Author Topic: How do you handle coaches that don't care about safety?  (Read 3171 times)

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Offline bbeagle

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How do you handle coaches that don't care about safety?
« on: September 13, 2018, 07:59:08 AM »
Situation:
Team A runs a reverse for 40 yard gain. During the run, 2 illegal blindside blocks by different players on Team A. Both flagged, called, and the worst one (yardage-wise) enforced. Not ejectable, but definitely blind side blocks.

These could be any types of safety penalties like targeting, unnecessary roughness, etc.

The coach of Team A disagrees with the calls (but not in an 'unsportsmanlike manner') - and tells the players when they get to the sidelines - 'Good play! Keep it up! Keep playing that way!'

It's our job to call these penalties, and in my understanding, calling these penalties will reduce this behavior and make the game safer. But if the coaches don't care, treat football like it was 5 years ago, do we ignore this or is there any way to react to coaches with this type of behavior?

Note that good teams vs. bad teams, a coach on a good team could have 10 illegal blocks by different players, and still win the game handily. These 15 yarders do nothing.


Offline UTchad

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Re: How do you handle coaches that don't care about safety?
« Reply #1 on: September 13, 2018, 08:09:09 AM »
I am of the theory that if they keep hitting like that it will catch up to him eventually. He'll be in a close game and lose his star player to ejection. Or the penalties will keep racking up. Keep tossing the flag  ^flag

Offline FLAHL

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Re: How do you handle coaches that don't care about safety?
« Reply #2 on: September 13, 2018, 08:29:09 AM »
During the game isn't the best time to have a discussion with the coach, especially if he isn't doing anything that qualifies as unsportsmanlike conduct.  If you have the opportunity, you can let him know immediately after the play "that's a safety issue coach, and will always be called."  And then continue to flag it when it happens.  If there is a second or third occurrence, and it rises to the level of flagrant, an ejection is warranted.


Offline bama_stripes

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Re: How do you handle coaches that don't care about safety?
« Reply #3 on: September 14, 2018, 06:00:22 AM »
2-16-2c:
“Flagrant - a foul so severe or extreme that it places an opponent in danger of serious injury, and/or involves violations that are extremely or persistently vulgar or abusive contact.” (emphasis added)

Our state imposes a monetary fine for ejections.  Hit ‘em where it hurts.

Offline AlUpstateNY

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Re: How do you handle coaches that don't care about safety?
« Reply #4 on: September 14, 2018, 09:17:11 AM »
Situation: The coach of Team A disagrees with the calls (but not in an 'unsportsmanlike manner') - and tells the players when they get to the sidelines - 'Good play! Keep it up! Keep playing that way!'

It's our job to call these penalties, and in my understanding, calling these penalties will reduce this behavior and make the game safer. But if the coaches don't care, treat football like it was 5 years ago, do we ignore this or is there any way to react to coaches with this type of behavior?

Coaching young men to behave properly in an emotional, physically challenging, contest can be a challenging "art form" that takes different paths for different individuals, and deserves considerable leeway.  However, there are lines that must NEVER be crossed.

Should that happen, it may well be appropriate to alert the Coach, that a line has been  "dangerously approached", and crossing it CANNOT be tolerated.  We have unique access to a closet full of enormous sticks, that rarely get used, and sometimes it may become necessary to remind others, we're willing to look in the closet, if necessary.

Of course, any such conversation should be immediate, private, civil, brief and one-sided.

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: How do you handle coaches that don't care about safety?
« Reply #5 on: September 14, 2018, 09:29:29 AM »
If the coach doesn't care about safety, I'll bet his athletic director will.

   

Offline BIG DON

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Re: How do you handle coaches that don't care about safety?
« Reply #6 on: September 14, 2018, 10:15:26 AM »
unless he the AD too
do or do not there is no try

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: How do you handle coaches that don't care about safety?
« Reply #7 on: September 18, 2018, 10:44:53 AM »
unless he the AD too
The principal, the superintendent ,the school board ...someone will care AND act.
IMHO, a perceived concern is the high percent of coaches in all sports that aren't educators. Being a high-contact sport, a football coach that is not dealing with kids everyday as their teacher, may not take the safety element of our sport as seriously as one that does. 

Offline bbeagle

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Re: How do you handle coaches that don't care about safety?
« Reply #8 on: September 18, 2018, 02:27:36 PM »
If you're calling obviously flagrant fouls and the coach tells the player 'Good football play! Don't mind what the ref is saying, keep it up!' can you / should you flag the coach for unsportsmanlike conduct?

Offline AlUpstateNY

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Re: How do you handle coaches that don't care about safety?
« Reply #9 on: September 18, 2018, 02:49:29 PM »
If you're calling obviously flagrant fouls and the coach tells the player 'Good football play! Don't mind what the ref is saying, keep it up!' can you / should you flag the coach for unsportsmanlike conduct?

NFHS 9-8-1 No coach, substitute athletic trainer or other team attendant shall act in an unsportsmanlike manner once the game officials assume authority for the contest.  If inciting, or encouraging a player to ignore rules or repeat fouling is not unsportsmanlike, I don't know what would be.

Such instruction is absolutely worthy of inclusion in any Game Report. 

Offline blandis

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Re: How do you handle coaches that don't care about safety?
« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2018, 01:00:27 AM »
Give these coaches an education and don't be shy about it.