As a coach in youth sports, you have a big responsibility to prevent bullying in sports of any nature. This means that you do not use bully tactics to get your team members to do what you want them to do. It also means that you have a zero tolerance policy for team members who treat others with disrespect in any manner. You hold yourself to a high standard and expect your team members to do the same.

Bullying in sports is a growing problem that has led to the death of some gifted athletes. There have been quite a few cases of brutality and physical violence that evolved from teasing and rivalries on the field or court. In most of these cases coaches were partially to blame because they did not put a stop to the bullying before it got to that extreme level.

If you are reading this, then you are probably already aware of the prevalence of bullying in sports today. You may be a coach with a lot of experience who is now noticing an increasing level of harassment, name calling, and emotional games going on between members of your teams. Or, you may be a new coach who wants to self-educate so you can protect your team from bullying on and off the field.

Either way, there are some things you can do to make sure bullying is not an issue between your team members. It may take some extra effort to do some of these things, but it is well worth it if your team members can grow and play without worrying about what others think or might say to them (or behind their backs).

Zero Tolerance Policy

The first thing you should do to put a stop to bullying on your field or court is make it very clear to all members of your team that you have a zero tolerance policy for bullying in sports. Tell them over and over that anyone caught calling names, teasing, taunting, or otherwise bullying another player will have to sit out. Repeat offenses could have them removed from the team permanently or at least for the season.

Everyone on the team has to know what you consider bullying to be and what the consequences will be for doing it.

Following Through

Once you lay down that zero tolerance policy you have to be very consistent in following through with those rules. It can be difficult to reinforce that zero tolerance policy if your best players are involved with the bullying, but you have to follow through or you will undermine your own authority and lose the respect of your players.

If you catch someone bullying someone else or hear of it happening from parents and other players, take immediate action according to the consequences you have already laid out for your players. This will force other players to straighten up and drop the bullying themselves.

Pay Attention to Players

Every coach should understand that what drives a lot of bullying in sports is the desire of the athletes to be the best on the field. Often it is he best players or the rising stars that get bullied because other players are intimidated by them.

If you can pay attention to your players and give them the attention and praise that they need to feel personally fulfilled, you can eliminate some of the need to bully.