Victoria Memorial Update

[44INAROW]

www.victoriaadvocate.com


(3:36 p.m.) Three finalists for VISD AD/MHS football job named
February 12, 2007 - Posted at 3:40 p.m.
BY COY SLAVIK-Advocate Sports Editor
The list of candidates for the Victoria school district’s athletic director/Memorial head football coach position has been trimmed to three finalists.

VISD human resources director Eloy Chapa confirmed Monday that the three finalists are Schulenburg athletic director and head football coach Mickey Finley, Corpus Christi Ray head football coach and boys athletic coordinator Roland Gonzalez, and Converse Judson defensive coordinator Rick Rhoades.

Chapa said that the school district hadn’t decided which finalist it will recommend to the school board. Included on the agenda for Thursday’s school board meeting is closed discussion on the employment of an athletic director/head football coach.

VISD superintendent Bob Moore has visited personally with the three finalists.

“Mr. Moore was very impressed with all three and has said it is going to be a very difficult decision,” Chapa said.

VISD interviewed 10 candidates for the job, which became vacant last month with the resignations of Memorial head football coach Jerry Campbell and VISD athletic director Larry Hirt.

[gobbler grad]

I hope they pick Finley...:thinking:

[44INAROW]

It would be worth it to see him clean things up in Victoria - Remember the 1st year he was in Cuero? - pretty much told the "showboats" how the cow ate the cabbage - he cleaned house big-time and showed a few "the door" yea, we lost that year - but went deep the next year.....

[maestro]

some times that is what it takes..

[44INAROW]

Congrats to Coach Finley -

(10:24 a.m.) VISD picks Schulenburg's Finley
February 13, 2007 - Posted at 10:27 a.m.
Advocate Staff Report
Schulenburg head football coach and athletic director Mickey Finley has been selected to take over the duties of head football coach at Memorial and athletic director for the Victoria school district, according to a source within VISD.

According to the source, Finley will meet with VISD officials this week to iron out details in his contract and will likely be recommended for the dual position to the board of trustees in Thursday's meeting.

Finley was one of three finalists. The other two were Corpus Christi Ray head football coach and boys athletic coordinator Roland Gonzalez and Converse Judson defensive coordinator Rick Rhoades.

[Gobbla2001]

Why he be wantin' to coach around Cuero all of the sudden?

First Schulenburg, now moving closer with the move to Victor-I-A...

Congrats, Memorial will for sure get better, no doubt about it...

[Gobbla2001]

What is really interesting about it?

When Cuero and Victoria High were kickin' booty back in the 90's, Finley was the Coach at Cuero and Mark Reeve was the coach at Victoria High...

OF course we know Victoria High consolidated with Vic Stroman, and now Finley coaches Victoria Memorial and Reeve Coaches Cuero...

tha switcharoo...

[44INAROW]

Originally posted by Gobbla2001
What is really interesting about it?

When Cuero and Victoria High were kickin' booty back in the 90's, Finley was the Coach at Cuero and Mark Reeve was the coach at Victoria High...

OF course we know Victoria High consolidated with Vic Stroman, and now Finley coaches Victoria Memorial and Reeve Coaches Cuero...

tha switcharoo...

neat observation Gobbla..........

[JT44]

you think a victoria-cuero football game will be coming in the next year or two if finley gets the job? I think so

[gobbler grad]

VISD OKs Finley's hiring

Board unanimously approves him as new MHS football coach, athletic director

February 16, 2007 - Posted at 12:00 a.m.

BY COY SLAVIK - ADVOCATE SPORTS EDITOR

Schulenburg athletic director and head football coach Mickey Finley was unanimously approved by the Victoria school district board of trustees Thursday night to take over the VISD athletic director and Memorial head football coach positions.

Finley, who has compiled a 203-125-5 record in 29 seasons as a head coach, will replace VISD athletic director Larry Hirt and Memorial head football coach Jerry Campbell, who submitted their resignations last month.

"This is a great situation," said Finley, who has served as a head football coach at Class 5A Arlington, Class 4A Cleburne, Class 3A Comanche and Cuero, Class 2A Callisburg and Schulenburg, and Class 1A Klondike and Iraan. "The region that we're in makes it very attractive. You have a lot of kids to draw from. It's a great opportunity to take it to new heights."

VISD Superintendent Bob Moore said Finley's success as a head coach and athletic director or athletic coordinator at every classification was a big reason Finley was selected over the other two finalists -- Corpus Christi Ray athletic coordinator and head football coach Roland Gonzalez and Converse Judson defensive coordinator Rick Rhoades.

"His experience in large and small districts was a huge advantage over the other candidates," Moore said. "From his small-school experience, he has seen the whole picture. He's also been in large districts, so he knows the issues and complexities and what needs to be addressed. So the change curve will be accelerated."

According to Moore, Finley's annual salary will be in the "$90,000 range."

Finley coached Schulenburg to an 11-1 record last season, his only one at the school. He will take over a Memorial football program that went 1-9 last season.

Finley said he agonized until early Thursday about whether or not he was going to accept the job.

"Honestly? About 4 o'clock this morning," Finley said after he was asked when he decided to take the job. "It was tremendously tough to leave. I haven't slept in a couple of days. The people were so good to me. You could not ask for better people and a better situation than what they provided me there. It was hard to leave those kids and leave that community."

Moore said Finley will begin work on Wednesday. Finley said he will begin evaluating all athletic programs immediately.

"I'll try to see what's broke and try to fix it," he said. "Right now, we have to start with football because they were 1-9."

Moore said he is confident Finley will be able to improve the performance and participation levels in all sports.

"We have a real need for change and improvement here," Moore said. "I told Mickey that it is really a given that we're going to be successful in football. What I want the real focus to be on is the participation rate in all sports. As I look at the present participation rate, it is not good. You look particularly at track. We're one of the larger high schools (in the state) and I think we can haul our entire team in a Suburban. One thing we agreed on is if kids can't run, they can't play football or basketball. I was impressed with his philosophy of 'If you're in football or basketball, what other sport are you going to be in?' "

Moore said he was very pleased with the selection process.

"We had a broad-based committee that reviewed all the candidates and we really had some pretty stringent criteria," Moore said. "They interviewed 10 people they thought had the experience and qualifications. I asked the committee to give me three names they could all support.

"I did a lot of checking on Mickey as far as his experiences with other districts," Moore added. "Of course, the results were positive everywhere. Everywhere he's been, discipline has been a key issue. We're going to have great things to come in all sports."

[Blastoderm55]

Originally posted by JT44
you think a victoria-cuero football game will be coming in the next year or two if finley gets the job? I think so

It would be really demoralizing for Victoria to lose to Cuero, so I doubt such a game would be scheduled. Well, at least not until the program is turned around.