5th Grader DC's Coach Swears in Games

[Anonymous]

OP, is this a volunteer coach?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, is this a volunteer coach?

yes, he is, 2nd yr with the same group kids. he's loud as well but never cursed last season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did he not get ejected from the game? I would never let my child play for a coach like that.

He was not cursing AT the kids/refs, I just wanted to clarify that. It wouldn't be ok with me if he did, of course. It was yelling "get the damn ball" when kids weren't hustling or so it appeared to him down the stretch of a close game. I couldn't remember exactly how the F word was used, but most likely in a similar fashion.

Still should have gotten a technical at minimum and a major warning of no language. Once the F bomb dropped, ejected. Not only are there 10yr old boys that don't need to see that, there are probably younger siblings in the crowd too. Again, I would never let my kids play on that team.

[Anonymous]

Volunteer to help. Chances are you are there anyway at practices and games. Offer to help get subs ready. or keep track of points/playing time, or anything else that seems to be needed.

Once you are helping you will be in a position to say something about profanity. Of course he knows he should not use it, and a reminder will likely be enough.
Ten year old boys certainly swear and he is not saying anything that they have not already said themselves (a lot). The concern I would have is that the profanity may be sign that the coach is too focused on winning. I have no problem with a coach of a 10 year old basketball team saying things (without profanity) to try and get the boys to play hard -- too put forth their max. effort. That is a big part of learning to compete and to win. The kids should be working as hard as they can trying to win. The coach should be focused on making sure every kid is involved, getting playing time, having fun, and learning about the game.

[Anonymous]

I think "Get the damn ball" IS cursing out a player. He was addressing a child. Not okay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How did he not get ejected from the game? I would never let my child play for a coach like that.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He needs a reminder now and again that it's 10 year olds playing basketball.

It was the crazy coaching that led my kid to quit b-ball. After a coach from the opposing team went after my kid during the post-game "good game line up" we were done.

Ruined a sport he could have enjoyed.

Did that person have mental issues? I can't explain it otherwise... I'm stunned. A normal person just doesn't behave like that.

[Anonymous]

Our paid coach of 4th grade boys just got ejected from the game and suspended from coaching the following game for screaming, "Jesus H Christ" when he didn't like the ref's call.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Volunteer to help. Chances are you are there anyway at practices and games. Offer to help get subs ready. or keep track of points/playing time, or anything else that seems to be needed.

Once you are helping you will be in a position to say something about profanity. Of course he knows he should not use it, and a reminder will likely be enough.
Ten year old boys certainly swear and he is not saying anything that they have not already said themselves (a lot). The concern I would have is that the profanity may be sign that the coach is too focused on winning. I have no problem with a coach of a 10 year old basketball team saying things (without profanity) to try and get the boys to play hard -- too put forth their max. effort. That is a big part of learning to compete and to win. The kids should be working as hard as they can trying to win. The coach should be focused on making sure every kid is involved, getting playing time, having fun, and learning about the game.

The KIDS should be having fun, learning a skill, practicing fair play and sportmanship.

It's ten year old KIDS you're talking about. Your mentality ruins sports for everyone and makes a kid's life miserable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did he not get ejected from the game? I would never let my child play for a coach like that.

He was not cursing AT the kids/refs, I just wanted to clarify that. It wouldn't be ok with me if he did, of course. It was yelling "get the damn ball" when kids weren't hustling or so it appeared to him down the stretch of a close game. I couldn't remember exactly how the F word was used, but most likely in a similar fashion.

Oh no big deal. Be happy there is someone willing to VOLUNTEER their time to coach. Unless YOU want to take his place or would he fine not having a coach, don't worry about it.

ITA

[Anonymous]

The KIDS should be having fun, learning a skill, practicing fair play and sportmanship.

It's ten year old KIDS you're talking about. Your mentality ruins sports for everyone and makes a kid's life miserable.


No -- the kids should be trying their best to win the game by using their skills and athletic ability -- hopefully to the best of their ability. The skills and athletic ability may be all over the board on a given team and that's okay. John may be a kid who is not very athletic with no basketball skill at all, and as long as he tries hard using even those very limited abilities, John should have fun, and his parents and the coach should be very pleased. One of the goals should be for the kids to learn that they can have fun and be pleased with their performance regardless of whether they won or lost if they tried their best. The other side wants to win too, and sometimes they are just better.

In my view, at this age the coach's game time role would be to do what he can so that John and his teammates can play, have some fun, and hopefully continue to learn and use/improve their own skills. If the team wins that's great, but not the key thing from a youth coaching perspective. So, with the hypothetical John, who is not a very good player I would suggest that a coach should: (a) Make sure he plays the same amount of time as everyone else - or as close to it as possible. Some leagues will have a min. play time rule, but I think you are much better off if everyone plays the same amount - recognizing that it is not an exact science as kids can get tired, hurt, or possibly foul out. (b) When playing, try and put John into positions where he has the best chance of achieving some level of success. For example, John could be assigned to guard the opposing team's worst player; (c) use the game as a teaching/learning opportunity when it is fresh. Take a few moments when John is not on the floor to go over some of the good stuff that the coach saw John do, and, if appropriate, offer some direction on anything wrong that John might be able to correct when he goes back out on the floor. The oreo technique is good with 10 year olds -- sandwich a correction between two compliments.

What the coach should not be doing is trying to set things up so that the best players play the most, or are the ones always on the floor at the end of the game, or are the only ones to shoot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Volunteer to help. Chances are you are there anyway at practices and games. Offer to help get subs ready. or keep track of points/playing time, or anything else that seems to be needed.

Once you are helping you will be in a position to say something about profanity. Of course he knows he should not use it, and a reminder will likely be enough.
Ten year old boys certainly swear and he is not saying anything that they have not already said themselves (a lot). The concern I would have is that the profanity may be sign that the coach is too focused on winning. I have no problem with a coach of a 10 year old basketball team saying things (without profanity) to try and get the boys to play hard -- too put forth their max. effort. That is a big part of learning to compete and to win. The kids should be working as hard as they can trying to win. The coach should be focused on making sure every kid is involved, getting playing time, having fun, and learning about the game.

The KIDS should be having fun, learning a skill, practicing fair play and sportmanship.

It's ten year old KIDS you're talking about. Your mentality ruins sports for everyone and makes a kid's life miserable.

NP. Unless it's clearly agreed upon ahead of time that it's just a casual pick up type game, I think kids at any age old enough to grasp the concept should put forth their full effort in an activity they've chosen. The ideal result of a sport where score is kept is to have the highest score at the end, iow to win. Why wouldn't both teams be trying to do so? If something is worth doing it is worth doing right -- I would hope my child's coach would not tolerate lack of effort, but I would not want it done in a way that involves swearing.

That said, since it's a volunteer coach I'm not sure there's much OP can do about the language unless it's swearing AT a kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Volunteer to help. Chances are you are there anyway at practices and games. Offer to help get subs ready. or keep track of points/playing time, or anything else that seems to be needed.

Once you are helping you will be in a position to say something about profanity. Of course he knows he should not use it, and a reminder will likely be enough.
Ten year old boys certainly swear and he is not saying anything that they have not already said themselves (a lot). The concern I would have is that the profanity may be sign that the coach is too focused on winning. I have no problem with a coach of a 10 year old basketball team saying things (without profanity) to try and get the boys to play hard -- too put forth their max. effort. That is a big part of learning to compete and to win. The kids should be working as hard as they can trying to win. The coach should be focused on making sure every kid is involved, getting playing time, having fun, and learning about the game.

The KIDS should be having fun, learning a skill, practicing fair play and sportmanship.

It's ten year old KIDS you're talking about. Your mentality ruins sports for everyone and makes a kid's life miserable.

NP. Unless it's clearly agreed upon ahead of time that it's just a casual pick up type game, I think kids at any age old enough to grasp the concept should put forth their full effort in an activity they've chosen. The ideal result of a sport where score is kept is to have the highest score at the end, iow to win. Why wouldn't both teams be trying to do so? If something is worth doing it is worth doing right -- I would hope my child's coach would not tolerate lack of effort, but I would not want it done in a way that involves swearing.

That said, since it's a volunteer coach I'm not sure there's much OP can do about the language unless it's swearing AT a kid.

Who was he saying "Get the Damn ball to?" His mom, the dog, the ref, the people in the stands?