Way to take a stand, Dr. Ruscitto! Let's right the ship in 2013.

Agree 100%, and the "so called" phys Ed teacher is never in his class either. What does this guy actually do?

Who is Dr. Ruscitto? He is a doctor of what? Doesn't he have a brother that is out of work as a head varsity football coach? Seems like another politic ploy by a group of parents that don't like the current staff to get someone in that will play their sons.

I'm not a football parent, nor a dr., but I do know that I would like to see a winning varsity team every now and again!

Lets see the football coach is 10-17 .370 the last 3 years and we need to get rid of him. Yet the baseball coach is 26-61 .298 the last 5 years??????

We all hated Don Y. but he won games, We need a change of direction here in Baldwin, Football is the program that pays for many other thing in the district sports programs, we need to get back to winning, and this guy does not give us the best chance for that outcome. Its time for a new direction, and I think the Athletic Director needs replaced also his leadership is absent and he has to take some of the blame here. Sortino must be held accountable for some of this.

Politics have nothing to do with the concern that football parents have! Something must change!

I agree we do need a change. Every kid deserves a chance to play no matter what. A kid will never learn if they not given a chance. I also think that these kids who commit to training everyday and don't miss a day Gould be given as much respect as to the ones who come and go as they please . Not every parent agrees with the coaching staff. U have 3 boys who play for Baldwin but only one in the high school and I must say sitting at every game and seeing the same thing every time it's very discouraging for those kids who are looking forward to playing for the high school in the future. Sortino should look at the big picture here we need a change here and it needs to happen soon. I hope that the upcoming year our Baldwin Highlanders have a better year. I would love to see our highlanders go all the way.

I have 3 boys who play football for Baldwin and I would love to see a change!!!!!

You are all maniacs - what do the parents do to help the problem? "My kid should start here, my kid should play here, my kid is the best..." If you want to see this district change, look yourself in the mirror every once in awhile. The kids want to collect sweat suits, and the parents want their kids picture in the Tribune Review, but how many kids really want to WORK to achieve this? How many of you hold your children accountable? If you allow your kid to come home and complain and make excuses as to why they are not playing, and you do not respond by telling them to work harder on their weaknesses, then YOU are a problem too. It is really easy to sit in the stands and say that the play calling stinks, the coaches don't care, etc, but it isn't easy to put your foot down and be the parent who speaks truthfully and honestly to their child, so rather than saying, "Little Jimmy, you are too slow to be a good football player right now, so lay off the last lady lock", we instead say, "The coach only runs two plays" or even better yet "EVERYONE SHOULD PLAY!" Try telling you boss that some day. I'm sure when the going gets tough later on in life, it will be pretty easy for these kids because MOMMY AND DADDY will go on a message board and bash their bosses OR they will show up at Board of Directors meeting and tell them, "My brother was a CEO... YOU NEED CHANGE!" Since when does cracking backs make you an authority on coaching?

As a BW FB alum and graduate and I am truly sickened!

This years team seemed well-coached. Only 3-6, but the blocking and tackling were good. The talent is a little thinner here than at other schools. But the team and the coaches competed and did not give up. (A few years ago, the coach did give up). All credit to them.

Sad state of affairs, you have no idea! My kid does play! Actually starts and we would be the first to tell him mistakes on the field but you must not hear some of the comments that are made to these boys on and off the field. Only "some" players are encouraged and hyped up. And yes "some" of the coaches gave up way back when we played USC. Or how about the comment that was made during the halftime interview during the Penn Hills game when we were down by a touchdown, "its right where we want to be"? What coach says that??? That's just one example. You must not hear the pep talks PB the locker room! Or lack there of! Yes, we are smaller in size compares to other teams. We as parents don't expect to win every game but our boys are good enough to be competitive. It has everything to do w/ coaching when last year's JV team lost 2 games and the most of the same kids are starters this year for Varsity. Or how about the current freshman team that went undefeated as 7th & 8th graders???

Instead of looking at the coaches, athletic department and administrators. Everyone fails to acknowledge it is the lack of overall talent and the fact that many kids are engrained in a culture of laziness and self-gratification that they get from their disfunctional parents. I am not a football parent nor did I play football. However, I played college sports on a DI level and can tell that BW has a good fundation of dedicated, quality individuals associated with the program and a few great parents backing them. You just need more dedicated kids. Throwing more money at the problem or changing coaches, AD and administrators is not the answer.

So does USC, Mt. Lebo and Woody high have lazy, untalented kids??? NO! They have good coaches! Coaches that drive the, complement them, encourage all of the kids not just one or two!

^Compliment

Be generous, now. The coaches play to win. I could see that. They encourage and play to score, not run out the clock. The players did a good job when things were not going well. Parents should should be cautious about these things. On a sports team, everyone has to pull, especially when things are tough. And in high school sports, there really aren't many lazy kids at any school that I've seen. Encourage, don't complain. Remember, this is a school activity.

As someone with no long term ties or biases to Baldwin or coach Wehner but who is now a member of the BW community, I can say I am amazed by some of the things I've read as well as heard in the stands during games. I've played football collegiately at a nationally ranked school and have been a coach. After talking to, as well as observing, coach and his staff I believe he has the program going in the right direction. The four years before him I believe BW was 7-31, last 4yrs 12-25. Dramatic improvement no but nearly 70% more wins yes. Rome wasn't built in a day. If what I was told was correct, BW has won maybe 1 or 2 conf championships in 30 years, so its not like they used to be a perrenial power. Some other thoughts I've had reading these posts; (GoBaldwin) If you or your son is depending on a coach to get him "hyped" up for a Quad A football game on a Friday Night in Western PA (arguable one of the best atmospheres in the country) he might be in the wrong sport. The best players/teams are motivated from within, they play for themselves, their teammates and their school. I've played for coaches I've liked and ones I wasn't a huge fan of, that never changed the way I prepared or played once the chin strap was buckled. This team was young this year, I saw 10 or more jr's and soph's play on D, many were inexperienced at the varsity level coming into the season. #2 missed half the season. If everyone would get on board I bet you'll make more strides next season.

Other thoughts, b/c this is bugging me; (GoBaldwin) as far as the Penn Hills comment you didn't like, I can see how someone who doesn't understand football could interpret that, but I believe what coach was referring to that he felt if he could just keep the game close, he was confident his guys could make a play to win the game in the end. Which was almost spot on, until a phantom face mask put PH in field goal range. (BWFBmother) every kids DOES get a chance to show they can play, its all week at practice and Saturday AM for JV games. I saw one JV game, I'm sure you saw more, did any kids that jumped off the page Sat AM that looked like they were Friday night players? If not, the guys playing were the guys who should be playing. And even if you and/or your son thought he should play more, I encourage you do do what I've done, tell your son to see his position coach and ask what he needs to do to play more and how he can get better, if that doesnt work or you don't like the answer go to the D or O coordinator and finally the head coach. If after all that, you feel like your child is not being given a fair chance, only then would I look to have a 1 on 1 discussion with a coach. At no time would I suggest undermining the coach at home at the dinner table or from the stands, your negativity will manifest in your child and hinder their performance. When you place doubt in their minds about their coachs/teachers ability they lose trust and are then doomed for mediocrity.

The Coach is a joke. The AD is a joke. They both need fired. And it starts with the AD, he needs to get his head out of his a$$. And when they hire a new coach make sure he brings his own staff. They don't need any holdovers with losing attitudes. Our Coaches that think they are entitled to something because of their last name.

I diddn't know Baldwin had so many ex D1 players. They all seem lo leave comments now.

While I don't know if "sad state of affairs" is the AD or not, he has some valid points. We currently live in a here is your last place trophy world. Instead of parents letting kids play video games, tell them to go out and workout. The Mt. Lebos, USC, NA's of the world pay extra money for there athletes to go to private lifting coaches, and agility coaches. Don't get me wrong there is some talent on this team and it's not on the coaching staff. I don't agree with the "Dr" or ciropractor raising the gripes in a public meeting. If this does not go through how do his kids get a fair shake in the future. And just as everybody is a Monday morning QB everyone was or is a coach and everybody played in college. The AD needs to go and everbody under him needs to reapply for their job. let's find who's best for the school. There is no tenure for coaches. It's what have you done for me lately.

C. Kent has to either be the wife, mother or the coach himself if this thread or the comments are "bugging" him this much! I don't think that most of these comments are from BW residents that go and watch the games!

Nope. Just a guy with young future Highlanders who like going to the games, who has seen programs that change coaches every couple years remain bottom feeders. Don't want to see that happen here.

What I find sad is the sense of entitlement that shows our kids. In any sports program there will be people who don't like the coach, it's always been that way. But here if you're not happy with your coach then mommy and daddy will attend a school board meeting and publicly speak out against them. Then the Patch will act as a puppet for the parents and write an article and everyone will bash the coach. And if enough people jump on the bandwagon them then hopefully the coach will quit or get fired. This is a matter for the AD, that is their job and that is what they were hired to do. Everyone else has ulterior motives, either for their child, brother, brother-in-law, etc. What a dangerous precedent this sets for this school district and our coaches.

Lori, you're wrong! The parent that spoke out at the meeting has no other motive except to better the team. Both his kids play and he's not soliciting a job for a family member. If you knew, people have gone to the AD & spoke with the coach. They take offense to being approached! Like they are above parent interaction....also the boys are so petrified to talk to their coach because if they express any disagreement or problem the team may have they are punished or threatened to be punished (by "punished" ,I mean benched or not starting varsity) But again this is only for a "select" group of boys. Some can say/do as they please! As far as I have heard & seen the coaching staff is a bit divided as well because they don't always see eye to eye!

I would give credit to the parent that goes to the school board meeting and speaks his mind. It's his RIGHT as a member of the community. All the other parents just complain..do nothing. It's true about all the sports at Baldwin... including baseball. It's all about who the coach is going to promote... best friend's kid. Shame on all of them. As far as the kids needing to have drive themselves, take a look at the practice schedule. I don't think there's much time for being "lazy and playing video games".

I feel bad for Dorian Brown.An abundence of talent that could not be unleashed due to a poor quality football program. This isn't only a problem a the high school level The entire football program youth to high school needs to be scrapped. Maybe I'm wrong but I'm very much in favor of the next Dorian to have a better chance to excell.

There were several players on that team that even started, played full games , but due to poor coaching they also were not able to use their talents to their fullest potential.. If that team would have been coached properly, I GUARANTEE they would have won WAYYYY more games.....

He is a finalist at McKeesport and has at least a second interview according to the Trib this weekend. The kids see right through him and I heard he quit on them the past two seasons. If he doesn't go then there is something wrong. He doesn't want to be here and no one has anything good to say about him. 40 kids on the team last year? Time to move on!

I read that the interview is today. They will decide by the end of the month who they are hiring. Now I have a question for our AD.... You know he is looking elsewhere and that alone shows his lack of interest here at Baldwin. Why would you even want to keep him even if he doesn't get the job at McKeesport. Hire someone that actually cares about our kids. Hire someone that the kids feel comfortable talking to. Hire someone that the parents feel comfortable talking to. Hire someone with an open mind that can see talent when it's right in his face.....These kids deserve a chance to be what they have always been, WINNERS!!! Alot of these upcoming seniors have been playing together since the young age of 6 & 7. They were always winners up until the end of their ninth grade year. Yes , they were almost undefeated...Playing against the same kids they are playing against now. Most of these kids were coached by Bill Howley for years. He would make a great replacement... Him and Jeff Ruscitto.......There ya go Mr. AD.....

http://triblive.com/sports/hssports/football/3280206-74/eckels-serra-mckeesport#axzz2Hksaa9Qz

The school district must take action. The guys has not lived up to his word, what type of example are we setting for our kids.

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/high-school-football/pg-south-baldwin-coach-man-with-a-plan-347144/

bwbreakers, I never read the second article you just posted. Thank You.... I needed a good laugh this morning.

Coach Wehner did a terrible matching game plans against the top coaches in Quad A. I don't think this guy is capable of matching up against a lot of youth football coaches. What's he going to do when he can't run Dorian left, Dorian right, and Dorian up the middle? The sooner this guy leaves the better. And he can take Sortino with him. Oh, I hear he is not much of a gym teacher either.

Well, I guess McKeesport didn't want him......George Smith in line to regain head coaching position at McKeesport

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/hssports/football/3302115-74/smith-mckeesport-board#ixzz2I9BEDZp

"New Football Coach for Baldwin-Whitehall on Wednesday": http://patch.com/A-1SNw