It doesnt seem that long ago that making CCS was HUGE for MA Football. Now not making state is fireable? I hope that's not the case, but, maybe rather that than another case of a player sitting the bench making noise and forcing the administrations hand.

Good Luck Bears, hope it all turns out well.

Clunge - he lost control, almost from the beginning. Had to make staff 'moves' from the beginning. Actually, after the first practice.

Im sure this was just another case of parents complaining to administration and admins just reacting to parents.

Parents run M-A. Admin is just puppets.

No coach will ever be fulfilled or successful in a coaching role there over an extended period. M-A has created a culture where the parents know if they scream loud enough the admins will respond.

Previous football coach had a lot of success early so everyone just shut up. Any parent can get a meeting with the Ad's or principal at any time and they will pull in the coach to have a conversation. Kid doesnt get the playing time he thinks he deserves, he goes to his parents and parents go to the school.

What is this teaching the kids?

I know first hand that a group of parents ran the coach into the ground. 1. Being new is hard. It takes time to learn about a school and community. 3. Winning first place IS NOT EVERYTHING.

Did the athletic directors even talk to the parents of the players? Or did the just respond to the loud ones? That's how it is; the loudest parents who bark get heard and children are taught they their parents will fight their battles for them.

If after a year or two of student and football family SURVEYS, the athletic directors felt they wanted to go in another direction, they should have done so. This is too fast and too soon and sets example for our community.

Can we get some athletic directors that actually care enough to read out to the parent community and solicit input about the student experience?

Between my different children, I've been involved in three different sports at MA and never once been asked about my experience as a parent. Athletic directors, I have been totally in the dark with every sport. The coaches are great but the communication is poor and unclear. I've never been asked what's working and what could be done to improve the program. I'd like to see a survey go out to all parents from all sports at the end of this year. I will be emailing the administration to tell them so.

Best of luck to Coach Papin. He wasn't perfect but he was good for the boys and taught them how to take a defeat and hold their heads high. This will take them a lot farther in life than a ring and trophy won by being screamed at in the locker room.

Shame on you Kryger and Snow for losing sight of the big picture.

Why does Steve Kryger grant special privileges to his children? It seems arrogant and entitled to watch his children tossing a football on the side line during a game when the rest of the children are in the bleachers?

Teachers don't bring their children to class so why is an Athletic Director distracting the coach, players and everyone else with his children?

Steve, you are paid to support the team and your kids are there are spectators, just like everyone else's kids. So, unless it's "Bring you Child to Work Day" keep your kids off the field. Not only are they very distracting, but you are modeling entitlement, the last thing kids at Menlo Atherton need to see. This same arrogance of needing to be the director of a first place team the new coach's very first year is on the job is something that's not good for our children to see you model.

MA Parent and Menlo Man.

I 100% agree that loud parents got Papin ousted. That is not right, as we should all have equal voice. However, Papin did lose control before the season even started, ask any player. Once you lose a players respect, it is hard to get it back.

MA Parent, I grew not only my skill but my character more under Adhir. I was yelled at more under this coach than under Adhir. Less Stress, More Results.


Also, AD, If you inherit a elite program you know what come with it. Papin knew that. As as player, I did not want to play for him sometimes. If you coach Menlo-Atherton football, we expect you to be excellent, not goon, not great. This is comming from a player, however I do understand your grievance against the Athletic Director.

MA did do very well - losing only to powerhouse opponents after losing its best players from last season to graduation. But more seriously: Footballers often actually believe that winning is everything - even in a silly game of padded combat. Injuries abound but are seldom reported. Brain injuries leave dummies even dumber.

"leave dummies even dumber."

National Institute of Health study:

"High prevalence of prior contact sports play and concussion among orthopedic and neurosurgical department chairs."

Sone JY, et al. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2018.

Aprox 200 high level physicians, in orthopedic and neurosurgical department chairs positions.

They played.

"CONCLUSIONS The high prevalence of youth contact sports play and concussion among surgical specialty chairs affirms that individuals in careers requiring high motor and cognitive function frequently played contact sports. The association highlights the need to further examine the relationships between contact sports and potential long-term benefits as well as risks of sport-related injury."

Poster's opinion is ridiculous.

Dear MA Player,

I appreciate that you grew in skill and character under the previous coach. I think that this is great and I'm glad that you got results.

The problems that I have with this situation are as follows:
1. results matter but they are not the only thing that matters. For example, hearing about the experience of all families matters. Maybe there are some families (mine) who didn't scream and had a different experience. I know a player who liked Adhir but overall had a better year with Steve. Did that voice get counted?

2. I hear you telling AD that sometimes you did not want to play for the coach. With all due respect, what's the problem. There are lots of times that students don't want to listen to a teacher's lesson, a parent's directions, etc. It's a part of life. The fact that players think that they should get what they want all the time, is concerning. I think that the coach had some trouble building strong discipline. I also think that if the ADs had helped him get feedback early on and coached him while he adjusted to the community, he could have been really great.

Why is this such a cut throat situation? Coaches can be coached, players can be bored, AD's can take losses and work with their new hires.

We lost the civic discourse in the name of winning.


Also, AD, If you inherit a elite program you know what come with it. Papin knew that. As as player, I did not want to play for him sometimes. If you coach Menlo-Atherton football, we expect you to be excellent, not goon, not great. This is comming from a player, however I do understand your grievance against the Athletic Director.

"I know a player who liked Adhir but overall had a better year with Steve."

On average, in hs football, most players will have "a better year" the following year.