[Southsider2k12]

Seems to be the scuttlebutt.

I'm chasing it up to see if I can get more on it.

[taxthedeer]

I'm chasing it up to see if I can get more on it.

Today is the final day to submit your application to the athletic department.

[taxthedeer]

Keep in mind that Franklin Central Flashes football program is a 4 time state champion in including three in a row ('80,'81,82) then again in 1990. They've lost thier athletic director, head football coach, head boysbasketball coach and head girls basketball coach.

http://flashesvarsitysports.com/james--kar...05-03-2011.html

– TUESDAY, MAY 3, 2011 / A DARK DAY IN FLASHES’ HISTORY –
FC seeking coaching replacements for James, Karpinski
Tuesday, May 3, 2011.
That date may go down as one of the darkest ones in the history of Franklin Central athletics.

As a result of events on that day, the state’s 11th-largest high school apparently will be looking for new football and boys’ basketball coaches for the 2011-12 school year.

Early on that day, it was announced by area media outlets that Mark James was heading across town to Ben Davis to become the suburban Wayne Township school’s head basketball coach. His move, confirmed by the Ben Davis athletic director, Kevin Britt, comes after guiding FC hoops fortunes for 26 seasons.

Later on that day, the final tally of a failed Franklin Township school referendum (asking taxpayers for additional funds) cost Franklin Central its football coach. Michael Karpinski confirmed on the morning following the Primary Election’s referendum vote that he would not be the head coach or working at FC following the current school year that ends later this month.

Karpinski reportedly was one of 81 teachers receiving termination notices recently in accordance with the school district’s reduction-in-force, cost-cutting measures that also – and tied to a failed referendum – are to include the closing of three schools and the end of daily bus transportation for students, the latter other than what is mandated for special needs situations.

The firing of the 81 teachers for the most part is linked to the school district’s planned elimination or cutbacks in elementary physical education, art, music and library programs. A favorable vote on the referendum would have saved teaching jobs and programs.

Both Karpinski and James are physical education teachers at Franklin Central. Karpinski, with nearly a decade in the FT Schools system, lacked enough seniority to avoid the termination notices among P.E. teachers. James, even with his 26 years of experience in teaching physical education at the high school, reportedly barely had enough seniority to escape the termination list.

According to FC’s athletic director, Brian Avery, neither coach had by mid-morning on Wednesday, May 4, formally submitted a resignation regarding their coaching positions. “Obviously, losing either and/or both of these fine men would be a loss to our entire community.”

Later in the day, Franklin Central’s principal, Kevin Koers, acknowledged that James had accepted the Ben Davis job.

“Ben Davis High School made him an offer that was too hard for him to refuse at this stage of his career,” Koers said. “I wish Mark the best of luck and owe him a great deal of gratitude for all he has done and meant to Franklin Central.

“He will always be respected and be a part of the Flashes’ tradition of excellence,” Koers continued. “I am confident he will be very successful in Wayne Township.”

One news outlet reporting on James’ new opportunity said James had indicated the school referendum had nothing to do with his move to Ben Davis, the state’s largest high school with nearly 5,000 students.

Although the decision on his job change was announced about mid-morning on the day of the Primary Election that contained the referendum vote, FT Schools budget cuts over the past several years had reduced the number of positions on the Franklin Central basketball coaching staff. Also, a “play-to-participate” program for athletes in all sports at the high school and middle schools had been implemented.

At Franklin Central, James chalked up 395 wins and had steadily moved up to the No. 12 spot among the state’s “winning-est” active coaches in number of victories at 438. His total includes his record at Covington, where he coached for three years before coming to Franklin Central for the start of the 1984-85 season.

James’ success with the Flashes included eight sectional championships and one regional title. He guided Covington to one sectional crown in 1984.

At Ben Davis, James will be taking over a program that fans are hoping will regain its glory years of the mid-1990s, when the Giants won back-to-back state championships (1995, 1996).

Franklin Central and James played a hand in the second state title run by Ben Davis. After FC beat the Giants 39-34 earlier in the 1995-96 campaign, the two schools would meet again in the opening game of IHSAA regional play. The Flashes would enter with only one loss – to Lawrence Central in the Marion County Tournament – in 25 games. The Giants came in with a 16-6 mark.

In that memorable match-up, Ben Davis would prevail 62-59 in overtime, with the Giants advancing all the way to the RCA Dome in Downtown Indianapolis, where they would best New Albany 57-54 in double overtime to capture the next-to-last, open-class state championship.

Ben Davis is a member of the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference, an eight-school alignment that includes Indiana’s four largest high schools – No. 2 Carmel (4,443 students), No. 3 Warren Central (3,691) and No. 4 North Central (3,492), in addition to Ben Davis (4,892). A MIC representative has won four of the last seven Class 4A state basketball titles.

After eight years as an FC assistant football coach, Karpinski was a popular choice in being named to the head position for the start of the 2009 season. His hiring had carried expectations of a longstanding relationship. In two seasons at the Flashes’ helm, Karpinski posted a 7-13 mark.

[wayne]

The decision has been made. MCis going to hire a coach with a 7-13 record. but lets get all excited because his dad was a coach ay MC at one time. I know of at least 5 coaches that wanted the job that have super records and won sectional championships and didnt get an interview. from what Iunderstand, nobody got an interview, including the coach they are hiring. He was solely hired because of his connection with the city. I have never heard of this. Whatever happened t0 getting a pool of applicants, interview them and let the best man win. I dont know this for a fact, but I believe Buzza had to interview when he got the job, and he had won nearly 80% of his games, tons of sectionals and DAC titles and took a team to the state finals. Why cant they do the same process with this hire?

I understand MC wilnever land a above average coach, and we are known for settling for second or third tier coaches, but this time it looks like we settled for much less. Dont give me they played a tough schedule an all of that garbage, the bottowm line is this guy was passed up at least 3 different times to be the HC there, and finally was named because the previous coach darted after one year.

For all you guys that wanted to get rid of Shriber, watch out what you wish for. Its going to get much worse before it gets better. I realize he is out of work, but I wonder if he knows the mess he is taking over.

Hang on to your helmets!!!

[Southsider2k12]

The decision has been made. MCis going to hire a coach with a 7-13 record. but lets get all excited because his dad was a coach ay MC at one time. I know of at least 5 coaches that wanted the job that have super records and won sectional championships and didnt get an interview. from what Iunderstand, nobody got an interview, including the coach they are hiring. He was solely hired because of his connection with the city. I have never heard of this. Whatever happened t0 getting a pool of applicants, interview them and let the best man win. I dont know this for a fact, but I believe Buzza had to interview when he got the job, and he had won nearly 80% of his games, tons of sectionals and DAC titles and took a team to the state finals. Why cant they do the same process with this hire?

I understand MC wilnever land a above average coach, and we are known for settling for second or third tier coaches, but this time it looks like we settled for much less. Dont give me they played a tough schedule an all of that garbage, the bottowm line is this guy was passed up at least 3 different times to be the HC there, and finally was named because the previous coach darted after one year.

For all you guys that wanted to get rid of Shriber, watch out what you wish for. Its going to get much worse before it gets better. I realize he is out of work, but I wonder if he knows the mess he is taking over.

Hang on to your helmets!!!

I don't know about much Karpinski but his record could be pretty deceptive. Remember Buz was 6-14 his first two years here. Everything I have read about the guy seems pretty impressive.

I'm also not sure how much worse it could get than last year. That was about the worst coached and prepared team I have ever seen, and I went through Elston when we had multiple zero win seasons and pretty bad coaching.

[Southsider2k12]

I'm chasing it up to see if I can get more on it.

They wouldn't give me anything, except they hadn't finalized their consent agenda.

[taxthedeer]

The decision has been made. MCis going to hire a coach with a 7-13 record. but lets get all excited because his dad was a coach ay MC at one time. I know of at least 5 coaches that wanted the job that have super records and won sectional championships and didnt get an interview. from what Iunderstand, nobody got an interview, including the coach they are hiring. He was solely hired because of his connection with the city. I have never heard of this. Whatever happened t0 getting a pool of applicants, interview them and let the best man win. I dont know this for a fact, but I believe Buzza had to interview when he got the job, and he had won nearly 80% of his games, tons of sectionals and DAC titles and took a team to the state finals. Why cant they do the same process with this hire?

I understand MC wilnever land a above average coach, and we are known for settling for second or third tier coaches, but this time it looks like we settled for much less. Dont give me they played a tough schedule an all of that garbage, the bottowm line is this guy was passed up at least 3 different times to be the HC there, and finally was named because the previous coach darted after one year.

For all you guys that wanted to get rid of Shriber, watch out what you wish for. Its going to get much worse before it gets better. I realize he is out of work, but I wonder if he knows the mess he is taking over.

Hang on to your helmets!!!

Karpinski should do just fine. Just as long as the reserves don't stand on the sideline during a defensive series for the duration of the season chanting, Get 'em D, Get 'em D, Get 'em D...while getting bludgeoned in the process on a weekly basis, things will be OK.

[Southsider2k12]

The vote is tonight and kids meet the coach tomorrow at noon.

[Southsider2k12]

Michael Karpinski was just named the 6th Michigan City Wolves High School Football coach by a unanimous vote tonight by the school board. Karpinski left Franklin Central after losing his job in a Reduction In Force cut.

[Southsider2k12]

I also was told by the hire ups that he is in the process of buying a house in Michigan City, something that neither of the last two coaches for football did.

He is also going to be boys track coach.

[taxthedeer]

Welcome back Karpinski!!!

[taxthedeer]

Any word on who the new strength and conditioning coach will be, also who will serve as the assistant coaching staff, defensive coordinator, especially a secondary coach is needed very badly, Duneland conference has two of the states top leading quarterbacks returning at Valpo and Crown Point afraid they will pick the Wolves secondary apart.

[Southsider2k12]

Any word on who the new strength and conditioning coach will be, also who will serve as the assistant coaching staff, defensive coordinator, especially a secondary coach is needed very badly, Duneland conference has two of the states top leading quarterbacks returning at Valpo and Crown Point afraid they will pick the Wolves secondary apart.

They are in the process of talking to guys right now. I know Karp has already gotten some offers out to top level assistants, and is building from the top down.

[Southsider2k12]

http://blogs.indystar.com/preps/2011/06/15...-michigan-city/

Former Franklin Central football coach Michael Karpinski, who lost his teaching job at the school due to budget cuts, has been hired as the new coach at Michigan City.

The move is something of a homecoming for Karpinski, who was 7-13 in two seasons at Franklin Central after serving as an assistant there for eight years. He will be about 90 minutes from his parents, who live near Grand Rapids, Mich. He grew up about two hours away from Michigan City, which sits on Lake Michigan just inside the Indiana-Michigan border.

“I can keep that Indiana teachers retirement plan, too,” Karpinski said with his laugh.

“Obviously, the teaching and coaching situation is a little better for me. I’m not going to have to worry about participation fees (Franklin Township officials instituted pay-to-play fees for athletic activities last year.) and whether I have a job next year. . . There’s a pay raise and the fundraising I did at Franklin Central, I don’t have to do now and that will make my job easier.”

Still, Karpinski said leaving Indianapolis isn’t easy. He served as an assistant University of Indianapolis for several years before moving to Franklin Central. He and his wife Diana also are moving with son Eric entering his sophomore year of high school and younger son Kyle entering the eighth grade.

Plus, he’s taking over a program that’s struggled in recent years. Michigan City has not won the more than six games in a season since going 7-4 in 2000, including 1-9 last season. It plays in the normally-strong Duneland Conference. The city of Michigan City also has fallen on hard times during the economic downturn. It once had three public high schools. (Michigan City Elston won the city’s only football sectional title in 1984.) It now has just one.

Still, it sure beats what Kaprinski faces a few weeks ago: Potential unemployment.

“I’m not walking into a bed of roses,” he said. “We’ve got some work to do and it’s going to be challenge. But football is real important in the community and it’s real important in the school.”

Former Michigan City coach Eric Schreiber resigned in May to become the new coach at Hammond. Franklin Central officials have not hired a replacement for Karpinski. Principal Kevin Koers said this week he plans to have a new athletic director hired by early next week to replace Brian Avery — who left to become the new athletic director at Speedway — and hopes the school will move quickly on a replacement for Karpinski after that.

[Southsider2k12]

http://blogs.indystar.com/preps/2011/06/15...-michigan-city/

Oh and I did send the author a correction email about the obvious error in there.

[taxthedeer]

Oh and I did send the author a correction email about the obvious error in there.

He was sort of right, There was three high schools in Michigan City, 2 two public, 1 parochial.

[Southsider2k12]

He was sort of right, There was three high schools in Michigan City, 2 two public, 1 parochial.

With his reply, I am pretty sure he thought that Elston, Rogers, and MCHS existed at the same time.

[CaddyRich]

Oh and I did send the author a correction email about the obvious error in there.

The "If it's north of Indianapolis it really doesn't matter" attitude of the Indy Star strikes again...

[Southsider2k12]

http://www.thenewsdispatch.com/articles/20...e1950912683.txt

Karpinski named City football coach

By Zack Eldridge
Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 3:47 PM CDT
MICHIGAN CITY — For its new football coach, Michigan City went to an old name.

Michael Karpinski was approved unanimously by the Michigan City Area Schools Board as the Wolves’ new football coach on Tuesday night at the school board meeting.

Karpinski is the son of former Michigan City Rogers and Michigan City Elston football coach Bill Karpinski. The elder Karpinski coached football in the 1960s and 70s at both of those schools.

The younger Karpinski inherits a program that has had one winning season in the last five years and went 1-9 last season.

*
“My plans are to bring the program back up to where it belongs,” Karpinski said. “I’ve heard great stories of how there’s tough kids, there’s good kids here at Michigan City. You know what, if you’ve got good tough kids that are good people, that’s a huge part of the recipe to have success. Because if they’re good kids, they’re going to follow directions, they’re going to be good students, they’re going to be role models in the community, and I’m big on that.

“My expectations are very high. Obviously, I want to win them all right off the bat, but realistically...”

Karpinski replaces Eric Schreiber, who left to become the head coach at Hammond High School. Schreiber led the program for just one season.

Michael Karpinski will also coach boys track at Michigan City and will be a physical education teacher.

“If he’s anything like his dad, then Michigan City will see a tremendous increase hopefully,” Michigan City Athletic Director Bob “Bear” Falls said. “One of the things that strikes me about him is he’s very personable, and also he’s been at a large school and he’s coached at college. His knowledge about the game is excellent, so I felt Michael would make a good fit for Michigan City.”

Falls added he feels Karpinski will be at Michigan City for a “long period of time.”

Prior to coming to Michigan City, Karpinski was at Franklin Central High School for eight years as an assistant football coach. Then he was the head football coach at Franklin Central for the past two seasons.

Falls said he talked to Karpinski about four years ago about adding him to the City football coaching staff as an assistant. Instead, he elected to stay at Franklin Central.

Last season, Karpinski guided Franklin Central to a 3-7 record. In two years there, he went 7-13, playing the likes of last year’s Class 5A state runner-up Lawrence Central, as well as Indianapolis Roncalli, Bloomington South and Bloomington North.

Before coaching at Franklin Central, Karpinski was an assistant football coach and an assistant track coach at the University of Indianapolis for six years.

Karpinski didn’t attend Rogers or Elston.

When asked if returning to Michigan City was ever a goal of his, Karpinski quickly responded.

“It’s always in the back of your mind,” Karpinski said. “My dad coached at six or seven different schools, and I’ve had the opportunity before to go back to one of them. It didn’t quite work out. Michigan City is someplace special to me, in my heart.”

Karpinski plans on meeting the City football players today.

In the end, the makeup of the community factored heavily into Karpinski’s decision to become the next head football coach at Michigan City.

“It just seems a lot more close knit, so that was definitely an attraction to me,” Karpinski said. “I’ll be honest, coming back to coach at a school where my dad coached, that played a little bit of a part, too. That’s always kind of neat.”

[MSFOOTBALL]

http://blogs.indystar.com/preps/2011/06/15...-michigan-city/

All I have to say is "Welcome Coach" and let's get things rolling. There is alot of work to do here and these players are ready for a new season. I heard they had a great number of kids turn out to meet the coach (60-70). I think this shows they are very interested. I know there are even kids interested that have not played in a long time. We need numbers and hopefully they stay. The interest in football has been down for the last couple of years. I hope this will spark everyone's interest. I am glad to hear he is purchasing a home and there are plenty of quality homes in the area to choose from. Again, a warm welcome and hope you enjoy your stay in MC enough to want to stay. MC has many things to offer--all you have to do is look.