A Parents Guide to Bullying in Sports
- Author Mandy Jane Clarke
- Published February 14, 2011
- Word count 594
Bullying in sports has always been a problem, but it is getting more attention today in the light of deadly hazing rituals popping up at the middle, high school and even college level. Bullying in the athletic environment can take a variety of forms, including:
a. Teasing team members who do not perform as well as others.
b. Intimidating the most promising team members in order to eliminate competition for the best positions and the limelight.
c. Hazing new team members so they prove themselves to the team.
d. Ganging up on individual team members because one person doesn't like them.
In many cases, bullying in sports has nothing to do with the victim's personality or how well others on the team like them as a person. Many parents have reported their children being teased and brutally bullied by kids they considered friends off the field. This happens because kids want to be the best on the field and it is often easier to intimidate and mentally diminish their stiffest competition than it is to beat them on skill alone.
As a parent, you get that teamwork is a part of sports and you understand that by eliminating the best players and those with the most potential for improvement you weaken the team as a whole. Kids don't necessarily think about this. They are more interested in being the star of the team or getting a coveted spot on the field than they are about creating the strongest team possible.
In many cases, bullying in sports is not even a result of conscious thinking. Kids have a drive to be the best or they find someone else on the team irritating because they get more attention from the coach and they act out of those emotions.
If your child is dealing with bullying in sports, there are four things you should do to strengthen them, so they don't end up dropping out of sports, and to bring an end to the situation:
- Educate Yourself
Start reading everything you can find about bullying in sports. Learn about the different forms it can take and how it can affect the victims of the bullying. The more you understand the motivations of the bullies the better equipped you will be to help your child through the situation.
- Reach out to the Coach
Make some contact with the coach and explain what is going on. Do not try to be overly nice when communicating on this subject because you don't want to sound apologetic or weak. Make it clear what is happening and ask the coach to make sure the bullying stops. Strength is required here, but that is not the same thing as a mean or harsh tone. You simply want them to recognize the seriousness of the issue at hand.
- Educate the Coach
If you feel the coach is blowing you off or is not taking the right actions to end the bullying, print out some of the information you used to educate yourself and hand it to the coach with a reminder that you expect them to control this behavior.
- Empower Your Child
Finally, empower your child to look the bullies right in the eye and demand that they stop. This takes courage to do and some bullies will need a lot of stern, direct talk to stop their behaviors, but it is the best action your child can take when handling bullies on the field. Your child should stand up for themselves but they should not be apologetic for their skills in the sport.
By Mandy-Jane Clarke. For more tips on bullying in sports visit Stop-Bullies.com
Article source: https://articlebiz.comRate article
Article comments
There are no posted comments.
Related articles
- MK Web Celebrates Top Position in Bourne's Premier Web Design Rankings
- The Road to Sobriety: Understanding Substance Use Disorders
- MotorKote Ultimate 40/60 Synthetic Hyper Mix 5W-30
- Exploring Denver on a Dime: A Frugal Travel Guide
- Top 10 Ways Production Scheduling in Business Central Transforms Manufacturing
- Strength Training and it's Incredible Benefits for Fat Burning
- Enhancing Home Security with Aluminum Shutters: A Focus on Weatherwell Elite
- 5 Easy Ways to Make Oral Hygiene Fun for the Whole Family
- Transforming Plastic Extrusion Machines into Recycling Powerhouses
- Unraveling the Potential of Plastic Extrusion Machines
- The Rise of Plastic Recycling Machines: A Step Towards Sustainability
- Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream: OMG! Unreal!
- The Advantages of Using Professional Home Cleaners in Ilford
- 8 Compelling Reasons to Hire Professional Home Cleaners
- The 12 Steps Narcotics Anonymous Program To Recovery
- Send Money to Tanzania: Effortless Transfers with SafariRemit
- Stylish Savings: 10 Frugal Ways to Stay Fashionable in 2024
- Fly Cheap With FlightPapa To Any City
- How Collaborating with a Software Development Company Can Propel Your Business Forward
- A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing the Best Hair Transplant Method
- 15 Frugal Tips for a Memorable Wedding Day
- Credit Union vs. Bank
- Explore the Advantages of Renewable Energy: Wind, Solar, Biomass, Hydropower and Geothermal Energy
- Frugal Nutrition: How to Eat Healthy on a Budget
- Fintechzoom Richard Mille
- Who owns the most Bitcoin?
- Fintechzoom IBM Stock: Powerful!
- Building a Professional Website on a Budget: Using Free Tools like WordPress and AI
- Navigating Vietnam's Tourist Immigration: Challenges and Solutions
- Bitcoin FintechZoom