The coaching switch
April 9, 2008 @ 10:17 a.m. by Joannaby joanna
Not sure if you saw the brief we had in today’s paper about Heights’ new wrestling coach, Mike Church, but it seems that coach Todd Sacquitne is now the assistant.
It’s an interesting switch, to be sure. But they both seem to be happy. Here’s what Mike Church wrote in an e-mail to me this morning. I am waiting to hear from Todd Sacquitne.
When I took an assistant job at Heights I spoke with (athletic director) Rick Wheeler ahead of time and told him at the end of this first year I would be looking for a head coaching job at the end of the season. I had no clue that I was going to fall in love with Heights High School. However, I had three schools interested in me as a head coach of their programs. I had set up interviews and I was very open about it. I was not trying to hide anything and just wanted to be up front and honest. That’s when Todd came to me with the offer that I never expected in a million years. I am still shocked about it to be honest.
Church wrote back just now, adding
That was a very humbling experience for me that taught me a lot of lessons. I never one time asked him to step down for me and never thought that this situation would take place. Â
I would think this would be a difficult situation for Sacquitne to be in because he has been Heights’ coach and now he’s an assistant. Part of me thinks he’s crazy for doing it, but the other part is impressed that he did what he felt was best for the program.
Your thoughts?
April 9th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
I am extremely grateful to Todd, Coach Wheeler and Mr. Deterding for giving me the opportunity to lead the Falcon wrestling team. I believe Wichita Heights student body, staff, and athletic programs are without a doubt the best in the GWAL. I would not want to be anywhere else and there are no better people to work for in the state of Kansas!!!!!
This was the last paragraph of my email…
Coach Church
April 9th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
T.S. did a very classy thing, and should be remembered and well thought of. Obviously Churchy has a great talent to be a head coach, and could have his pick of jobs. T.S. recognized it would be best overall for the school to NOT loose Churchy, and wanted to stay connected. Good for him to not have an out-of-whack ego. Reminds me of Coach Nigg’s move to step asside and stay connected at the same time. Good for all of them.
April 10th, 2008 at 4:29 am
As an outsider to that program, to me it has the hallmarks of a situation in which a head coach sees a chance put a program in good hands, stay involved himself, but relieve himself of some of the pressures and responsibilities. There are probably any number of head coaches out there who would just as soon have an assistant’s role and lifestyle if they could be sure of working with someone talented, committed, and compatible in the top spot. Obviously they must have had a great working relationship or this sort of thing couldn’t happen. Best wishes to the program.
April 13th, 2008 at 1:40 am
The true storie, church was giong to leave heights if he did not get what he wants. He was taught by Nigg and Prichard both got egos bigger than Kansas; more prichard than nigg. Church is a good coach but, dont make hm out to be saint he push coach s out. they r not friends. coach s should of fired church, what asst. goes against the head coach.
April 13th, 2008 at 11:35 am
My guess is real deal is probably some bitter person from South. I spoke with coach S myself. He says it went just like he wanted as far as the coaching switch. No push not anything. The real storie is the bitterness willl get you nowhere, let it go.