Swearing at Schoolchildren Is Not Coaching

There is something happening in school sport, especially rugby, that needs to be spoken about.

Coaches swearing at children.

This is not something that happens once in a while. Parents hear it at practices and matches. Children hear it from the sidelines and sometimes directly from the adults coaching them.

It has become far too normal.

Some of these children come from homes where their parents do not speak to them like that. They are taught not to swear, to respect adults and to control themselves when they are angry.

Then they get onto a rugby field and hear completely different behaviour from an adult who is supposed to be teaching them discipline.

What kind of message does that send?

Nobody is saying coaches cannot be strict.

Rugby is competitive. Coaches get frustrated. Players make mistakes and sometimes need to be spoken to firmly.

But there is a difference between being firm and swearing at children.

If a player swore at a teacher, referee or coach, there would probably be consequences. So why should we accept it when the adult is the one using that language?

Parents are hearing it. Parents are seeing it. More importantly, the children are watching how adults behave when things do not go their way.

Coaches have a huge influence on young people. What they say and how they behave matters.

Schools should also take this seriously. What happens on the sports field should not somehow fall outside the standards expected everywhere else at school.

This happens too often.

It should not be accepted as “just rugby” or “how coaches are.”

If we expect discipline and respect from children, the adults coaching them should show the same.

This needs to come to an end.