Staying Tough in The Face of Bully Coaches
We’ve warned you over and over that it’s critical to protect your young athletes from bullying in youth sports.
The firing this week of Mike Rice, Rutgers basketball coach, for physically kicking players, throwing balls at them, and verbally abusing them is a great example of how the system works and why parents need to be proactive.
Four months ago, Rice was suspended for three games and fined $50,000 for abuse and slurs, according to the New York Times. Athletic director Tim Pernetti told the New York Times that he erred in not taking stronger action and that he would “work to regain the trust of the Rutgers community.”
While this is a college-level example, it mirrors what we’ve heard about the youth sports scene.
Administrators are often reluctant to fire coaches when parents accuse them of bullying. Sometimes, parents spend thousands on lawyers to seek justice, but they are few and far between.
Why should you worry about bullying in youth sports?
Kids of all types and abilities are targeted by sports bullies. Sometimes the small kids are targets. Sometimes the talented players are targets, because other kids are jealous.
Do you know if your kids are victims?
Parents need to be aware that coaches and kids bully in sports, and that it often has dire consequences:
Many bullied kids drop out of sports altogether.
To protect your children, be sure to ask about and interview coaches before signing your child up for teams. Attend practices and games, and keep a watchful eye out.
You should also be clear with your young athletes that you want to hear about any bullying that takes place on their teams. Often, kids don’t talk about it because they’re embarrassed. Keep the lines of communication as open as possible.
In addition, talk to other parents to stay abreast of what’s being said about bullying on your kids’ teams. And if you discover that your kids—or anyone on your kids’ team—is a target, take action by gathering some evidence and joining forces with other parents, if possible, to report the coach.
Related Articles on Kids’ Mental Game:
- Should Parents Try to Reason with Bully Coaches?
- Protecting Athletes From Bully Coaches
- How to Deal With Difficult/Bully Coaches [Podcast]
*Subscribe to The Sports Psychology Podcast on iTunes
*Subscribe to The Sports Psychology Podcast on Spotify
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