Quote:
Originally Posted by griblets
When working a summer tournament about 20 years, a coach was berating his 13-14 year old players terribly. It wasn't in an effort to help them. He was simply crushing their spirit. It was absolutely atrocious the way he belittled his players. I've always carried regret for not giving him an unsporting T for his behavior. I think the team's parents would have applauded.
Fast forward 20 years, and I had a similar situation last night with a BJV coach. It was obvious that the kids were not learning anything because the coach couldn't say anything positive. They were visibly upset with the treatment they were getting. It was sickening how he was treating them. He's going to drive many of those kids away from playing next year. I almost got an opportunity to rectify my regret from 20 years ago, but couldn't find the right situation to give him an unsporting T.
I wonder if anyone else has or would T a coach for the way that he treats and/or speaks to his team?
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Obviously if a coach is using profane or inappropriate language or obscene gestures then that is something as BNR said that is within our jurisdiction to address.
But there is a saying about "doing too much" and that is exactly what you are doing as an official interjecting yourself in this situation simply b/c you subjectively think a coach is "berating/belittling", "crushing their spirit", or "couldn't say anything positive" to his kids.
As others have said these are issues for parents, school administrators, and the kids themselves to address. Absent loud profanity/inappropriate language or obscenities we have no business interjecting ourselves into the coach/player dynamic like this. And if you consider this to be "inappropriate language" I would suggest you are wrong as I believe that applies to language that is not profane but inappropriately references things like ethnicity/religion/sexual/threatening, etc.
I think its much more likely that parents would be upset with you for overstepping your bounds than then would be to percieve you as the type of protective hero you seem to think is needed here.
As others have also said, if it bothers you that much I would send an email to my assignor and suggest its something he should address with the AD of the school and/or a sanctioning body.
But issuing a T here is a particularly bad idea IMO.