New policy: (Jefferson Co.) Coaches must attend sportsmanship seminar

[FAIRDALE KINGS]

July 1, 2009

 

New policy: Coaches must attend sportsmanship seminar

 

By Jason Frakes

jfrakes@courier-journal.com

 

All Jefferson County Public Schools head coaches and assistant coaches for fall sports will be required this month to attend an hour-long seminar focusing on sportsmanship and character.

 

The requirement is the result of the JCPS investigation into last year's death of Pleasure Ridge Park High School football player Max Gilpin.

 

JCPS Superintendent Sheldon Berman said Wednesday that PRP coaches did not violate any district or Kentucky High School Athletic Association rules during the Aug. 20 practice that saw Gilpin collapse. But Berman said he was "outraged" to learn that head coach Jason Stinson told his players during conditioning drills that day that "running would end when someone quit the team."

 

 

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090701/NEWS0105/907010403/1002/sports/New+policy++Coaches+must+attend+sportsmanship+seminar

Edited July 2, 2009 by Ram

[Commander 25]

July 1, 2009

 

New policy: Coaches must attend sportsmanship seminar

 

By Jason Frakes

jfrakes@courier-journal.com

 

All Jefferson County Public Schools head coaches and assistant coaches for fall sports will be required this month to attend an hour-long seminar focusing on sportsmanship and character.

 

The requirement is the result of the JCPS investigation into last year's death of Pleasure Ridge Park High School football player Max Gilpin.

 

JCPS Superintendent Sheldon Berman said Wednesday that PRP coaches did not violate any district or Kentucky High School Athletic Association rules during the Aug. 20 practice that saw Gilpin collapse. But Berman said he was "outraged" to learn that head coach Jason Stinson told his players during conditioning drills that day that "running would end when someone quit the team."

 

 

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090701/NEWS0105/907010403/1002/sports/New+policy++Coaches+must+attend+sportsmanship+seminar

 

I think that this could be a good thing for sportsmanship but how good can it be if it only last an hour?

[Ram]

OK, my opinion my not be welcome but, that hasn't stopped me before, so.......

 

First, I preface this by saying as I understand this has nothing to do with the death of the young man, and only has to do with what this coach said during practice.

 

This equates to sensitivity training for football coaches. Football coaches say things to motivate players, and teach them to be self-motivated, self-starting, leaders in adult life. Football coaches do not always mean the stuff they say, they use their verbiage as motivation. They are there to motivate, teach, and mentor, not to be politically correct.

 

The football field, as well as all the other athletic fields and courts, are there as classrooms, not the normal science classroom or math classroom, but a classroom nonetheless. And, this classroom is just as important as any other, it may not be listed on the core curriculum, on graded on the transcript, but it is an important part of the educational process, and one that will pay dividends for these young men, and women, in adult life.

 

With all that said, I can't fathom a coach having to worry about saying such things, as "we are going to run until someone quits", "I am going to teach you what 'heart' is", and "I will get you in shape if it kills me". These are things coaches say all the time, and adults don't put much thought into them, until a coach is facing prison. Then all of a sudden those "coaching phases" become evidence, and other coaches have to undergo micromanagement in the form of "sensitivity training".

[HouseofPain]

OK, my opinion my not be welcome but, that hasn't stopped me before, so.......

 

First, I preface this by saying as I understand this has nothing to do with the death of the young man, and only has to do with what this coach said during practice.

 

This equates to sensitivity training for football coaches. Football coaches say things to motivate players, and teach them to be self-motivated, self-starting, leaders in adult life. Football coaches do not always mean the stuff they say, they use their verbiage as motivation. They are there to motivate, teach, and mentor, not to be politically correct.

 

The football field, as well as all the other athletic fields and courts, are there as classrooms, not the normal science classroom or math classroom, but a classroom nonetheless. And, this classroom is just as important as any other, it may not be listed on the core curriculum, on graded on the transcript, but it is an important part of the educational process, and one that will pay dividends for these young men, and women, in adult life.

 

With all that said, I can't fathom a coach having to worry about saying such things, as "we are going to run until someone quits", "I am going to teach you what 'heart' is", and "I will get you in shape if it kills me". These are things coaches say all the time, and adults don't put much thought into them, until a coach is facing prison. Then all of a sudden those "coaching phases" become evidence, and other coaches have to undergo micromanagement in the form of "sensitivity training".

 

I agree with you Ram, one of my favorite sayings is "I am going to make you do up-downs until I get tired". I had an old time coach tell me along time ago "if you baby your players you will have a football team full of babies" and I say "hear, hear!"

[oldonetechnique]

I agree with you Ram, one of my favorite sayings is "I am going to make you do up-downs until I get tired". I had an old time coach tell me along time ago "if you baby your players you will have a football team full of babies" and I say "hear, hear!"

 

This is a joke, he was "outraged" shows he has NO CLUE about sports. Its getting awful hard to coach. It is this way more places then not these days in the age of sensitivity.

[getalife]

OK, my opinion my not be welcome but, that hasn't stopped me before, so.......

 

First, I preface this by saying as I understand this has nothing to do with the death of the young man, and only has to do with what this coach said during practice.

 

This equates to sensitivity training for football coaches. Football coaches say things to motivate players, and teach them to be self-motivated, self-starting, leaders in adult life. Football coaches do not always mean the stuff they say, they use their verbiage as motivation. They are there to motivate, teach, and mentor, not to be politically correct.

 

The football field, as well as all the other athletic fields and courts, are there as classrooms, not the normal science classroom or math classroom, but a classroom nonetheless. And, this classroom is just as important as any other, it may not be listed on the core curriculum, on graded on the transcript, but it is an important part of the educational process, and one that will pay dividends for these young men, and women, in adult life.

 

With all that said, I can't fathom a coach having to worry about saying such things, as "we are going to run until someone quits", "I am going to teach you what 'heart' is", and "I will get you in shape if it kills me". These are things coaches say all the time, and adults don't put much thought into them, until a coach is facing prison. Then all of a sudden those "coaching phases" become evidence, and other coaches have to undergo micromanagement in the form of "sensitivity training".

 

I agree that saying we are going to run until someone quits is no big deal. However, I have heard other things uttered by coaches that are very offensive. You compare the field to a classroom and I agreee whole-heartedly but I think everyone would have to agree that if a teacher, bus driver, custodian, etc.. said some of the things to a student that I have heard and been told that coaches have said they would be fired on the spot. I think that excessive profanity, name calling, belittling, and sexist remarks should not be tolerated by any school employee and that includes coaches. For some reason some coaches get by with these things and I don't understand why. Hopefully this training will address this and some student-athletes will benefit from the hour.

[jvdfc]

OK, my opinion my not be welcome but, that hasn't stopped me before, so.......

 

First, I preface this by saying as I understand this has nothing to do with the death of the young man, and only has to do with what this coach said during practice.

 

This equates to sensitivity training for football coaches. Football coaches say things to motivate players, and teach them to be self-motivated, self-starting, leaders in adult life. Football coaches do not always mean the stuff they say, they use their verbiage as motivation. They are there to motivate, teach, and mentor, not to be politically correct.

 

The football field, as well as all the other athletic fields and courts, are there as classrooms, not the normal science classroom or math classroom, but a classroom nonetheless. And, this classroom is just as important as any other, it may not be listed on the core curriculum, on graded on the transcript, but it is an important part of the educational process, and one that will pay dividends for these young men, and women, in adult life.

 

With all that said, I can't fathom a coach having to worry about saying such things, as "we are going to run until someone quits", "I am going to teach you what 'heart' is", and "I will get you in shape if it kills me". These are things coaches say all the time, and adults don't put much thought into them, until a coach is facing prison. Then all of a sudden those "coaching phases" become evidence, and other coaches have to undergo micromanagement in the form of "sensitivity training".

 

Great post Ram. I agree. :thumb:

[PureFan]

Ram, I agree with your point whole heartedly.

[spindoc]

I agree with Ram also.

[Ram]

Well heck, if we are all in agreement, then load up the cars and lets go to Louisville and fix this problem.

 

Or, someone can pay for the Superintendent to have a BGP membership and we can explain the whole thing to him.

 

Which ever, I'm game.

[ft bronc]

I also agree with Ram, but would add two things:

 

1) Coaches today must be much more careful how they handle and speak to kids than coaches of one or two decades ago. This fact is indisputable; it's not going to change back.

 

2) This one is just my opinion: In general, kids today no longer respond to harsh rhetoric from coaches as they have in the past. In most cases they don't hear it from their teachers, they don't hear it from their ministers, and they don't hear it from their parents. So when they hear it from their coaches, it doesn't go in one ear and out the other as easily as it did for you and me. It hangs with them much longer, and can lead to moral problems if it's used too often. Take a look around. There's no more Bear Bryants winning consistently in high school or college football.

 

Maybe now is a good time for one of my favorite quotes from one of the greatest coaches who ever lived:

 

"A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment."

- John Wooden

Edited July 2, 2009 by ft bronc

[PureFan]

Well heck, if we are all in agreement, then load up the cars and lets go to Louisville and fix this problem.

 

Or, someone can pay for the Superintendent to have a BGP membership and we can explain the whole thing to him.

Which ever, I'm game.

:thumb:

[Quake]

Each kid is different. What motivates one might cause another to shut down. The wisdom is not just in knowing what to say, it's having the depth of experience to know who to say it to. In 40 years of being associated with football in some form or another, I have seen brutal coaches in both HS and college who broke chairs and every other word was an expletive I have seen coaches who were more like cheerleaders. And I have met men I would walk through fire for to this day. The great ones know how to motivate without crossing the line.