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Coaches: Winning tradition not required
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Manteca High head football coach Eric Reis. - photo by Bulletin file photo

Evaluating the success of coaches in Manteca Unified will now come down to more than just simple wins and losses.

On Tuesday the board approved a series of job descriptions for coaches employed at all levels of high school athletics – specifying the requirements for hiring and the duties they are expected to perform in order to provide a measuring stick.

And some of the initial requirements that were drafted were pretty stringent.

Removed from the final list for varsity head coaches was the line that read “requires a verifiable record of having been a part of a winning tradition, including post season CIF playoff competition as a coach.”

Separate documents were drafted for varsity head coaches – who often run all aspects of the program that they’re charged – and assistant and lower level coaches.

The certification required for each varies, but all coaches are required to have current CPR qualifications, a certificate from the National Federation of High Schools, a concussion management certificate and an activity supervisor training certificate.

Previous experience in a similar position is desired, but not a requirement.

The request by staff to implement the new job descriptions met no resistance, and was only pulled from the consent calendar because Trustee Nancy Teicheira wanted to clarify some of the language in the draft document. The trio of three items also included a section that implemented a new board policy and administrative regulation governing all coaches of sports teams – including off-campus coaches that aren’t employed by the district.

Teicheira said that since the schools have a hard enough time making sure that all of the vacant positions that serve student-athletes are filled she wanted to make sure that the district didn’t create any stumbling blocks that could have impeded that process.

As spelled out in the regulations, the district gives first priority and consideration to teachers within the district, and then non-certificated employees. Off-campus coaches are permitted but are formally classified as “temporary employees in a limited assignment capacity.”