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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP here. Quick update is that I got a call from the coach today. He noticed my son “wasn’t having fun” yesterday and his coach and parental antennae went up. Without giving too many specifics I told him I appreciated the call and mentioned while DS was being given a hard time by his teammates, we were working on mental toughness.

I don’t know if someone else said something to him, but I felt like he might have been fishing for information.

Nonetheless, initially appreciated the call and we both said we’d keep our eyes on this.

We’ll each this over the next few weeks. All good. And thanks for all the great advice here DCUM. [/quote]

Coach here -

"wasn't having fun" may have been a nice way to phrase what we'd describe as a major change in attitude that would raise red flags. As coaches we don't see notice everything that happens during a session as odd as that may sound. For example when I give my team water breaks at practice I use that time to allow them to have their "own time" while I prep for the next drill, drink some water, talk to the other coaches in my age group on the field. There is obviously room for trouble there, but in over 10 years of coaching I've only ever had one team, and really it was one particular player where it became an issue that wasn't able to be resolved with a talk from me or a parent(s).

There are also plenty of other things that could be going on in a players life we don't know about; school, home life, boy/girl friend problems etc. And with social media being what it is... I gotta tell you it's gotten a lot harder to police.

I'm glad your coach caught on, or perhaps was tipped off by someone else. Peer pressure is part of team sports, and one of the life lessons kids learn, but bullying is another matter entirely. There can be a grey line sometimes, especially on the boys side, and each person reacts differently, but it's our job as coaches to create an environment conducive to learning.

Good luck with the rest of your season! Would love to heard a follow up later in the year.[/quote]

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