By: Dr. Jack Welch I have had several parents of high school players reach out to me in the last month complaining about abusive coaches. Coaches putting down their players in front of others. Not just correcting but ridiculing the players.
Bullying is hurtful.
It is normal for coaches to raise their voices and get on to their players. Coaches are emphasizing the need to get things right. Being loud and aggressive is expected by coaches in the sports world.
All my former coaches would explain when a coach gets on to you, they are trying to correct and get the best out of their players.
But I do not understand why coaches put down players in front of others. If the coach doesn’t think the player can perform, simply replace them. It does not have to be a hard thing to do.
Coach, instruct, and play the best players.
Many inexperienced coaches begin their career with the mentality of being loud, hard-driving coaches. They usually get this vision from watching movies or remembering how their coaches treated them as they grew up.
Coaches should think about how they would like their own children treated. As these coaches get more experienced and have their own children, their hearts will change on how to treat youngsters. Having your own children teaches patience.
Bullying is Devastating
Bullying is devastating to people. Repetitive verbal abuse, exploitation, name-calling, physical bullying, and other cruel behaviors demean players. When I see a bullying-type coach, I like to ask them if they like to be hollered at and criticized in front of their peers.
No one likes to be chastised in front of their peers, not even the coach. Coaches need to be the player’s advocates. Without someone speaking up against bullying, players are left alone to defend themselves in a world where they have little stature.
Coaches must create a healthy and safe emotional environment, free of fear, discrimination, abuse, and harassment. Athletes cannot enjoy their experience in a hostile environment.
Another Form of Bullying: Verbal Abuse
Some of the bullying injustices players receive include verbal put-downs from a coach. A bullying coach humiliates players in front of others. They may do this by shouting, swearing, or yelling on a consistent basis.
Another form of verbal abuse includes making offensive jokes at the player’s expense.
Sports in school settings are for educational purposes. The football field, basketball court, tennis court, golf course, and other sports areas are the classrooms for these students. Student-athletes desire positive encouragement. Anything less is unacceptable.
Thought for the week, “Judge a person not by how he treats you, but how he treats others. The former reflects what he wants you to think of him, the latter truly reflects who he is.” –Betty Jamie Chung.
Dr. Jack Welch is a college football coach and has been in public school and collegiate education for 40 years. He is the author of Foundations of Coaching (2020) and can be reached at [email protected].
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