Coaching Style

[IM4THEHOUNDS]

Is verbal abuse and public humiliation of players the best way to coach? Tony Dungy won a super bowl and has coached many other teams successfully. His players respond well to his "Quiet Strength" as he coaches. I am appalled at the coaches who cuss, verbally abuse and humiliate players thinking that this is motivation. A player will jump hurdles if they respect you. If they don't because of poor treatment they will shut down and perform below their potential. As a classroom teacher I would lose my job if I treated my students the way some coaches do. Why the double standard? I am not talking about raising your voice to get a point across either . . . I am talking total berating and humiliation. IMO this is reprehensible and should be stopped. :madman:

[doubledeuce]

Believe it or not, of the coaches I had, my favorite coaches that I played for are the one's you dislike.

[RowdyRedRam]

Is verbal abuse and public humiliation of players the best way to coach?

I think this is a loaded question. No one is going to say that verbal ABUSE or HUMILIATION is appropriate. However some may argue where the line of being demanding vs abuse exist. Also, people don't react to the same thing. The truth is every player probably needs to be coached in a different way to get the most out of them. For some, it is by yelling and intimiadation, for others these tactics will not motivate. I think the problem some coaches get into is that they only go with one style and it may not be the best for everyone.

[IM4THEHOUNDS]

I think this is a loaded question. No one is going to say that verbal ABUSE or HUMILIATION is appropriate. However some may argue where the line of being demanding vs abuse exist. Also, people don't react to the same thing. The truth is every player probably needs to be coached in a different way to get the most out of them. For some, it is by yelling and intimiadation, for others these tactics will not motivate. I think the problem some coaches get into is that they only go with one style and it may not be the best for everyone.

I think sometimes the REAL problem is that many (not all) coaches are just plain arrogant and they think that the world revolves around them. You are correct in the assumption that kids respond differently to different styles. However, humiliation, intimidation and berating NEVER have a place in coaching kids, and, contrary to what some may think, high school students are still kids.

[RowdyRedRam]

However, humiliation, intimidation and berating NEVER have a place in coaching kids, and, contrary to what some may think, high school students are still kids.

On the last point I disagree with you. I was not a kid when I was in high school, I wasn't an adult either, it is a transition period. Sports, especially one like football that receives a great deal of attention, create experiances of accountability. Even if it is just a game, what these players do, matter. Having experiances of pressure while you are young prepares you for the real world.

 

Sports are one of the few places that we still give 14 to 18 year olds real accountability, I'd hate to see this oppritunity taken from them.

 

I find it a far greater concern that kids are not treated enough like adults. Becuase when they actually become them, they don't know how to react.

[IM4THEHOUNDS]

Whether its a kid, adult, or transition period no one should be publicly humiliated and put down in front of their peers. The fact is most coaches are so full of themselves they don't even think about cursing a young man. To most of them it's not about the young men playing its about their ego trip. When coaches tell young men that they are stupid and a bunch of dumb that is not coaching, that is pure arrogance.

[oldrambler]

Imo there is a line that coaches should not cross as far as verbal abuse, it is one thing to "get on" a kid, imo a coach has to do that. Each kid has his own personality and a coach should know what makes a kid respond and what doesn't (what buttons to push so to speak). Some you have to stay on constantly to get them to play like they can and some will lay down if you get on them too much. There were a few of these type coaches that at my h.s. that would be the first one to "tear your butt" if need be and they also would be the first one to pat you on the back after a kid had done something right. He would also come up and talk to you in the hallways at school, lunchroom or if he saw you out and was always readily and willing to talk about anything other than sports as well if you needed to. This man also would treat non athletes the same way and was there for them as well. That is a COACH and that kind of person gets respect in the right way. A kid will run through a wall for a coach like that.

No coach should use cursing as his "normal" languange, every now and then something might slip out but a far as all the time and delberate use of abusive/foul language imo there is no use for. A good coach can get respect from his players w/o that kind of stuff. Also, it goes w/o saying on physical abuse - a coach should NEVER lay his hand on a kid other than to give him a pat on the back or as hug on a good play. Never in anger or in correcting a kid.

 

I respect the "Dungy" approach, he represents Christianity in a great way and carries himself with class. That kind of coach on any level and especially on the h.s. and earlier ages will teach much more than football (or whatever th sport) to a young man or lady. Those are the kind of lessons that will last a lifetime and the coach will have the respect of that kid long after his school days are done and into adult life.

[oldrambler]

Whether its a kid, adult, or transition period no one should be publicly humiliated and put down in front of their peers. The fact is most coaches are so full of themselves they don't even think about cursing a young man. To most of them it's not about the young men playing its about their ego trip. When coaches tell young men that they are stupid and a bunch of dumb that is not coaching, that is pure arrogance.

:thumb: :thumb: Great post, that kind of action tells you a lot more about the coach than it does the kid. :irked:

[IM4THEHOUNDS]

Very Good!

[Ms Liberty]

Whether its a kid, adult, or transition period no one should be publicly humiliated and put down in front of their peers. The fact is most coaches are so full of themselves they don't even think about cursing a young man. To most of them it's not about the young men playing its about their ego trip. When coaches tell young men that they are stupid and a bunch of dumb that is not coaching, that is pure arrogance.

 

:thumb: :thumb:

[Getreal]

This is the biggest reason that I have never been a Bob Huggins or Bobby Knight fan.

 

Huggins beat down a player from the Lakota area so bad that he would not even look at a 15 foot jump shot. The kid had been a great scorer/shooter before he played for Huggins.

 

It is easier to yell than to actually coach (teach).

[sweet16]

The fact is most coaches are so full of themselves they don't even think about cursing a young man. To most of them it's not about the young men playing its about their ego trip. When coaches tell young men that they are stupid and a bunch of dumb that is not coaching, that is pure arrogance.

 

Most Coaches??

 

I don't think most coaches are that way now. 15-20 years ago I might agree with that statement. But you don't see that style around as much today.

[STRIKE3]

Let's all be careful, regarding the words and attempted use of comments we use. Here is a Rule #8 reminder...

 

8. Any attempt to use or suggest profanity is prohibited. This means you may not use symbols to replace some or all of the letters in a word that might otherwise be blocked by the BGP word filter.

[Plato]

Whether its a kid, adult, or transition period no one should be publicly humiliated and put down in front of their peers. The fact is most coaches are so full of themselves they don't even think about cursing a young man. To most of them it's not about the young men playing its about their ego trip. When coaches tell young men that they are stupid and a bunch of dumb that is not coaching, that is pure arrogance.

 

What a terrible stereotype. Some of the most positive influences in my life have been coaches. These men give (that's right - it's pennies per hour when you calculate most stypends) their time to teach, mold, influence young men and PUSH them to higher levels of excellence than the players would ever reach on their own.

I'm not defending the coach in this specific instance. If he berrated the kids and called them names - he was probably out of line. I do have a problem with your generalization of coaches. I would argue that the VAST majority have their hearts in the right place.

[oldrambler]

What a terrible stereotype. Some of the most positive influences in my life have been coaches. These men give (that's right - it's pennies per hour when you calculate most stypends) their time to teach, mold, influence young men and PUSH them to higher levels of excellence than the players would ever reach on their own.

I'm not defending the coach in this specific instance. If he berrated the kids and called them names - he was probably out of line. I do have a problem with your generalization of coaches. I would argue that the VAST majority have their hearts in the right place.

I would certainly agree with this. :thumb: