Saline High School boys basketball coach Jay Plitzuweit resigns
When Jay Plitzuweit took over the Saline High School boys basketball program, he promised athletic director Rob White the program would be in better shape when he left.
When Plitzuweit handed in his letter of resignation Friday morning, after four seasons as varsity head coach, he felt he had delivered on that promise.
Saline boys basketball coach Jay Plitzuweit resigned Friday after four years on the job.
AnnArbor.com file photo
“It was a good time for me to step aside. I think the program is rebuilt and I’m going to be able to spend some time with my family,” Plitzuweit said on Friday. “It’s hard because I have a bunch of good kids in the program.”
Plitzuweit’s wife, Dawn Plitzuweit, is the associate head coach of the Michigan women’s basketball team.
“With two small kids, and as much as she’s traveling, at some level you feel like it's unfair for me to be gone with as much as she is,” Plitzuweit said.
Saline won a district championship in 2008, Plitzuweit’s first season as head coach. It was the first Class A title in program history. Saline has been 24-41 since that first season.
“Jay put in an awful lot of work, an awful lot of time,” White said. “I’m appreciative of Jay and what he’s done for the program.”
Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.
Comments
sunny1
Sun, Jul 10, 2011 : 9:56 p.m.
If Plitzuweit is such a class act, how come his hometown paper,The Saline Reporter, has not done a story about him "resigning."
Peaches
Thu, Jul 7, 2011 : 1:10 p.m.
If there is a problem with Saline Basketball or Saline Athletics, as a whole, then it starts at the top. AD White and Superintendent Graden need to be held accountable for all that they oversee. It's very wrong for a man to resign to spend time with his family and suddenly he is painted as a criminal and a horrible coach. He has high expectations of his players and yes he is a good coach. If a kid is getting yelled at, he probably deserves it. The kids are so spoiled these days they cry to mom and dad if they don't get playing time or are benched for not trying their hardest. This society needs to stop coddling these kids. Work hard, get rewarded, that's they way it should be.
Opinions52
Wed, Jul 6, 2011 : 7:53 p.m.
For all the people who are attacking a man who has just resigned it is amazing. There does not appear to be any hard facts on his resignation other then it was the right time for a man and his family to make a change. People making allegations on this matter should look into what they are alleging before putting on this site. Sure is easy to throw mud on someone without having too back it up with proof. This seems to be the Saline way at times. Would love to know were people get their information from. I wonder if it comes from players parents who played or didn't play? Always an interesting point of view. Ironically the comments about kids not wanting to play basketball, that had started with the previous coach and the numbers were already down on how many kids were trying out. Though I guess that is easily forgotten. Coach Plitzuweit might not have done everything the way the parents of Saline kids wanted, but he is one heck of a basketball coach.
greenhornet
Thu, Jul 7, 2011 : 12:59 a.m.
Dear sir, I respectfully disagree. To say Coach Plitzuweit is one heck of a basketball coach lacks clarity? What makes Coach Plitzuweit such a great coach? The Saline basketball program has a losing record under his great coaching. The number of students coming out for basketball did in fact drop sharply. Three seniors this year, two the previous year says alot about the interest in the program. It is factually incorrect to say the number of students coming out for the program started under the previous coach. More than 60 students came out for the program five years ago. I was at the tryouts. That was just the freshmen team! I get my information about the program from being involved as a parent and watching first hand how horrible this man was at dehumanizing kids. You would have to be living in an underground shelter or never attended a Saline basketball game not to know how loud and obnoxious Plitzuweit is. I can back everything I have said. It's all true. Plitzuweit has been on video on M live in the past fighting with refs. He refused to shake the hand of the Pioneer coach several years ago after a tough loss...several hundred people saw it for themselves. It's unfortunate that we are not to mention the names of minors or ourselves but those are the guidelines. Are you a coach or a former player in the Saline program? It's amazing how someone like yourself is resigned to support this man? Do you actually believe what your saying. Nobody is throwing mud at this man. There were alot of parents and students who were treated poorly from Plitzuweit and want badly to support the Saline basketball program. Saline is a beautiful city. We have a great High School and great student athletes. We can and should have better basketball with the facilities we have. If Skyline and Dexter can have winning records so can we. If Plitzuweit is a heck of a basketball coach, Saline needs something much much better.
concernedinsaline
Wed, Jul 6, 2011 : 2:48 p.m.
The success of a high school sports program should start, and end, with the students. Are the coaches building character and commitment in their athletes to achieve their best? Or do they have some unmet need regarding their own abilities (or lack thereof)? In general, I am disappointed at the quality of coaches in the Saline HS program (there are exceptions). There is tremendous support from parents and our facilities are better than most small colleges. But many of our highest profile sports are not being led by coaches who put kids first. They seem to be more interested in accumulating salary for higher pensions in the future (just a guess). Maybe Mr. White should spend some more time observing student athletes and talk to the many kids who do not even want to participate because of some of the coaches attitudes. I will refrain from calling out specific sports, but coaches, we all know who you are. Come on Saline, we can do so much better.
greenhornet
Tue, Jul 5, 2011 : 11:40 p.m.
Agree with SalineSara. All the basketball coaches should go. It would be nice to see the gym at Saline packed with fans as it was before Plitzuweit was hired. Saline basketball used to be standing room only. I'm staying tuned to hear about the concessions.... In my opinion the AD ignored many of the problems in the program. It was well known at the high school and by the few fans who showed up to the games that Plitzuweit had a starter playing every game who was ineligible due to his grades. I hope the new coach is from this area not from Wisconsin and it is someone who understands our community.
SalineSara
Tue, Jul 5, 2011 : 9:28 p.m.
Agree with Green Hornet. Nobody will ever forget the debacle at the CMU basketball camp last year. Dig deeper A2.com, word on the street is this is also has something to do with concessions accountability. Hoepfully the JV coach will be ousted also and Saline basketball can start anew and get student interest revived. Come clean AD White, come clean, now!
greenhornet
Tue, Jul 5, 2011 : 11:23 p.m.
Agree with SalineSara. All the basketball coaches should go. It would be nice to see the gym at Saline packed with fans as it was before Plitzuweit was hired. Saline basketball used to be standing room only. I'm staying tuned to hear about the concessions.... In my opinion the AD ignored many of the problems in the program. It was well known at the high school and by the few fans who showed up to the games that Plitzuweit had a starter playing every game who was ineligible due to his grades. I hope the new coach is from this area not from Wisconsin and it is someone who understands our community.
greenhornet
Tue, Jul 5, 2011 : 12:06 p.m.
@dbrown - Has Matt Sidel coached high school basketball before?
dbrown
Tue, Jul 5, 2011 : 11:26 a.m.
Play like Huron.
greenhornet
Tue, Jul 5, 2011 : 12:48 a.m.
Who is going to be the new coach?
dbrown
Tue, Jul 5, 2011 : 11:25 a.m.
Agree with the green hornet.
dbrown
Tue, Jul 5, 2011 : 11:24 a.m.
Matt Sidel
greenhornet
Mon, Jul 4, 2011 : 4:32 p.m.
This is great news for the Saline basketball program and Saline athletics as a whole. The program is in worse condition now than what it was when Plitzuweit came to Saline. He inherited the team that won districts his first year from Coach Breneman. Under Plitzuweit's leadership the number of kids going out for basketball has decreased dramatically. The verbal and mental abuse he directed towards his players is well known in the Saline community. There are many kids who choose to play community ed basketball or not play basketball at all because of his escapades. He actually had a varsity player quit half way through the season one year. Some kids would go to the camp in the summer planning on playing high school basketball and would either leave the camp early or choose not to play in the season because of the way he and his coaches treated the players.
Peaches
Mon, Jul 4, 2011 : 3:44 p.m.
He is a great coach and a good person. I hope nothing funny is going on with Saline Athletics. Our kids are losing a great future in Saline basketball.
winner
Sat, Jul 2, 2011 : 1:29 p.m.
I bet his kids are happy to have their dad at home more often. Must be tough with two parents coaching and gone all the time.
Nick Danger
Sat, Jul 2, 2011 : 12:01 p.m.
A class act,I believe Jay really did leave to spend more time with his children and who can argue with that