Behind The Diamond

Why is the system never held accountable?

Why does it treat every case the same, like we are just names on paper instead of people who have given everything to this game? Why does it hide behind rules it does not even understand while ruining lives and careers in the process? The rules are not clear. They are not consistent. But the people in charge treat them like they are gospel. They act like everything is black and white when it is obvious they do not even take the time to understand the gray. They slap punishments on coaches and programs with no investigation, no questions, and no effort to figure out the truth. Because the truth does not matter to them. Taking the easy road does. I am sick of it. I am sick of being treated like a criminal just because I win. I am sick of people assuming I cheated because they cannot wrap their heads around the fact that some coaches are just better. Smarter. More prepared. Willing to outwork everyone. Willing to build something the right way even when it takes longer and costs more. But that does not matter to the system. What matters is checking boxes, pushing blame, and protecting their image at all costs. Even if that means destroying everything a group of kids and coaches built through hard work, sacrifice, and trust.

Not Every Coach Cheats

Let’s get something straight. Some coaches cheat. Sure. We all know it. They break rules, chase wins, and cut corners. Everyone sees it and nothing gets done. That is frustrating enough. But what makes me furious is being thrown into the same category. Being lumped in with people who do not care about doing things the right way. Being treated like a liar when all I have done is pour my heart into this program. You think all success must be cheating? You think a program cannot win without pulling something shady? Maybe you are just not built like us. Maybe you are not willing to go all in. Maybe you do not understand what real discipline, real culture, and real leadership look like. Because what we built was not about talent or recruiting. It was about showing up every single day and demanding more from each other. And that makes people uncomfortable. That makes people jealous. So they run to the system. They throw around complaints. They say whatever they need to say to tear something down that they could never build.

Maybe Your Kid Just Is Not Good Enough

Yeah, I said it.

Maybe your kid is not a victim. Maybe your kid just is not that good. Maybe in another program they would not have made the roster either. Maybe what you call politics is just a coach being honest. Maybe that spot you think your kid deserved was earned by someone who outworked him every day. But instead of accepting that, you go complain. You cry foul. You throw garbage at the wall and hope something sticks. And the worst part is that the system listens. Not because your story makes sense but because they do not want to do their job. They want it over with. They want an easy win. So they act. They punish. They strip wins. They call kids ineligible. They discredit everything that was earned.

The Work Gets Ignored.

We did not win because we had superstars. We did not win because we had transfers or ringers. We won because we worked our asses off. Every damn day. Our players worked in the offseason while others rested. We practiced longer. We coached harder. We held our kids accountable. We demanded effort, attention, and growth. And it paid off.

But none of that matters to the system. They do not want to hear about early mornings and late nights. They do not care about what it took to build something special. They want to take it away without understanding it. They want to believe it was too good to be true because they are too lazy to see the truth.

The Rules Are a Mess

Here is the biggest joke of all. The system acts like the rules are clear. Like everything is by the book. But they are not. The rules are vague, confusing, and full of loopholes. They contradict themselves. And instead of helping coaches navigate them, the system weaponizes them. They pick and choose when to enforce them. They change their minds. One day a kid is eligible, the next day he is not. They make decisions, then flip them later, and guess what — nobody holds them responsible. We are just supposed to eat it. Smile. Take the punishment. Act like we are grateful for the chance to play. No, I am not playing that game anymore.

You Hurt Kids and Hide Behind Policy

You do not just punish programs. You punish kids. You take away their chances. You make them feel like they did something wrong when all they did was listen to their coach, work hard, and believe in the process. You crush their confidence. You take away their achievements. And you do it without blinking because you will never have to answer for it. But we see you. And we are done staying quiet.

You Will Be Exposed!

You are not going to keep hiding behind your title and your clipboard. You are not going to keep ruining reputations with no facts. You are not going to keep running from the truth and thinking it will never catch you. It will. Because we are speaking up now. We are calling out the hypocrisy. We are going to shine a light on everything you try to sweep under the rug. You made your decision. You made it without doing your job. And now we are going to make ours. You do not get to break something we built with everything we had and walk away like nothing happened. You are going to answer for it. Every last one of you.

This Was Never About Fairness

Let us stop pretending. The system is not about fairness. It is about control. It is about appearances. It is about checking boxes and covering asses. If it was about fairness, you would investigate before accusing. If it was about fairness, you would admit when you are wrong. If it was about fairness, you would care about the kids as much as you claim to.

But you do not.

So What Now? What’s the Solution?

Talking about the problem is not enough. We know the system is flawed. We know it hides behind rules it barely understands. We know it acts first and asks questions never.

But how do we fix it?

Let’s start with what should already be happening but clearly is not.

1. Hold the System to the Same Standards

Coaches are evaluated constantly. Wins, losses, culture, discipline, player development—every move is scrutinized. But what about the people pulling the strings behind the scenes? There needs to be accountability for those making decisions. If a governing body makes the wrong call, especially one that harms kids, there must be consequences. Just like a coach can be suspended or fired for a bad decision, so should administrators who rush to judgment or mishandle eligibility cases. You cannot destroy a season, ruin reputations, and walk away like it never happened. There must be transparency. There must be consequences. If you screw it up, you own it.

2. Investigate Everything Thoroughly Before Acting

No more snap judgments. No more suspending players or teams based on a rumor. Do the damn work. Interview people. Check facts. Read the full rule. Ask questions. Stop acting like every accusation is truth just because it’s written in an email. The damage caused by false accusations does not just fade. You stain people’s names. You humiliate them. You create a cloud that never leaves. So do your job. If you are going to take something away, make damn sure it deserves to be taken.

3. Stop Treating All Cases the Same

Every case is different. Every situation has context. Not every player movement is recruiting. Not every winning season is shady. Not every complaint is valid. If a coach has a ten-year track record of building from the ground up, developing players, and running a clean program, give that coach the benefit of the doubt before jumping to conclusions. Look at the history. Look at the work. One-size-fits-all rulings are lazy. Period. Treat each case like it matters. Because it does.

4. Give Coaches a Voice in the Process

Too many times, decisions are made behind closed doors by people who have never coached a day in their lives. They do not know the grind. They do not know the sacrifice. They do not know what it takes to build a program. If you are going to judge us, at least give us a seat at the table. If a case involves our team, our players, our staff, we should be allowed to speak. We should be allowed to defend ourselves. We should be allowed to explain what really happened. Right now, it feels like coaches are guilty until proven innocent. That has to stop.

5. Protect the Kids First

Everything the system claims to do is “for the kids.” That is their favorite line. But their actions say otherwise. If you were really about the kids, you would not take away their seasons for paperwork errors. You would not call them ineligible after they followed every rule. You would not let politics and pressure ruin their chance to compete. Enough with the slogans. If it is for the kids, then start acting like it. Start putting their experience, their growth, and their opportunity before your reputation.

6. Independent Oversight

We need independent review boards, people with no connection to the organization or the case. Because when the system polices itself, it protects itself. There should be checks and balances. Neutral people who can look at the facts and say, “No, this is wrong,” without worrying about politics or backlash. If you are making decisions that change lives, there better be someone making sure you are doing it right.

7. Rebuild the Culture of Respect

The relationship between coaches and the system is toxic. It is broken. And the only way to fix it is through mutual respect. That starts with treating coaches like professionals. Not enemies. Not suspects. We are not trying to beat the system. We are trying to build kids. We are trying to compete. We are trying to do things the right way. We deserve better than silence. Better than punishment without reason. Better than being ignored unless there is a problem. Build a real relationship. Start with respect. If that is too much to ask, maybe you are in the wrong business.

8. Stop Hiding Behind Rules You Do Not Enforce Consistently

Rules mean nothing if they are not enforced fairly. And right now, they are not. Some schools get away with murder. Others get destroyed for minor paperwork issues. Some coaches are allowed to recruit openly. Others get punished for a player moving districts on their own. The inconsistency is disgusting. Either enforce the rules the same way across the board or stop pretending you care. You want coaches to follow the rules? Then show us you can too.

The Bottom Line…We are tired.

Tired of building something special only to have it torn down by people who never spent one second in our shoes. Tired of the politics. Tired of the guessing. Tired of being treated like the enemy for doing our job too well. This is not about whining. This is about calling out a system that has been broken for too long. This is about demanding better for our programs, our players, and ourselves. If you are in a position of power, and you read this, and you feel attacked, maybe it is because you know it is true. Maybe it is time to stop hiding and start fixing. Because we are not going anywhere. We are coaching. We are grinding. We are leading. And we are done staying silent.

You wanted a solution? There it is.

Now do something.