Who Is Watching Your Coach?

Who Is Watching Your Coach?

I hate to write this article.  For many years I was a coach in the public school systems.  I still have many friends who are currently coaching but I feel like this is a perspective that a least needs to be heard.
 Extra-curricular activities are one of the great learning environments of public schools. Many life lessons can be taught by quality coaches whose priority is the welfare of their athletes.
I remember how much high school football shaped me.  Back then it was a great game that instilled many character qualities I have followed the rest of my life.  We use to get excited about the start of season practices followed by games each Friday night. What was once a fun high school game has now become a college program without supervision for the welfare of the student athletes.  It is not just football but all sports.  And in my opinion someone needs to take notice.
The NCAA has established limits on the amount of hours coaches can have contact with their players. The reason for these limits is to protect student-athletes from time demands by overzealous coaches. No such rules apply for high school athletes.  Who is protecting them?


What was once a two hour practice has now turned into 3 – 3 ½ hours.  Learning to pace yourself at practice has replaced hustle. Quality time has been replaced by quantity of time as a measure to justify the quality of a program.  Coaches who were conscientious of resting players so they were ready to play at game time have been replaced by coaches who push players till they are too fatigued to play either physically or mentally.

College athletes normally take 2-3 classes during their sport season then attend practice. They are also exposed to tutors to assist them academically. They have mandated days off by the NCAA.  Some high school students today sit through as many as seven classes before attending a 3 ½ hour practice. There are no special tutors or very few days off.  I have heard of high schools in our area practicing before and after school.  Conditioning and weightlifting is now year round.  Summer camps and leagues have now made time off a thing of the past.  For the first time in my 30 year career I am hearing about more and more athletes quitting sports because of burnout rather than lack of playing time.  What happened to that fun game we use to remember?

Who is going to complain?  Athletes and parents of athletes who fear reduced playing time won’t.  Administrators who don’t want to mess with fan bases won’t.  Coaches who don’t want to be accused of “being outworked” by other coaches won’t.  Who is going to step out and take the lead here?  How long is too long to practice? Three hours?  Four hours?  Five?   Has the level of play declined in college athletics since the NCAA stepped in to regulate their coaches?  State activities associations are just now beginning to look at reducing contact hours. Maybe that is where the buck stops. But shouldn’t it be the adults of the local school districts who step up?  After all – who is watching your coach?

Since writing this article I have learned that Jefferson City Helias High School in Jefferson City, MO has recently adopted a time limitations policy as part of their coach’s manual.  It is an adapted version of the NCAA policy.  Listed in the policy are five core beliefs about how important extracurricular activities are to their student body.  There is also a paragraph stating what they do not believe is beneficial to their student-athletes.

“WE DO NOT BELIEVE that more is always better.  More practice does not necessarily result in a better team.  More time demands by the coach do not necessarily mean more commitment and dedication by the athlete.  It is critical that coaches understand that students have a variety of school, church, social and family commitments and that the expectations they have for the time and energy commitments of their athletes must be realistic.”

Two of the time limitations included in the policy are a maximum 2.5 hours per day and 12.5 hours per week of contact time as well as a summer dead period.  The adoption of this policy in the opinion of the administration and that of the parents has been very positive.