that way anymore. Everybody does not agree with that, but enough of his current and former assistant coaches and players were willing to speak honestly about the situation that the Mead principle had to listen and look into it. That’s what happened to Coach Carty; nothing less, nothing more. You don’t do your job, you get fired. It happens everyday.
Hi Greg – I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog and for your response. However, you pretty much nailed the real problem right on the head. You said “a friend directed you to this post” and had you respond. Could that person not have the guts to respond himself? This is exactly the cowardliness that was shown by parents going right to district officials.
I commend you for responding and signing your name to this, but your “friend” is the reason why great coaches like Sean Carty lose their jobs.
Hi Greg – Thank you for the compliment on my blog posts. I will let your comments stand as is. I will just end myself by saying that I look forward to the appeals process.
Greg, former player and friend of Coach Carty’s here. I just would like to say that don’t expect this to stand if the hundreds of people that stand behind Carty have anything to say about it. He has done nothing but impact kids for over 20 years in a very positive way. He is not only a great coach but a better person! I have kept many of the lessons with me and have helped me in life and am very successful because of it. Yeah he had a couple not so good seasons the past couple years but sounds like parents are trying to get more and more involved over there from what I’ve heard, maybe that’s been the problem and maybe that could be a reason for any change in the way he has done things….but of course no one thinks about that! If parents would just let him do the coaching and they stick to just watching their kids like when I was there, maybe mead could go undefeated again like we did. I look forward to watching his appeal be backed up by like I said, hundreds of former players and teammates that have nothing but great things to say about the man that has MADE the dominating tradition in the Mead football program.
You have it all all wrong Greg. Why don’t you ask your cowardly “friend” to reveal the original letter signed by 6 or 7 other cowards. Then you’ll know their true intentions and how all this girl started.
Hi Jon – When I wrote this post today, I did it to pay homage to a man who has had a great influence in my life. I knew parents had a huge hand in this awful snafu but I didn’t know half of the story. After I published the post, the amount of people reaching out to me telling me the slimy and shady things some of these parents did appalled me. I appreciate you taking the time to read my post.
Brent, my friend lives in Idaho and only brought your post to my attention because he knows I live in the Mead school district. I don’t know if he regularly follows your blog but I do know that my connection to Mead is the only reason he forwarded your post to me and suggested I write to you. I am privy to the process that led to Coach Carty’s dismissal and I can assure you it was more than fair and ethical. His staff over the years have tried to get him to square up and address the kinds of serious issues that led up to this sad day. I met with him and the athletic director face to face for 2 hours last year to talk about the lack of respect and unprofessionalism that has characterized the program. While acknowledging his responsibility for the declining standards, and even after I offered to help out in any way I could to right the ship, he went about business as usual. The last few years families have chosen to send their kids to play at Mt. Spokane and GPrep so they didn’t have to play for Coach Carty. I could on and on, but these are the facts. I am sorry you have to hear this, but please know it does not erase all the good Coach Carty did in years past, including his investment in you.
I ask kids I coach, “If what you believe isn’t true, would you want to know?” I’ll close by asking you to consider that I might be representing this issue accurately and whether you will have the intellectual honesty to consider that. Btw, I read some of your other posts too. Good stuff!
HI Greg,
I wanted to let your comment be and move on, but it is really tough for me to do that now.
You see, I never anticipated the massive response I would get from my blog post. In the past 12 hours, the Mead community has expressed love, devotion, and support for Coach Carty. Many players ranging from people who graduated 12 years ago to students still currently enrolled at Mead have personally contacted me and let me know how outraged they are about these unjust events. I learned so much about what has transpired.
When it comes down to it, the allegations that people told me about that led to Coach Carty’s termination are flat out laughable. We are talking about demoting an athlete because he INTENTIONALLY missed practice (we definitely live in a different time if this is an error on the coach), trying to protect the coaches and program from people hell-bent on destroying it, and holding an extra NON-CONTACT practice due to a simple misunderstanding. Having worked in intercollegiate athletics I know how strict and nitpicky compliance guidelines are. With that said, the above put even the slightest NCAA infraction to shame. If this is all that an investigation revealed about a high school football program, Coach Carty should receive nothing but high praise and a huge raise.
Like I said, I appreciate you commenting on my post. I am all for transparency and for the expression of both sides. But to be frank with you, I was so overwhelmed with the response I received last night and so angered about how the process went about that I felt like I had to respond. We all owe Coach Carty a lot more.
– Brent
I would like to see the proof of these allegations about compromising safety. I find it interesting that only 15-20 parents were privy to these details. Coach Carty was instrumental in creating a relationship with the local fire department to have paramedics on standby at home games and all games at Albi. This does not sound like someone that would deliberately disregard safety of his kids.
Hi Jack – Thank you for the comment! I had no idea that Coach Carty developed that relationship. So much that he did that too many don’t know about!
Greg, former player and friend of Coach Carty’s here. I just would like to say that don’t expect this to stand if the hundreds of people that stand behind Carty have anything to say about it. He has done nothing but impact kids for over 20 years in a very positive way. He is not only a great coach but a better person! I have kept many of the lessons with me and have helped me in life and am very successful because of it. Yeah he had a couple not so good seasons the past couple years but sounds like parents are trying to get more and more involved over there from what I’ve heard, maybe that’s been the problem and maybe that could be a reason for any change in the way he has done things….but of course no one thinks about that! If parents would just let him do the coaching and they stick to just watching their kids like when I was there, maybe mead could go undefeated again like we did. I look forward to watching his appeal be backed up by like I said, hundreds of former players and teammates that have nothing but great things to say about the man that has MADE the dominating tradition in the Mead football program.
Hi Brent, I just want to say that I really appreciate what you had to say in this article. I recently graduated from MHS (2014), and contrary to the beliefs of some of the parents of the current team, Coach Carty is still the man and coach that you played for. Under his guidance for my 3 years as a letterman, he taught me some of the most important lessons that I have taken away from high school. It is an absolute shame that the allegations come from the parents that are only involved with the team during the games on Friday nights. Instances like this set up an extremely dangerous precedent in which a coach not only has to focus on the team they are coaching, but as well as the possibility of disgruntled parents who play little to no part in what happens on the field or court. Sean Carty has left an impression on me that I will never forget, and it is very upsetting to know that the future classes of Mead Panther’s will have to miss out on the amazing experience provided by Carty for the past 14 years.
Hi Harrison – Your comments mean so much, especially as a recent graduate. Thanks so much for writing. I let Coach Carty know about your comments as well. The more and more I am hearing about this, it sounds like Coach Carty has been seriously wronged…..much worse than what most of us imagined. Thanks again, Harrison.
Hello,
I graduated in 2012, and actually played my first and only year of football as a senior at Mead. It was one of the best experiences of my life and a big part of that was because of the program that Carty and his staff helped create. That year helped shape the man I am today, and I’ve had classes with him as well and I find it hard to believe he wronged anyone intentionally. Sure he was sometimes tough on kids, but its because he knew they could handle it and because he knew it would help them in the long run. I’m disappointed that future generations excited to play football might not get to be in the same program that shaped me as a human being. Seriously hope he gets to keep his position
Hi Anthony – Thanks for the comment. I have been receiving many comments from athletes in the newer era of Mead football telling me how much Coach Carty has helped shape them as men. As each new comment comes in either from Facebook, this comment section, or through text I have a very clear view of the problem we have here….PARENTS. Not all parents, just a group of them. I feel so bad for Carty, we got to fight for him. Thanks for taking the time to write.
This is a new age I guess…no one is tough on kids anymore. Parents just baby their kids and give them anything they want which ultimately ruins kids. They grow up with no work ethic and makes them take the easy way out in life and that is what’s wrong with this world. Carty is old school in a new age which could ultimately be the issue here…I feel bad for Carty, he is being punished for trying to help kids grow up to be hard-working adults. Instead parents would rather see their kids spoiled and treated in a way that makes them learn nothing that could help them grow into a hard working adult.
I read this and it saddened me that i never met the Coach Carty that you speak of. I was treated very poorly by certain people in high school and Carty was one of them. I was a well respected athlete at Mead. I played volleyball, basketball, and track and field. I was a state champ multiple years and still hold many records, and I ended up signing to a D1 school on a full ride for track and field were I am still competing. I was one of the many extremely hard working athletes out of all the males and females at Mead. I was treated poorly by Carty because I was a female and that is what frustrated me the most. I was not allowed to workout in the weight room due to the fact that his football boys were up there and adding one girl to the mix would cause problems even if I was doing my own workout and not talking to any of his players. I was not allowed in the gym during the summer and I had to end up paying for a gym membership that I could not truly afford at the time because he would not let me workout during the summer at the same time as his boys. While working out during the school year I constantly heard him make sexist comments and according to some of my friends who played for him he was extremely racist and sexist at times. They also said they all hated him and many of the guys quit or contemplated quitting during their high school years. Although he was a good coach, he did not respect his athletes. He did not even respect those who were working hard who were not his athletes. I strongly believe that sports are about building character; therefore, I believe Mead not renewing his contract was the best decision they could have made. If you want these boys to succeed and become great men then they need to have good leaders. I do not believe he was living up to what he was meant to do and that is why I hope they find a better coach who can teach these boys more than football.
Hi Courtney – Thanks for reading and commenting. When I was at Mead, Coach Carty was nothing but respectful of females. In fact, by the numerous women that have commented on my Facebook account about this blog post, many who I don’t even know, it has become apparent that Coach Carty was very well respected by men and women alike. They might not do this anymore at Mead but when I was there they went out of their way to make sure women had access to the weightroom, so much so that they created various sections of women’s weights. Girls that wanted to work out with just girls had that option to do so and girls who wanted to work out in a co-ed environment had that option as well. If a boy ever tried to sneak up during women’s weights he was shunned, so please, we must be fair here.
What I have a real issue with (and why I was close to not approving your comment) was that you said Carty had not produced great men. Courtney, that is a direct shot at myself and many of my fellow Mead classmates who are thriving in society today. I always try to do the right thing and give back as much as I can. My parents have influenced me greatly but Coach Carty has as well. For you to make such a comment is a big slap in the face to many people.
And to go off of what Brent said Courtney, the boys and girls we’re not allowed to work out together for a good reason. It’s very distracting to both, especially at that age. You don’t see professional athletes working out at the same time in the same gym as eachother, it’s been like that for years. It’s nothing against women or against men but that’s just the better way to do it, and I couldn’t agree more especially at a high school age. Also on that note, in the summer at mead the football team has a designated time to work out there and it’s only for the football team. As Brent said I am too, I take what you said as a slap in the face because I along with hundreds of others I know have benefitted greatly by some of the things he taught us about sports and life! He is definately not sexist and respects women in the utmost. So I’m sorry you feel the way you do but you are completely wrong about Sean Carty, he is a great and loving Man and a wonderful coach!
Hi Luke – I want to apologize to you on behalf of Courtney. I respect her right to her opinion, unfortunately she just chose really, really bad words to express it. I think she will probably be the first to admit that her comment didn’t come out exactly how she intended. Don’t let comments like the one from Courtney take away from the person you are. We all owe so much to Coach Carty.
I understand where both of you are comin and I appologize that you both took what I said as he has never produced great men. I cannot say that due to the fact that I do not know all of the people he has coached so my apologies.
However, there were a lot of things that happened that both of you did not see from my perspective. I tried making it so I could come in at different times during the summer and I respected his decision by never complaining about it, but I asked him for alternatives so I could come in at different times and he said, “it’s not my problem.” Those words although they may seem like nothing to you are one of the many reasons why he lost my respect.
Also if you look at all the athletes who are commenting good things him, you have to think that is just one side and a lot of his former athletes opinions.
I hope I cleared some things up because I didn’t mean to disrespect either of you.
Hi Courtney – Apology accepted! Thank you.
I am all about transparency and both sides of the story being told. With that said, I think it is fair that I just pass along what someone told me who was at Mead when you were. I was told that Coach Carty actually went out of his way to let you train with them. However, you rejected their regimen. Of course since Carty has to supervise the workout he is running, he asked the track program to have someone monitor you per district policy. No one would do it.
Even though I think the intent of your original post was to criticize, I do thank you for bringing this whole thing up because in the long run it just exemplifies another way in which Carty went the extra mile for someone. I know when I went to school he was more than happy to let females join in with our training. They worked hard and were grateful for the opportunity.
Again, thank you for clearing things up. If you are still in athletics I wish you the best of luck with your remaining eligibility.
I played football for two years and I am a current senior at mead high school. I think that people need to think of what it would be like in his position for once. No one knows how much hard work, love, passion, and soul into this mead football program. There is so much that goes into it and that effort is not recognized. All the people see is the record of wins and losses. Carty has always wanted to build relationships with the kids he taught and or coached. He wasn’t coaching for the extra money he did it because he loved it. That is rare anymore, I quit because football wasn’t my thing but Carty battled with me for a long time to try to keep me playing because he just wanted to influence me and when I quit he respected my decision and didn’t look down upon me. He goes out of his way to say hello to everyone in the halls and just loves what he does having this taken away from him really does make me sad knowing how much time and effort goes on behind the scenes of the 4 quarters a week most people who disagree with him see. I truly hope people realize the effort he’s put forth and know it isn’t easy what so ever to get it all taken away from you, especially with not much of an explanation
Wyatt – This is beautifully written. Also, as a current student at Mead, you might have more influence than any of us. You have a lot of guts as a student enrolled at Mead to take a stand and write these words as the parents that are trying to hijack the football program look on. Bravo, sir. Thank you.
– Brent
I have known Coach Carty basically since I was a little girl . I have grown up with this man . Seeing how much heart he puts into the program at Mead is amazing . He has been my teacher for 2 years in a row at Mead ,and he treats everyone one with tremendous amounts of respect . I had the opportunity to be a manager and see Coach Carty in his element of coaching and I don’t believe you could find another coach that put so much time and effort into his players . He has influenced so many people and I really hope that this situation sees justice .
Hi Mady – Thank you for your comment. I have my fingers crossed that like you said, this whole scenario sees justice.
I played for Carty for 3 years (00-02) and my experience with him is this.The guy dedicated his life you this program, he was hard at times as a good coach should be, he was wrong at times, he sometimes said the hard thing that you needed to hear to get you motivated, he did everything he could to get the most out of you, he would stop at nothing to find a place for you to play at the next level if that’s what you desired, but at no time would I consider anything he did in my three years to be reckless towards students, players, or opponents. With that said I know people can change, but nothing on here or anywhere else leads me to believe that Carty has changed the positive way he lead me and as student athlete, and as a man. As a parent now myself I can only hope that their are a few coaches left like Carty if my children decide to play high school sports. In my opinion parents are way to involved in high school sports.
I will leave everyone with this little story that truly displays the character of coach Carty….In august 2002 (summer after I graduated) I was involved to a life-threatening car wreck. After all the surgeries and different doctors coming in and out of my room I could finally see my friends an family. It was no more than hours after I could take visitors that Sean Carty walked through the door of my hospital room( and let me tell you me and coach Carty solid relationship, but at no means did were we super close. I definitely had friends, teachers, and coaches that I was closer to that didn’t walk through that door). Carty sat there with me and talked about life for about an hour or so. There was no other reason for him to come and support me, but for the FACT that he cared. Support for Carty!
Hi Luke – Thank you so much! I appreciate you telling such a touching story. This is definitely the type of guy that Carty is. Also, it is cool to know that he has had such an impact on you as a father.
Brent-
Thank you so much for writing this article about my father. He is truly an unbelievably amazing man and I look up to him so much everyday. It hurts me to hear people talking negatively about him because he is the most genuine and caring person. He loved his coaching job and all of the players and I know that this situation is hard for him, but it is people like you that gives my family the hope that there are good people out there.
Hi Rylie – I remember you as just a little girl! Thanks for reading/commenting, I know this has to be a difficult time for you. The people who speak ill of your father are few…they are also misguided, entitled, and clueless. Try not to get wrapped up in the garbage they have to say. The outpouring I have seen for your father has been so touching/powerful. He has been instrumental in so many lives. Thank you for “loaning” him to countless generations of Mead football players. We all have his back.
Kevin here! I was exchange student and had the pleasure to be in the football team 2012! For me as an Austrian it was a really unique experience, which could only be possible because Carty accepted me on the team. Before Football I have never seen such a team spirit and such hard work on the field, no matter what sport. I feel sad for everyone who can´t get the same experience! For me Carty was a great guy and he was really training to build relationships with the students!
Hi Kevin – It is great to get the perspective from an exchange student. One thing has been very obvious over the past several hours as I have watched all of these comments come in through social media/this blog/to my phone: Coach Carty is a very kind man who will go out of his way to help ALL PEOPLE. Thanks so much for your comment.
Brent, Great post. I will keep Coach Carty and his family in my prayers. He has been nothing but a great man in the years that I have known him and he deserves to be treated better than he is right now.
Brent please realize that you are mostly getting one side of the story and in all fairness no one should be judged until all the facts are out. I am sure that Coach Carty has had a positive impact on many athletes through the years. The truth will come out in the end and if people sit back and look at all the facts then they will realize that this is the best thing for the Mead HS moving forward.
Hi Daivd – Thanks for writing. I too agree that no one should be judged until all the facts are out. I was told that allegations were brought against Coach Carty last Thursday and then they let him go on Friday. Obviously you can’t get much more away from what you and I are aiming for than that.
Brent this could not be more incorrect. This has been going on for quite some time and when it all comes out people will see the truth of what really happened.
Hi David,
I must say I was completely mortified, embarrassed, and outraged when today I was shown a letter that a small group of parents wrote. Reading through the e-mail chain and then reading the actual slimy letter made me sick to my stomach.
David, in the comments above you seemed fair and level-headed…it was just that we had a difference in opinion and that was cool.
However, when I saw that letter it kind of sent me over the edge. Sean Carty is a human being. How could you and the small group of other parents do something so cruel? What really did me in though was when I was told that you guys tried (failing miserably) to recruit former student-athletes to conspire against Carty. That is absolutely wrong and shameful. You guys accuse Carty of not providing leadership but what about your group? From so-called “adults” I have never seen something so disgraceful in my life.
In closing, just two things. First, don’t send correspondence like that out electronically. As you guys have found out (despite your best efforts in the e-mail), it gets around for EVERYONE to see. Second, a person who leads a school is a “principal,” not a principle.
Despite all of this, I still wish you and your son well.
– Brent
Personally, you all need to leave it alone. Whatever happened/happens isnt intended for Social media battles or your past experiences with Carty. What you all need to remember and think about isn’t only Carty but his FAMILY. I think they are going through enough. Placing opinions & dragging it out doesn’t make it much easier. How would you feel pulling up your Facebook & seeing this as you live it each day of your life. Leave it alone. For you all who played for Carty in the past & had a great experience, that’s wonderful. Not all can say the same. And not everybody gets along. That’s life. This is no place to make a situation worse that is fully out of all of your hands. Leave the man alone. Good or bad, whatever happened has happened. Let Carty deal with it and stop trying to one up the next comment with your past experiences or memories. We all know Carty. In good or bad ways. Keep it off social media & call friends directly. You all are too wrapped up in something that is really none of your concern. He is no longer your coach. You all graduated years ago. Things change. People change. Remember the GOOD. Stop bringing up the BAD.
Hi 2006 Graduate – Thank you for reading and thank you for your suggestion. I have to respectfully disagree.
Over the course of the past 24 hours, the amount of support and love for Coach Carty has been absolutely tremendous, far more than many coaches could even dream of. The situation that some parents have put Carty in is absolutely horrendous, one that someone of Carty’s character should never be put in. Luckily, people have stood up for him in a very touching and meaningful way.
I have had numerous people close to the Carty Family tell me how much this support has meant to them (not just this blog post of course, but the amazing outpouring of support). I have been told that Carty personally has been brought to tears by the Mead Community rallying around him.
I guess when it really comes down to it, the proof is right here in these comments. You will see that Coach Carty’s daughter herself responded. She also expressed how much everything has meant to her.
So sir/ma’am, the social media crusade for Coach Carty has been a great thing for not just him, but his FAMILY. Also, if you can’t see it from Carty’s perspective, take this one home with you…many of Carty’s former and current players (and many people not associated with the football program) know right from wrong, and they know when to help someone who is the victim of an entitled, greedy vendetta. I don’t know about you, but I think we need a hashtag.
Thanks for writing.
Great post, Brent. Very well said. I can say honestly that I, along with so many others, have benefitted in countless ways having gone through the Mead program. And that is largely in part to Carty, both as a coach and teacher. It’s sad that future classes could potentially be robbed of having similar experiences.
Hi John – Good to hear from you, man! It has been so cool to see Mead football player after Mead football player stand up for Coach Carty. To think that some parents think so much of themselves that they can rob other current and future football players of the experience we received is a shame.
I know coach Carty very well. I think that the kids have gotten soft. I am a mead graduate (2014) and currently play at EWU. I’ve been on great teams led under coach Carty. Carty wanted nothing but the best for the team and the kids. If you don’t agree with his coaching, that’s fine. But I know that man did nothing but try to do good for the program. The situation in my eyes has been very shady. Parents think they know what goes on in mead football, when half the kids who play on the team dont even know what MEAD football was and why we had success. I still go back to mead all the time to work out while I’m on breaks, and every single time I’m there I rarely see anyone in the weight room after school, and the few kids who are there are the same ones every time. I never see kids putting in the off season work. When I was at mead there was no question that most of our players were in the weight room grinding; that’s why we were good, we not only said we wanted to win, we put in the blood, sweat, and tears to have the ability to win. I think the kids at mead now (I know and are friends with a lot of them) are upset with the last two seasons of mead football because of the records. But I think way to much blame has been put on Carty. I was heavily involved in Meads school and athletic programs. The program isnt going down because of Carty, it’s because of the kids who think they are to good, and the parents thinking they know football. But take wins and losses out of it. Carty helped me grow into a man, I have him to thank for a lot of my success. He got me recruited, he looked out for me, he taught me life lessons, and helped form my work ethic. He wasn’t just a coach to me but another father figure and role model. The kids at mead now just don’t buy in to the program and that’s why there are problems.
Carty was my weights teacher and he always pushed me to become greater i was always trying to make him proud of me so it pushed me to keep at it. He is tough but affective this breaks my heart to see a great coach and role model not to be able to affect future students. Mead will never be the same.
This world is getting too sensitive and soft….the kids should pointing the finger at themselves for the two poor seasons they’ve had…I know I would if I was in their position. A coach can only do so much to motivate them the rest is up to them to make or break it. Sorry if that’s harsh but the truth hurts sometimes.
My name is Fred Jordan and coached at Mead since 2011. 2014 will be my last year coaching for Mead. I understand the district’s authority to go in another direction, but the way they executed it leaves me speechless and there’re a few folks around town that should feel ashamed of themselves. I’m a Marine, and I see things is a simple way, be real, be transparent, and show integrity at all times. All of those things are absent in this kangaroo court, in my opinion. This is not just an attack on Sean Carty, It’s an attack on Mead Football and all of us who’ve have worked tirelessly for years. First I am going to personally address some of the “secret squirrel” innuendo crap some of these sophomore parents have used earlier to describe their allegations.
1. “Parent Safety Concerns Complaints” EVERYONE who’s ever been part of Mead Football know we ALWAYS followed advice of our training staff AWAYS no question. In addition, safety has ALWAYS been priority Period. For these NEW parents to get on this blog and suggest otherwise is an insult to all our intelligence and indication of their motive. I for one take it personally! Case in point. couple examples of these parent complaints were centered around a player sneaking into a JV game without the coaching staff knowledge. Once we found out about it, we self-reported and spoke to player. Parents also complained that we had to many practices, including 7 on 7 and weights.
2. A friend of Carty’s was secretly helping this misguided parent group by feeding them information. Which is shameful in itself. I’m not sure how that guy sleeps at night. Even we a couple of us found out about it, Carty is so loyal, he refused to believe his friend was working against him behind his back. Yet his friend was.
3. Some of the parents in this group did this same thing at Northwood and had a coach removed.
4. This so-called investigator NEVER interviewed a majority of the coaches including me. The investigation was a complete smoke screen. District already knew they wanted Carty gone
5. The majority of these parents talking are parents from Sophomore players who have no idea what MEAD football is.
The failure in this whole incident, lay at the feet of the Mead School District Administration. How can they feel good about themselves when a Coach of Carty’s tenure is surprised he got fired? The #1 sign of ineffective leadership is when someone is surprised he or she is fired? Second, if the administration wanted to go in another direction, why on earth would they use misguided parents as their tool? Especially a group with a dysfunctional history? It has emboldened theses parents and worse, the students and created a negative parent/coach culture I care not to coach in. The remaining coaches at Mead are in for a treat because this will not stop here, watch out baseball, basketball, and so forth, just watch. . Finally, the way the administration was so quick to fire a coach with carty’s tenure without any formal warning or chance to fix areas of their concern is troubling at best. If they had an issue, Carty should have gotten a warning and placed on probation considering his longevity.
To those who are playing now, you know I am a straight shooter. I’ve always have been. Every Wednesday night during den night, when we talked about “brotherhood”, it’s obviously lip service for some, plain and simple. Your program is under attack from parents and players with their own agenda, It’s time to help your coaching staff to get your team back! The good news it can be down, but it only going to start with hard work and demanding hard work from others, Imposters don’t like hard work and they’ll find another sport, but it’s important that you start now now. Work hard and demand everyone else to work hard as well and your locker room will rid itself of any cancer cells and you’ll get Mead back to where it belongs!. There are some young misguided players among you as well. You have to lead by getting them in the weight room. I’m putting for sale sign on my house and heading back to the West Side and watch my son play D1 football on Saturday (He went to Mead!). This whole thing has left a bad taste in my mouth and i will leave Spokane in my rear view mirror. But one thing i will miss my O-LINE!!!!i love you guys and way too many of you to mentioned :)!, and my relationship with coaches! Remember O-line, brotherhood also means demanding excellence, Good luck and I’ll miss you young men. Go Panthers!
Hi Coach Jordan – Thank you for writing. You seem like you would have been awesome to play for. I appreciate your insight into this issue. I had no idea that it was SOPHOMORE parents leading the charge? Really?! What right do they have? What a terrible situation. I appreciate all you did to serve under Coach Carty. – Brent
Fred Jordan. I played for Carty 10 years ago. I’m on his side until the end and would really like to talk to you without the world reading. You seem like you have a good amount of knowledge of the situation and I’m looking for answers if u have them. I don’t understand what’s going on with the football program that was one of my most prized moments in my life and coach Carty was a major part in that. How may I contact you?
email Coach Carty through school email. He’ll give you the details. He ask for all supporters to contact him.
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I also feel that a great injustice has been served here. As a 2004 graduate, and athlete all four years, I had little direct contact with Coach Carty but did take his nutrition and fitness class and I remember Carty being a great teacher. While I don’t know much about the case, I draw from life experience to say it saddens me that too often, it seems that “policy” overrides logic and rational discretion.
I think its important to note that “district involvement” does not always guarantee integrity or even accuracy. I have to assume that we all understand how often motivation determines decisions on a daily basis.
This isn’t about Mead students and supporters rising to Carty’s defense because of “one-sided” nostalgia, and it certainly isn’t about having a lack of moral intellect. Why, after all these years, is such drastic action being taken to compensate for something which most of us are completely and absolutely unaware of? Seems odd.
To take the word of someone who is “privy” to the situation is completely absurd. Who are these select few who will claim these accusations? What does it take to be privy to critical details regarding the case? And what about the character of the students and parents who are involved in the rally against Carty? I have a strong feeling that we’re not getting the whole story.
To any students/parents who claim to have been wronged by Carty: was the stress and his mistreatment toward you really so bad that it affected your life in a negative way? Had his name not come up, would you still think about the stress you suffered? Did Carty truly ruin your life?? This is ruining his life so if not I suggest rechecking your statements in correlation to the real world.
Four years of “mistreatment” vs. his entire life …. seems unfair.
Apologies for my boldness but some of the opinions and wrongdoings stated seem so utterly insignificant that I couldn’t imagine taking the time to even consider them as valid concerns against his career. Regarding the claims that Carty isn’t offering enough to Mead athletics, building respectable men etc….. these all seem rather thin. Surely his termination must be because of other things, aware only to those privy of his actions.
To be fair, I won’t suggest that Carty is the best coach ever, or is without fault, I’m simply suggesting that the expansion of this case could lay heavily with the motives of the accusers (or I dare say even district) for such details to fit their perceived notion of justice. Does this punishment fit the crime?
I suppose it’s probably wise that all teachers and coaches in the district shape up. Sometimes “justice” is contagious. United we stand, divided we fall.
Hi Amy – I really appreciate your comment. This might be the most well-written, thought out one yet. Thank you. I hope you have a great Easter.
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Its taken me a long time to sit back and digest all of this, because it leaves a really bad taste in my mouth. My son played at Mt. Spokane and graduated in 2010. There were the same type of parents who were angry at Coach McLaughlin for very selfish reasons. When my sons class were Sophomores, they were getting a lot of playing time because they were better than quite a few upper classmen. They were ready to tar and feather him.
My other side of the experience was running a successful Facebook page, Mt. Spokane Wildcat Football, and later on doing full GSL Football coverage with my Twitter page and blog, GSL Football. I came in contact with every coach in the league, tons of players, and unfortunately, too many parents. I kept everything positive on my blog, but it was never enough. Unless their child was being mentioned by name, it wasn’t good enough. The single worst parent I ever dealt with, without a doubt, was a Mead parent. The two reasons I gave it up were lack of time and because I couldn’t deal with the parents. My last year doing it was 13-14 season. Too many people think their child is a D-1 football player. If their child isn’t succeeding, its the coaches fault. There were lynch mobs at Rogers, NC, and Mead has been brewing for a long time. I can tell you that because I was personally contacted by parents with their complaints, like I had some say in the matter.
I never had a bad experience with Coach Carty, no matter what information I was asking for. His players never said a bad word about him, and I had extensive contact with many of them. They were all great kids. And like this now, the rumblings were usually from the parents of underclassmen.
Be honest with yourself about the level of athlete your child is. Let them be who they are going to be and don’t live through them. That is what I did with mine and it worked out amazing. Be careful what you wish for, too. It will be interesting to see if all this was worth it in the long run for those who initiated it.
Jeremy Smith
jw17smith@gmail.com
Hi Jeremy – Thanks so much for the very insightful comment. Also, thank you for your service to GSL football. You give amazing context in what you wrote. High school sports need more people like you…those who are willing to devote their time to giving athletes coverage, solely out of the goodness of your heart and to fulfill a passion. High school sports need less of the parents you and I both know, the ones who have entitlement and a false sense of reality.
I hope everyone reads what you have to say. If you are interested, I will be posting another update on Coach Carty in about ten minutes.
Thank you,
Brent
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Wow…I played for coach Carty at Northwood back in 96. Very cool guy and I hate to see this happen. I’m just confused what these people are accusing him of??? ALOT of general statements. Someone talked about facts but failed to mention what those facts were??? My opinion is the same for Carty but I have very little respect for these people that accused of apparently nothing. Weird deal love to chat with these people as to what their issue is. Well I hope the best for Carty and his fam.