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Post by airraider on Jun 22, 2008 20:15:22 GMT -6
Im not asking anyone to put themselves out there on this..
just wondering what everyone's experiences have been with coaches who openly smoke..
Out of my 8 seasons on the high school level, I have probably worked with 30 or so coaches.. and there was only 1 that I knew smoked.. and that was a young guy that I am still friends with who was a student coach..
now, dipping on the other hand.. several did..
When I was in highschool back in the mid-90's.. I seem to remember our HC smoking on practice field during a water break.. but just 1 time that I remember that..
A local coach who was the OC for a team used to go outside the fence during 7 on 7 games and smoke.. he just recently died from lung cancer..
Do any of you have guys on your staff who smoke? If so, how do they handle it around the program? Is it an out of site/out of mind thing? Or..??
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Post by wildcat on Jun 22, 2008 20:25:05 GMT -6
In Illinois, it is illegal to have any tobacco products on public school property. The law has been on the books for 15 years or so (federal law?). It significantly has reduced the number of teachers and coaches who smoked or dipped.
When I was a kid, there were coaches who used and it wasn't a big deal...since I have been coaching (2001), I haven't coached with anyone who was a habitual user of tobacco. Couple of guys who might put a chaw in every once in while, but no one who did it in front of the kids or at practice.
It is definitely much less socially acceptable than it was when I was in high school (late 80s-early 90s).
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Post by eaglemountie on Jun 22, 2008 20:40:30 GMT -6
I do not know any coaches that smoke and IMO I feel it sends a mixed message to the kids.
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Post by cmow5 on Jun 22, 2008 20:41:11 GMT -6
I will admit it I am a smoker. I hate it, but I never do it around the kids. I know I need to quit, but it is hard. I can tell you when I am sitting at the computer with some coffee I go through a lot of them. My Head Coach last year had no clue I was a smoker until I told him about half way through the season.
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Post by coachd5085 on Jun 22, 2008 20:46:56 GMT -6
Here in Louisiana...LOTS of coaches dip/chew. School District just implemented a 100% tobacco free policy on any school board property...parking lots, fields etc.
Recently, one of the baseball coaches tried to kick a kid off the team for dipping (among other reasons). Everything looked great..UNTIL the kid/parents went to the school board and reported that the COACH did the same. Coach severely disciplined, kid reinstated...and bad press avoided. LOL
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dcoach84
Sophomore Member
If what you did yesterday seems big, you haven't done anything today. -Lou Holtz
Posts: 129
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Post by dcoach84 on Jun 22, 2008 21:08:44 GMT -6
I do not smoke or chew....not sure if I know any coaches that smoke regularly. On the other hand, I have seen some that chew. I guess this has not been a problem thus far. But I can see how it would be tough to tell a kid not to do something that you do regularly.
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Post by fatkicker on Jun 22, 2008 21:45:43 GMT -6
it's been on the books for about 10 years in mississippi......the first year i taught there were about 15 teachers that went behind the building to smoke during breaks (the principal and a few coaches included)........i was a heavy smoker then, and i was in the crowd.......i sometimes openly smoked in front of kids..........finally got smart (or dumb) and gave it up and took up dipping........definitely not any healthier, but a little safer socially, i guess......there is no longer the crowd behind the building since the law was added....
i agree that's it's not necessarily a good thing to have rules for kids that you don't follow.......no smoking, dipping, drinking, or whatever......but they are kids we are adults.......we should be intelligent enough to kill ourselves if we want to.....not just because we shouldn't do it because the kids shouldn't do it.....
i keep a cell phone in my pocket most of the time during practice......only for family emergencies or athletic emergencies......it's easier to call an ambulance on the field than running 5 minutes back to the field house and fumbling keys around to try to get in the door......the kids can't have cell phones at school.....do i need to leave mine in the truck then? no.....because the child usually disrupts the educational process with the phone....
heck.....our principal won't let us keep drinks in the classroom now......says we can't have 'em because the kids can't have em.......never mind that a child is more than likely going to spill their drink or openly share them or do something else completely disruptive with it.......
sorry for the rant.........somebody just struck a nerve with the kids should have the same rules as the adults......i don't buy it.........
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dcoach84
Sophomore Member
If what you did yesterday seems big, you haven't done anything today. -Lou Holtz
Posts: 129
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Post by dcoach84 on Jun 22, 2008 22:02:58 GMT -6
I see both sides of this...think it depends on the particular issue.
Example: A coach telling his players that they should not use profanity as he is ripping them a new one using all kinds of colorful language. Pretty hard to enforce that. I have seen this occur and naturally the players end up using the same language that the coach uses. Coaches should hold themselves to a higher standard than they hold their players to. Just my two cents.
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Post by coachbdud on Jun 22, 2008 23:20:18 GMT -6
in CA cant have any tobacco products on campus... but our rivals HC has a dip in his mouth just about everytime i see him... no idea how he has never gotten into any trouble
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Post by kcbazooka on Jun 23, 2008 5:39:02 GMT -6
fatkicker - don't equate keeping a cell phone handy at practice the same as chewing tobacco.
I am lucky that I never got into tobacco but I have had assistants that do. Can't get real mad at a kid that puts chew in his mouthpiece (yes, that hapens) if all of the assistants are chewing at practice.
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marboo59
Sophomore Member
[F4:CoachSMartin]
Posts: 115
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Post by marboo59 on Jun 23, 2008 6:49:26 GMT -6
I am a head coach and my DC and I smoke, but i feel as long as we dont do it in front of the kids or at practice there is no big deal, besides me developing cancer later. As long as I am not in the general public i beleive i can do whatever I choose to do. I am over 18, i am an adult. Same goes with drinking, only in the privacy in my own home.
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Post by justryn2 on Jun 23, 2008 6:51:35 GMT -6
I quite smoking one year ago specifically because I did not think I could, in good conscience, tell my players to be willing to sacrifice their own personal desires for the greater good of the team when I couldn't even quit smoking. In my opinion, anyone who wants to coach young athletes has to set a higher standard for himself. Yes, quiting is hard. But so is continuing to play your hardest in the fourth quarter when your team is down three touchdowns and it is raining and cold. I just don't see how a coach can expect to succeed consistently if he is not willing to lead by example.
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Post by coachhortman on Jun 23, 2008 6:52:22 GMT -6
I have been around both thoughout my career. Several years ago, the head coach that I was working with was a chain smoker. He would go though 3 or 4 packs a day. Most of the staffs that I have worked with have had at least one coach dip/chew.
As far as the cell phone goes, when practice time comes we keep our cell phones on, put them on silent,vibrate or whatever. IT has came in handy many times if a player gets hurt, a emergency that has happened in the coach's family, a player's parent needing to get in touch with that player because something has happened etc. I have used them at games also like when setting up the headsets to get in touch with the person down on our sideline to turn theirs on, one game about three years ago, our headsets went down and we had to use cell phones to give information down on the field during the game.
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Post by kcbazooka on Jun 23, 2008 8:58:09 GMT -6
liberalhater -- I usually have one coach carry a cell phone for the reasons that some other coaches have given - -if there is an emergency we want to get the call off NOW - not have to run into the school to get a phone. I do know what you mean about some coaches using cell phones just for kicks -- would want them off the staff...
taking the position that the coaches are adults and should be allowed to chew/smoke on the field -- the same reasoning could be used for having a six-pack on the sidelines for the coaches -- which, when i come to think it might not be a bad idea!
same reasoning though - i am old enough to drink the players aren't - so why not pop a cool one on those hot summer practices. yeah, its against the rules (no alcohol on campus) but so is tobacco.
I guess, if you want to rationalize the use of tobacco you can, i choose not to.
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Post by coachbdud on Jun 23, 2008 9:34:41 GMT -6
Kc, a coach with active cellphone on a practice field tells me his priorties are not on the practice field. Same goes for a player. If I am the HC and either one feels the need to have one on the practice field? I feel the need to replace them. I dont care what staff members do in regards to smoking, I am not looking for saints, Again as long as it doesnt become more important than the work that needs to be done on a practice field? Smoke AWAY! Kids shouldnt be smoking, they shouldnt have the money to be smoking. They are not adults, they do pay mortgages or car payments, no do they have to hold a job year if they are athletes. If they are smoking they are gone. My Cell Phone never leaves my pocket... but my fpcus never leaves football. I use it as a stopwatch, to keep time. and this way if another coach needs to get ahold of me and i am on our far practice field they can do so without having to send someone to come get me and my group. And as others said for any emerencies |
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Post by coachcb on Jun 23, 2008 11:27:31 GMT -6
I have been on staffs where EVERYONE openly chewed; sent some bad messages to the kids. We have the 100% tobacco free rules as well; but it wasn't enforced very well.
I chewed for awhile, but never, ever did so in front of the kids. I left the can at home and never had a dip while at school, even during film sessions.
I personally don't care what a coach or teacher does as long as it's not sending mixed signals to the kids (i.e. KEEP IT QUIET) and it's not affecting their work. I worked with several teachers last spring who, within ear shot of students, had discussions about how hung-over they were and how much they drank the night before. Total lack of professionalism.
What we all have to keep in mind is that we are highly scrutinized public figures within the school; DON'T GIVE THE IDIOTS ANY AMMO.
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Post by eickst on Jun 23, 2008 12:22:30 GMT -6
I smoke, but never at practice or around the kids or even when doing anything related to the program at all. I don't even smoke at home....just at work.
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Post by k on Jun 23, 2008 12:33:58 GMT -6
I have been on staffs where EVERYONE openly chewed Must be a regional thing because I don't know a single person who chews. Heck I don't remember ever seeing someone buy it (or even recall it being for sale anywhere). *shrugs* |
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Post by fatkicker on Jun 23, 2008 14:44:41 GMT -6
hey bazooka....
comparing the cell phone to the tobacco maybe was a bad example, but my point is......i don't set rules based on the equality of young people and adults.......
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Post by airraider on Jun 23, 2008 16:03:34 GMT -6
Being inner city.. the only rule we have been able to inforce is no smoking in the huddle.  |
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Post by brophy on Jun 23, 2008 16:37:46 GMT -6
Being inner city.. the only rule we have been able to inforce is no smoking in the huddle. is it true that they refer to your huddle as a "drug ring"? |
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Post by airman on Jun 23, 2008 17:12:13 GMT -6
I wish they would allow teachers to smoke it would help reduce the axe handle width of their butts.
seriously, teachers in general are really not very fit people. they come in at age 23 all nice and good lookng and by age 43 they are twice as big. men come in with no or small belly and boom they look like they are in the last trimester of a baby.
I am noticing huge numbers of college age woman smoking like a bandit.
you go into a bar and nice looking girl pulls out some marb reds to smoke or flavored cigs.
I am not a smoker and I do not like smoking bans.
still I think coaches should set some standards of fitness.
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dcoach84
Sophomore Member
If what you did yesterday seems big, you haven't done anything today. -Lou Holtz
Posts: 129
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Post by dcoach84 on Jun 23, 2008 19:13:14 GMT -6
Well said airman.
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