Thread: How Should A Coach Interact With Players?

I think everyone can agree that one of the most important responsibilities to a coach is to improve his players. I believe that pointing out mistakes is an important way to improve the player as it makes the player aware of what he's doing wrong. The next step would be to show the player how do do it right so he can improve in the subject.

When players make mistakes is where I see a big different in coaching philosophies and I think you can divide it into four different philosophies:

a. The coach who often does not speak up and correct a player's mistakes in any way despite seeing the players doing it wrong.

b. The coach who usually makes the player aware of his mistakes and sometimes tries to correct his mistakes while personally insulting the player in the process.

c. The coach who usually makes the player aware when he's doing something wrong, but rarely tries to explain how to do it right.

d. The coach who usually corrects a mistake by pointing out what the player did wrong and consequently tries to show the player how to do it right.

What coaching philosophy do you think is the best?

---

My impression is that many football coaches fall under the "b"-category. These coaches daily verbally insult their players in public while using words like "dummy", "pussy" and "retard". Often accompanied with socially inappropriate physical contact with the players in form of e.g. punches to the helmet.

I believe that these are coaches who often have a lot of passion for the game which is sometimes expressed through these type of actions. Passion is a great attribute in a coach, but where does the line go?

These type of coaches will also usually say they act this way to "make my points clear to everyone on the team" or "to break you down in order to build you up".

---

Incidents that has gone public in media:

Ex-player accuses Mangino of mistreatment

[img size=400]http://media.lawrence.com/img/photos/2009/12/02/burned_hand_t640.jpg[/img]

Ex-players: Coach said 'hurtful' things

Former Kansas wide receiver Raymond Brown, a senior last season, said Mangino would often "say personal, hurtful, embarrassing things in front of people."

Brown cited two examples. He said that once, his younger brother had been shot in the arm in St. Louis. Then came a game.

"I dropped a pass and [Mangino] was mad," Brown said. "And I said, 'Yes, sir. Yes, sir.' The yelling didn't bother me. But then he said, 'Shut up!' He said, 'If you don't shut up, I'm going to send you back to St. Louis so you can get shot with your homies.' I was irate. I wanted to hurt him, to be honest with you."

Brown said another teammate had confided in the team that his father was an alcoholic and the player dreamed of becoming a lawyer.

"One day, [Mangino] said in front of the entire team, 'Are you going to be a lawyer or do you want to become an alcoholic like your dad?'"

Former Kansas wide receiver Marcus Herford, also a senior last season: "I remember that. Very vividly. [Mangino] would take your personal business and he would attack you with it. There's nothing wrong with being a disciplinarian. But there is a way to handle your players and keep them motivated. His way was to demotivate you and make you feel as low as you can go."

Leach Is Fired Over Treatment of Player

Leach, 48, is alleged to have ordered Adam James placed under guard inside dark, confined rooms on two occasions after the player said he had been told by a doctor that he could not practice because he had suffered a concussion.

---

My question is: Do you approve of this method of coaching?

Code of Ethics for Football Coaches

Player Criticism

There are many occasions throughout the season where the coach and his assistants have reason to criticize players in private. There is no need to embarrass or humiliate a player in front of his teammates. Correcting a mistake in front of teammates is perfectly acceptable; however, if a coach tries to embarrass players who have a perceived lack of effort, he is violating the trust that his players have given him.

What made you vote "Yes" in the poll: "Is it okay that a coach insults his player in font of his teammates?", BadlandsVikings?

The insults are meant for motivation, but they shouldn't get too personel. Kids are growing up now where even if you lose you get a trophy.........shut up, take the criticism and don't be a weenie.

I'd say it depends on the context.

Call a guy out for fumbles or drops, sure, it'll motivate him to do better.

Call a guy a slow or fatass, whatever, at this point these guys should know they're fat.

Tell a guy he'll send him home to get shot, or making fun of family issues, that's probably a little bit too far.

And it all depends on the player too. if I'm in practice and you throw a couple insults, I'll take it and probably shoot back. Some guys though just get demoralized and extremely offended.


It really depends on the coach. Some guys can get away with it, some guys can't. Some guys don't want to. You would never see a guy like Dungy or Fraizer doing that.

I think you will find that a cat will vote based on his experiences with coaches.

I had 2 football coaches in High School. One was a nice, quiet, (Whimpy) kindof guy that every one liked but he sucked at coaching. We were always cutting corners on laps, stopping short on gassers, cheating on pushups/situps/lifting. He knew it and still let us slide.

Guess what, we never won under that guy.

Second one was a fricken tyrant. Cussed, yelled, pushed (Pulled you around by your facemask) you around. He caught you cheating on strenght stuff, not only you did extra, your whole position group did extra. Get caught the second time the whole team did extra.

You should have seen my Moms face the first time he called me a shithead for knocking the ball down instead of picking it when I was in coverage.

Guess what, we won several games under that guy. Still sucked, but not as much.

Long story short, I can see the benifits of both tacts but I voted for the ass hole way.

I have have a coach point out I did something stupid and too smarten up I'm better than that ( rather loudly) but he never called me stupid and I think that makes a big difference.

"I dropped a pass and [Mangino] was mad," Brown said. "And I said, 'Yes, sir. Yes, sir.' The yelling didn't bother me. But then he said, 'Shut up!' He said, 'If you don't shut up, I'm going to send you back to St. Louis so you can get shot with your homies.' I was irate. I wanted to hurt him, to be honest with you."

Brown said another teammate had confided in the team that his father was an alcoholic and the player dreamed of becoming a lawyer.

"One day, [Mangino] said in front of the entire team, 'Are you going to be a lawyer or do you want to become an alcoholic like your dad?'"

I would punch that fat fuck in the head myself. I can't believe this can even be called a coaching style...

More like one ignorant asshole in a position of power.

Yelling for the sake of yelling accomplishes nothing.

I see no reason to scream at an individual player. Shout at the whole team? Great, get them a little fired up, pissed off.

But for a guy blowing an assignment in practice, dropping a pass, missing a tackle, etc. What's the point of screaming in his face? How is that going to change anything or prevent him from making the same mistake again? Tell him what he did wrong, and how to fix it. Help him - coach him. Don't just kill his confidence and make him look even worse in front of his comrades.

We had a coach in high school who'd make fun of you a little bit if you messed up, but it was never about more than your actions on a given play, and never hurtful. For example, he'd always mime cradling a lacrosse ball when a guy who plays lacrosse in the spring would drop a pass in practice, or tell them they couldn't catch a cold without a net and a stick. Or he'd tell the wrestlers that their too slow without their singlets... etc. Nothing personal, in jest. He had a great relationship with all of the players.

You're not elevating anyone's game by screaming in his face. Teach him what he did wrong and he might not make the same mistake twice.

Originally Posted by "Mr Anderson" #1096074

Yelling for the sake of yelling accomplishes nothing.

I see no reason to scream at an individual player. Shout at the whole team? Great, get them a little fired up, pissed off.

But for a guy blowing an assignment in practice, dropping a pass, missing a tackle, etc. What's the point of screaming in his face? How is that going to change anything or prevent him from making the same mistake again? Tell him what he did wrong, and how to fix it. Help him - coach him. Don't just kill his confidence and make him look even worse in front of his comrades.

We had a coach in high school who'd make fun of you a little bit if you messed up, but it was never about more than your actions on a given play, and never hurtful. For example, he'd always mime cradling a lacrosse ball when a guy who plays lacrosse in the spring would drop a pass in practice, or tell them they couldn't catch a cold without a net and a stick. Or he'd tell the wrestlers that their too slow without their singlets... etc. Nothing personal, in jest. He had a great relationship with all of the players.

You're not elevating anyone's game by screaming in his face. Teach him what he did wrong and he might not make the same mistake twice.

Good post. I agree.
There is nothing to win from insulting players, except lower their self-esteem.