Ricky Bumgardner Jr | 1.9.2026
Why It’s So Hard to Keep High School Coaches in High School
High school sports are the heartbeat of communities, but behind the banners, Friday-night lights, and highlight reels, coaching at the high school level is brutal. Keeping passionate, talented coaches in programs is harder than ever — and it’s not because they don’t love the game. The struggle is real, raw, and relentless.
The Pay Doesn’t Match the Passion
Most high school coaches don’t do it for money. They do it because they love the sport, the kids, and the chance to build something bigger than themselves. But the pay? It’s laughable compared to the hours, energy, and emotional investment required.
Coaches are expected to run full programs, teach classes, organize travel, plan practices, handle equipment, and stay available to athletes and parents 24/7 — all for a stipend that often doesn’t cover their out-of-pocket expenses. Many talented coaches leave because, frankly, their passion can’t pay the bills.
"I have so much respect for high school coaches who pour countless hours into building a program the right way. It’s not easy — especially if you want to do it ethically, by the rules, and focus on developing kids both on and off the field. The dedication, patience, and integrity it takes to run a program like that is something every athlete, parent, and community should recognize and appreciate."
— Ricky Bumgardner Jr., Owner, Florida Heat
The Workload Is Crushing
Coaching high school sports isn’t just a job — it’s a lifestyle. Practices, games, tournaments, travel, and recruiting all pile on top of full-time teaching responsibilities. Grading papers, writing lesson plans, parent conferences — all while trying to keep your team competitive. There’s no downtime. There’s no “off-season.”
Overtime is expected. Sacrifices are endless. Burnout isn’t a possibility — it’s a guarantee if the support isn’t there.
Parental Pressure and Social Scrutiny
Parents can be a coach’s biggest ally or their worst nightmare. In today’s world, every decision is questioned: who plays, who sits, how discipline is handled. One phone call, one heated text, one social media post can set off drama that consumes hours of a coach’s life.
You aren’t just coaching athletes; you’re constantly navigating expectations, criticism, and judgment from adults who don’t understand the full picture. It’s exhausting, and it chips away at why you became a coach in the first place.
Players Leaving Nonstop
Nothing hurts a coach more than losing players constantly. One season you’re building a roster, teaching teamwork, and developing chemistry. The next, key athletes have left for another school — some for better opportunities, some for playing time, some for reasons that have nothing to do with the program.
When this happens year after year, it’s impossible to build continuity. Strategies are thrown out, team culture gets disrupted, and coaches are left scrambling to patch holes instead of focusing on development. The emotional toll of seeing kids leave — sometimes mid-season — is heavy, and it wears on even the toughest coaches.
Lack of Support and Resources
Many programs run on shoestring budgets, with limited assistants, outdated facilities, and minimal equipment. Coaches often pay out-of-pocket for uniforms, gear, and travel. They’re expected to do it all — manage schedules, fundraising, logistics — without any meaningful support from administrators or communities.
It’s demoralizing. You spend your life pouring into kids and programs, and the system constantly asks for more with nothing in return.
The Mental and Emotional Grind
Coaching high school athletes is emotionally draining. You carry the weight of wins, losses, injuries, personal struggles, and now constant roster turnover. You’re mentor, motivator, counselor, and disciplinarian all at once. Over time, the weight crushes morale, saps energy, and pushes coaches toward burnout.
The Cycle of Turnover
It’s a vicious cycle. Coaches leave for better pay, less stress, or programs with support and stability. New coaches step in, face the same hurdles, and sometimes leave faster. Programs struggle to find leaders, athletes lose continuity, and communities lose mentors.
High school sports are at their best when coaches stay, grow programs, and build culture — but the system is set up to make that almost impossible.
Why It Matters
Coaches are more than tacticians. They shape character, teach life lessons, and influence young people in ways beyond the field. When they leave because of burnout, pressure, and instability, it’s not just a coaching problem — it’s a community problem.
If schools, communities, and athletic departments want to retain coaches, they need to pay them fairly, support them fully, and protect them from unnecessary pressures. Otherwise, high school sports will continue to lose the very people who give them life, one season at a time.