How to Deal With Coaches Who Bully

Not all coaches deal with their position in a constructive way. While many coaches are supportive and nurturing, others are aggressive and mean. For some, a certain amount of aggressiveness works to great effect with the players. However, there is a fine line between aggressive coaching and bullying. Also, the level at which a player is at also determines where that line is. What might be considered acceptable aggressiveness in a professional football coach is not at all appropriate when coaching children.

Instructions

    • 1

      Tell your child to not take the coach's criticisms to heart. Tell him to keep trying hard and to do his best regardless of the berating he might receive from the coach.

    • 2

      Talk with your child about the problem and find out how serious it is. Find out exactly what the coach is saying and how he says it. If name calling, yelling or degrading behavior is taking place, you need to take further action.

    • 3

      Address the problem with the coach directly. Let the coach know that his behavior is bullying, and that it is not acceptable behavior.

    • 4

      Observe practices and games as often as you can. If you notice abusive behavior from the coach after your initial discussion, bring the matter to the attention of the supervisors or school administrators, or to the people involve in league governance.

    • 5

      Remove your child from the program. Simply put, if abuse is taking place and not being stopped, you should not subject your child to it. Remove him and find another coach, or a different activity for him to participate in.