Where are they now?
In 25 seasons, Middletown High School has had seven football coaches. Here’s what they’re doing now.
Jason Krause (2008-10) Record: 26-7. Fairfield High School.
Ron Johnson (2005-07) Record: 13-17. Canton McKinley.
Dick Martin (2004) Record: 5-5. Retired.
Eric Tudor (2001-03) Record: 16-14. Self employed.
Chip Otten (1995-2000) Record: 26-34. Coldwater High School. Led the Cavaliers to the Division V 2010 state playoffs.
Joe Tresey (1991-94) Record: 23-14. Defensive back coach for the Omaha Nighthawks in the United Football League.
Jim Place (1985-90) Record: 49-17. Coached at Dayton Chaminade-Julienne and Hamilton. Retired.
MIDDLETOWN — This clearly wasn’t a football decision.
With all due respect to the Fairfield High School and its athletic department, a football coach doesn’t leave Middletown High, which is coming off a 10-win season and back-to-back playoff appearances for Fairfield, which hasn’t sniffed the playoffs in recent memory.
And consider the move from Middletown to Fairfield is costing Jason Krause more than $3,000, according to his contracts.
This year, Krause will receive $66,142 to serve as Middletown’s student and staff liaison, $6,833 to coach its football team, and $13,697 to oversee the weight and conditioning program.
Meanwhile, at Fairfield, if the board approves Krause’s contract on Jan. 20, he will receive $72,251 as the district’s dean of students and activities and $10,749 to coach football.
That’s a drop from $86,672 to $83,000.
That, you’d think, would have made turning down the Fairfield offer easier.
But on Monday, Krause, who compiled a 26-7 three-year record and was twice named GMC Coach of the Year in what seemed to be a lifetime married to Middletown, announced he was packing his bags and heading to Fairfield.
For Krause, it will be his third coaching position in eight years without leaving Butler County.
Before Middletown, he coached for four seasons at Monroe.
On Monday, Krause, in a prepared statement, called the career decision “very difficult,” but a “wonderful opportunity” on and off the football field.
He added: “... in trying to balance football, my career, and my family, I believe this is the best decision.”
Later, in an interview, Krause said: “It’s just that there’s some other pieces to the puzzle for my career that Fairfield seems to have, and I want to move toward.”
This is where he separated Krause the football coach from Krause the father.
Players come and go.
He has but one family.
Krause has told his friends that he’s concerned about the financial stability of the Middletown district. In other words, when it’s time to cut staff, liaisons — even those who know X’s and O’s — are laid off before math and science teachers.
Those close to Krause say he wants to coach his son, Hunter, a student in the Lakota district. Can’t blame the man there.
So why not stay in Middletown, move his family here, and enroll his four children here?
You know, plant roots —have a football field named in his honor.
Well, there is no comparison between the Fairfield and Middletown school districts. Fairfield is rated Excellent with Distinction — the top rating — on the state’s report card, while Middletown is rated Continuous Improvement.
Fairfield graduates 96.3 percent of its students, Middletown graduates 79.1 percent.
And Fairfield, despite its recent struggles on the football field (9-21 record in the last three seasons), boasts the largest enrollment in the Greater Miami Conference, while Middletown is the third smallest in the 10-team league.
Fairfield District Athletic Director Mark Harden said Krause “gives us both long-term stability and an extremely bright future.”
The future is bright. No one will argue that.
Now only if Fairfield can do what Lockland, Stebbins, Monroe and Middletown couldn’t — keep him off the Coaching Carousel.
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