Coaching Ethics

[Jackel2168]

While at a coaching meeting for an organization an organization head stated things he did not want or allow in his organization. 2 of those things I had seen done at the high school level and was not sure how to feel about it. The first thing he did not want was asking players to come up with a line up. I do not see how that is unethical and actually see it as sort of helpful. Generally the girls are going to put people in a position to succeed and for the team to succeed. The second thing he did not want was coaches texting their players more then information on practice or games. I find this one to be a bit borderline. I understand that people want to prevent child molesters access to children, which is why we have background checks, but you also have to be accessible and open to your kids. I've seen coaches go back and forth with players from their tb teams as they play against them in high school before games. I've seen coaches have discussions with players about their high school season. I've known coaches that have been with their kids and families so long they are close family friends. So to stop rambling here are my two questions:

Is it ok to ask your players how they would do a line up?

Is it ok to have conversations via text message with your players?

 

[Sweet Lou]

I'd have no problem with the girls coming up with a lineup but I can see where an org could have issues since clicks can easily exclude a girl from a lineup by vote.

Other than practice will be at x field at y time I don't think it is appropriate for grown men/women to be texting minor players over anything else.

Now if it is a "long term friend of the family" and the parents are cool with the texting and the texting was already going on before the team involvement, it is probably OK but I can totally see an org trying to avoid any kind of law suit over any potential improper texts.

 

[David Carter]

I don't have any of my players numbers, obviously once you get to high school and 16U kids are driving. My rule would simply be NO individual texting any text would be a team text giving information only. You have all practice as well as before and after for individual feedback.

As far as making line ups, not an all the time thing but maybe on occasion, I almost always make the line up isn't that why I am the coach? It was last game of the season last week and I did post a blank rotation plan and let the girls fill it in...it was fun and the league outcome was already decided so why not.

 

[coachtucc]

Every text I send a player, I also send to the parents! That way there are no problems

 

[ktm rider]

I coach U10 and have two DD's playing on the team.

First off, my DD's don't have a cell phone and won't have one of their own until they can pay for it. So, texting them would be a bit tough. ( we do have a trac phone for them to use when not with one of us.)
Second, I would never text a player. We are talking 10-11 yr old girls here. The parents are the one's responsible for the child making to the games and practices so they get the texts.

I always make the lineup and as a former baseball player from little league through my college playing days I don't ever recall a player having any input what so ever in the lineup. As stated above, it would most likely become more of a popularity contest than a lineup.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I have never heard of players making a line up, either. I didn't even understand what you meant. I text parents. I don't text the girls. The older ones, I am afraid they are driving.

 

[42'sdad]

I've never heard of players making line ups. But in some games (once a season maybe)for fun, we have had the girls draw their positions out of a hat every inning, except pitchers of course. They really have a lot of fun with it.

 

[chinamigarden]

I don't think the HS coaches could accept the brutal honesty that my dds line up would represent.

 

[JDBerry]

I've heard girls claim positions, never heard of them deciding a line up. Maybe for fun, but if one is coaching that is one of your duties and you certainly have to be mindful of the "bullying" type games girls play. That's not something I would see giving to them

On texts. I'm in the camp of only texting the team as a whole and informing the parents, through email in our case, of the same. The issue though is that high school kids will be texting you why they will be missing practice or text with a question and you respond. If you follow up those exchanges like that with an email to parents that quickly summarizes, you will have a huge advocate on your side. Because teenaged girls don't tell parents anything.

From experience, kids will text you about missing practice and their reason won't be legit. If they know parents will be made aware of your communications, they won't test that boundary.

 

[PA SB Dad]

I would not describe either of the two issues "unethical", though I would consider them "ill-advised". I think you really have to know your team and your players to determine whether they can make the line up. My current team understands my coaching philosophy, what my priorities are, and where each of them fit in the big picture of the team, so I do not think their lineup would have any surprises. Though I wouldn't do that with every team I've coached.

In terms of texting, I don't text players or parents. I communicate via email with the parents (12U), and the team knows this. Again, I do not think it is a matter of ethics whether coaches text players, but I do think it is ill-advised at any age, particularly for adult coaches who do not have a DD on that team.