Verbal Abuse of Coach to Players

[Spaman_29]

I wanted to start this thread to get your opinions out there. Earlier this week I officiated a game with a coach who has serious anger management problems. Not with the officials mind you, but with his players. I have officiated him in the past and it has always been the same. The level is a high school boys varsity game. Not only is he the head coach be he is also the principle of the High School.

IMO I feel that this is well over the edge on verbal "child" abuse. I looked over at him at the start of the game and his whole countence changed within the first few seconds from the first play.

The coach is very careful to just brush the edge of the line when boardering a technical. But when his players make a mistake, overshoot, commit a violation, He EXPLODES at them. I don't know how the parents can stand what he does.

My partner after the game commented that he thinks that he is playing a mind game with the officals to not want to call something for fear of his players getting blasted. I think there are serious issues. In his time out huddles you can hear the foul language, the berating and belittling of his players. But it is not loud enough that you "should" hear it.

I contemplated reporting him to Social Services. Because I know it has been reported to the state High School Activites Association and nothing was done.

Any suggestions?

[Don in MN]

I'd definitely write letters to the athletic director, principal and superintendent, being very specific about what you observed in your role as an impartial game official.

Social Services? Maybe, especially if there is evidence of extreme verbal, emotional or physical abuse. The devil's advocate in me says that since basketball is an extracurricular activity and not required, that a child can withdraw from the activity, but on the flip side, no child deserves to be abused in the ways you have described.

[mick]

Originally posted by Spaman_29
I wanted to start this thread to get your opinions out there. Earlier this week I officiated a game with a coach who has serious anger management problems. Not with the officials mind you, but with his players. I have officiated him in the past and it has always been the same. The level is a high school boys varsity game. Not only is he the head coach be he is also the principle of the High School.

IMO I feel that this is well over the edge on verbal "child" abuse. I looked over at him at the start of the game and his whole countence changed within the first few seconds from the first play.

Any suggestions?

Spaman,
I had a Coach like that about 7 years ago, and I found his actions to be too unsporting, to his players, to the point that I went to him during a dead ball and called him out where I quietly said, "Coach you are almost over the edge."
He told me, and I beleived him, that he was merely yelling at his players.
"I know, Coach. But I am becoming offended."
Seven years later and two or three games with him a year, and he has never approached my line while I am on the floor.
mick

[Bart Tyson]

this is a bad situation for all involved. i think you should just work your game. Do the job you were hired to do and let lifes problems take care of its self.

[PAULK1]

This is one thing I will not tolerate! I try to penalize this early and consistently in H.S. ball, although some say this is an extracurricular activity it is still an extension
of the classroom and should be treated accordingly. The biggest obstacle to clearing this up is the officials. To many officials will look the other way at this behavior which is neither academic or professional, which is what all of us should expect from anyone charged with teaching our children. If a math teacher stood in his classroom
and said the same things would he be allowed to keep his job? Then niether should this jerk.

[JRutledge]

I think we have no place trying to get involved during the game. This is a school issue. This is an administrative issue. What you think is abusive, others might see as a coach that cares. And personally I am not of the camp that there really is such a thing as "verbal" abuse. Not because you cannot hurt someone's feelings, but what others say really should not affect the way you think.

I think if you get involved, you might not like the consequences that might come onto you indirectly or directly for making such a claim. I think parents and teachers are in a better position to make these claims. At least they are more tied to the situation than you are. Remember, you are really on the outside looking in. Not a very good view if you ask me.

Peace

[daves]

Have any of the parents complained about his behavior? I live in a state where reporting of child abuse is mandatory for certain occupations such as physicians, nurses, teachers, ministers and any person that deals with children on a professional level. A case can be made for officials being mandatory reporters as well. After all, we do work closely with children on a professional level. My question is why haven't the parents done anything about it? If that went on here in Oregon, and you thought it could be construed as abuse then reporting is mandatory. If there were teachers present and observed this behavior they would have to report it or face prosecution themselves for not reporting it.

[PAULK1]

Blow the whistle thats what we get paid for, to enforce the standard (rule) by doing this we do send a valuable message
to the kids and parents remember treason didn't start in Afghanistan. It began in Marin County, with parents who never said "No."

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by PAULK1
Blow the whistle thats what we get paid for, to enforce the standard (rule) by doing this we do send a valuable message
to the kids and parents remember treason didn't start in Afghanistan. It began in Marin County, with parents who never said "No."

What rules are we going to enforce? Are we going to give a T and penalize the kids for the actions of a coach against the kids? What in the world is that going to do?

And not only is this not make sense to me, what are you going to base this on? Are we only going to look at the use of profanity? What if the coach yells at a kid for doing something that the coach feels was not good judgement, are we going to say that is abuse?

I guess I look at this. You are treading down a slippery sloop in my opinion. I see many coaches do what was suggested, and did not hear any foul language or see them touch the players. Sometimes I feel that coaches need to yell to get a point across. And I have seen coaches do this to stop their players from fighting or talking to the officials in a disrespectful way. Are we going to T a coach for that?

As officials we cannot agree on when and if we should call things like 3 seconds. We have a rule that is clear in many ways, and you want people to take it upon themselves and hand out punishment that is going to hurt the kids in more ways than one. It is not like you can give a T and then give the ball back to the players of the coach you just T'd or ejected. Not seeing the point here. But I guess this is not the first time for that.

Peace

[Slider]

I agree with PAULK1; if his conduct is unsporting, then T him. It is an important message at HS level, see page 9 of the Case Book, 2.8.1 COMMENT, esp. the last sentence.

Personally, I wouldn't report him to child services unless I saw or heard something truly extreme (any physical abuse would qualify).

[Edited by Slider on Jan 26th, 2002 at 12:44 AM]

[Peter Devana]

I never thought I'd see the day but I have to agree with Rut on this one!
We can't force coaches to coach in a manner we approve of or Bobby Knight would have been out of D1 basketball years ago. It's up to the Administration to handle this type of problem. Parents etc should be the first to complain. When the coach does something that warrants official intervention then , of course , the official must intervene, however unless the coach physically abuses a player, then it is a very difficult interpretation on how the coach may be motivating his/her players- IMHO LEAVE IT ALONE!
Pistol

[Peter Devana]

I never thought I'd see the day but I have to agree with Rut on this one!
We can't force coaches to coach in a manner we approve of or Bobby Knight would have been out of D1 basketball years ago. It's up to the Administration to handle this type of problem. Parents etc should be the first to complain. When the coach does something that warrants official intervention then , of course , the official must intervene, however unless the coach physically abuses a player, then it is a very difficult interpretation on how the coach may be motivating his/her players- IMHO LEAVE IT ALONE!
Pistol

[Slider]

I understand the reluctance to T; the language would have to be quite evil or vile before I would T.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by Peter Devana
I never thought I'd see the day but I have to agree with Rut on this one!

If this is the first time, then you are going to have a problem with a lot of officials. Because almost everything that I have discussed on this board, has been the ideals of many more officials than myself. I do not reinvent the wheel, I just drive it.

Peace

[Peter Devana]

HMMMMMMMMMMMMM