College of the Siskiyous

"As a former player under Coach Heath, I feel it’s important to share my experience to help future athletes make informed decisions. Coach Heath’s recruiting approach is highly disorganized and misleading. He brings in large groups of players each year, promising everyone the same opportunity—only to throw them into what feels more like a mass tryout than a structured, competitive team environment. There’s little individual development or evaluation; practices are basic at best, with drills that resemble middle school routines rather than collegiate-level training. Quality workouts were rare, and when they did happen, they weren’t consistent enough to support real growth or conditioning. The assistant coach—who also works as a DJ—was nearly absent during practices and games. He offered little to no mentorship, coaching input, or player encouragement, further contributing to a lack of team structure and leadership. Coach Heath himself fosters a toxic environment. After tough losses—which every team experiences—his reactions were unprofessional and excessive. He often targeted players on the bench, including those who hadn’t received any playing time all season, and berated them in front of fans and even his own children. I personally witnessed his kids covering their ears during his outbursts—something no young person should ever have to see or hear from a parent or coach. Team unity was nonexistent. On road trips, players were often self-separated by race, with Black players riding in one van and others in another. There was no effort from the coaching staff to build chemistry, culture, or cohesion within the team. There were no bonding activities, no sense of brotherhood—just isolation and confusion. To make matters worse, Coach Heath frequently brought personal issues—such as marital problems—into practice settings, further blurring the lines of professionalism. It became clear that players’ time, energy, and potential were not being respected. I don’t write this lightly, but I strongly advise athletes to steer clear of this program. JUCO is meant to be a stepping stone to greater opportunities, not a roadblock. Unfortunately, under Coach Heath, many talented players are left stuck or discouraged. For the sake of future student-athletes, this program needs serious reevaluation—starting with new leadership."