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Post by gacoach on Aug 18, 2009 11:18:37 GMT -6
We had a player a couple of weekends ago get caught by the police with pot. He called the HC on Sunday morning, the morning after he was caught, to inform him.
Now, this kid is a senior, who I thought was a leader. He has had offers from the Air Force Academy and has been looked at by ECU and App State.
How would you handle this situation as far as keeping him on the team, if so, what were his consequences? If you wouldn't keep him, why?
By the way, no charges were pressed by the police.
I know what we have done, but I am just seeing if we are on the right track by a coaching majority.
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Post by dubber on Aug 18, 2009 11:19:59 GMT -6
He got caught with pot, and no charges were pressed........
Explain.
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Post by gacoach on Aug 18, 2009 11:28:55 GMT -6
They gave him a warning. I know, sounds hard to believe. They took the joint, made him call his folks and waited until he was picked up and turned him over to his parents.
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Post by mahonz on Aug 18, 2009 11:36:39 GMT -6
We were all young and dumb once...
Let it go... BUT let him know he just had a warning shot fired right over his head. Next time it may ruin his career. His choice.
Coach Mike
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Post by coachbdud on Aug 18, 2009 13:13:00 GMT -6
no charges pressed, so its the same as it never happened. Im actually pretty impressed that he had the balls to tell the HC, because he could have kept his mouth shut and no one would have ever known...
Sit him down and tell him how stuff like this could ruin his chances to get that scholly... Scare the crap out of him... but dont kick him off the team.
Honestly, any coach who thinks 75% of his team hasnt smoked weed at some point in time is an idiot in denial
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mack51
Probationary Member
Posts: 6
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Post by mack51 on Aug 18, 2009 13:52:21 GMT -6
We had a situation a few years ago where we had some young men get caught with prescription medication. The difference was it was in the off season. After deliberating for some time to kick them off or not, I gave them a second chance with stipulations and the parents' and player had to agree and sign saying they understood the stipulations and the consequences if it happened again. The stipulations were as followed:
1) Player could be randomly drug tested at the coaches discretion. In other words, they had to agree to allow me to drug test them at any time.
2) They had to perform community service hours with the football team/coaches. In other words, if we were there breaking down film then the player was there cleaning the locker room, painting lines on the practice field, washing uniforms, etc. etc. etc. Basically, whenever the coaches were there then they had to be there working.
3) Parents had to maintain a positive attitude throughout the season and process.
There were a couple more but I can't remember them all. Out of the young men that had to agree to the stipulations (and all did and all parents agreed) only one did not make through the year. He decided to throw a fit at practice one day and stormed off the field. A few days later and he came and asked if he could come back. The agreement was pulled out, read to him, and he was told how he violated it therefore he was done. I thought it was a fair process but a coach must be willing to stick to the agreement.
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Post by tog on Aug 18, 2009 13:54:25 GMT -6
they generally don't
we didn't much either when we were young i would suppose
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Post by Coach JR on Aug 18, 2009 14:27:04 GMT -6
He got caught with pot, and no charges were pressed........ Explain. Police discretion. In some jurisdictions it amounts to little more than a traffic ticket. When I was a cop I didn't arrest everyone just because they had a roach or dime bag. Perfect situation to handle "in house" for the coach...lesson to be learned, and no life long consequences for a kid's "kid mistake/lack of judgement" (ie no ride at the AFA). |
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Post by airman on Aug 18, 2009 14:48:01 GMT -6
at my school the kid would have to submit to being drug tested. if a student admits drug usage to a staff member the staff member is required to report it to the administration. it sort of sucks because we have a zero tolerance policy toward drugs. this means kids who have drug issues have to piss test.
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Post by jgordon1 on Aug 18, 2009 15:41:29 GMT -6
according to our school policy..he would have been dismissed from the team..we had 2 starters last year kicked off with almost the same exact story..caught w/ dope..no charges pressed just before we got to the playoffs. we won round one but lost in round two..the 2 starters didn't make a difference. The thing that irked me was one of the kids was a wrestler..as soon as our season is over he satrts wrestling and is named captain of the team
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Post by tiger46 on Aug 18, 2009 17:27:03 GMT -6
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Post by jpdaley25 on Aug 18, 2009 17:53:40 GMT -6
Punish, teach, second chance.
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Post by blb on Aug 18, 2009 19:40:13 GMT -6
I assume your school district has policies that apply to these situations. If they don't - that's a head-scratcher.
If so, you must abide by them. If not - second chance, but consequences - and "Three Strikes and you're Out!"
You must be willing to lose in order to have and teach discipline. And you can't win - or live with yourself - without it.
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Post by k on Aug 18, 2009 19:48:11 GMT -6
He got caught with pot, and no charges were pressed........ Explain. Most cops here won't bother arresting anyone for pot. Just drag them home to their parents. I'd wager that well over 50% of my team smokes pot. Doesn't seem to be much of a difference between the treatment of booze and pot for the kids. Personally I'm much more concerned about alcohol use than marijuana use. Risks of drinking and driving and what not. I've had to stress to them that if I know about it I have to report it. As to me since our school has a much more harsh drug policy I'll obviously always stick to that. I won't be adding anything on top of that penalty for being caught smoking pot. |
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Post by kylem56 on Aug 18, 2009 21:17:01 GMT -6
This is a topic that hits close to home because my team has at least 1 or 2 situations like this a year plus drugs/alcohol abuse has ruined many of my friends/family members lives. I mean thats good the kid doesnt have to go to court for a mistake that many many high school players and I am sure many of us have made but if you truly care about the kid as a person and think he might have a problem. I would tell him "you are going to attend N-A meetings once a week, if you attend, you are allowed to play that week". Some of these kids just need a wake-up call that their life could be realy {censored} if they continue on the path they are on. Sometimes parents don't care and thus encourage it, according to k, some cops wont bother arresting them for pot, but your job as a coach is to care for them on and off the field and prepare them to not only win football games but have a successful life as well. I can tell you that I would love to win a league title, but if I found out I won it with a bunch of kids who used drugs and didnt live right, I don't know I would enjoy it all that much. Football is much more than winning games. Its about preparing kids for life ( - - - end of rant - - -)
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Post by larrymoe on Aug 18, 2009 22:54:34 GMT -6
We were all young and dumb once... I hate this rationalization of cases like this. Yeah, I was young. But I didn't smoke weed or drink. Why don't you just buy him some stuff yourself if this is your attitude? |
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Post by coachbdud on Aug 19, 2009 1:04:01 GMT -6
We were all young and dumb once... I hate this rationalization of cases like this. Yeah, I was young. But I didn't smoke weed or drink. Why don't you just buy him some stuff yourself if this is your attitude? You think 75% of your team will have never smoked by the time they graduate? |
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Post by blb on Aug 19, 2009 6:07:19 GMT -6
I don't know what percentage of our players will have experimented with alcohol, marijuana or street drugs by the time they graduate.
I'm not naive. My daughter was a drug addict for two years in her teens - cost her mother and I many thousands of dollars (and years of our lives probably) to help her save herself.
Athletics is a privilege and athletes should be held to a higher standard. There's more to being one than running, jumping, throwing, etc. Colleges and pros are bad influence some times.
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Post by dubber on Aug 19, 2009 7:39:54 GMT -6
He got caught with pot, and no charges were pressed........ Explain. Police discretion. In some jurisdictions it amounts to little more than a traffic ticket. When I was a cop I didn't arrest everyone just because they had a roach or dime bag. auburn,   Along with these gentlemen, I hereby induct you into the "Cool Cop Hall of Fame". Welcome class of 2009. BTW, here is my guess on what most of my kids are thinking...... |
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Post by highball007 on Aug 19, 2009 7:57:49 GMT -6
Sense we still have 2.5 weeks until our first game I would have him do a little extra conditioning after practice until that first game and tell him he is on a 1 strike and your out contract. The police knows he is a FB player and that reflects on the staff and the school. The fact that he did contact the coach is a mature choice (Right Choice) and that is why he would not sit out any games for me.
Every young man will screw up, it is how they react and learn from it that makes them a man!
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Post by mahonz on Aug 19, 2009 8:45:45 GMT -6
We were all young and dumb once... I hate this rationalization of cases like this. Yeah, I was young. But I didn't smoke weed or drink. Why don't you just buy him some stuff yourself if this is your attitude? Coach You never did stoopid stuff in HS? I wasn’t a druggie either but I used to go drag racing all the time. Amazed I didn’t kill somebody. Like another poster pointed out….he didn’t have to inform his coach but did. Too me that is a stand up kid. Coach Mike |
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Post by briangilbert on Aug 19, 2009 9:22:39 GMT -6
We are all thinking it so I'll say it... It's just pot right? 1/4 of your team probably binge drinks every weekend. That's just the way things are and most likely the way they have always been.
Discipline the kid but don't kick him off that is too much.
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Post by poweriguy on Aug 19, 2009 10:00:09 GMT -6
I assume your school district has policies that apply to these situations. If they don't - that's a head-scratcher. If so, you must abide by them. If not - second chance, but consequences - and "Three Strikes and you're Out!" You must be willing to lose in order to have and teach discipline. And you can't win - or live with yourself - without it. I agree. To me this is a CYA moment. Your HC has knowledge of drug possession by a student. Now, you have to read up on that school policy. You might have a zero tolerance policy and your HC might have his hands tied. Plus if he is required to report drug possession/use, and doesn't, he could be in for a world of hurt if the administration finds out what happened to this kid and the HC knew about it. Some schools i've been at, even off field conduct is grounds for dismissal from athletics. Like I said.... CYA ! |
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Post by Coach JR on Aug 19, 2009 10:11:12 GMT -6
I assume your school district has policies that apply to these situations. If they don't - that's a head-scratcher. If so, you must abide by them. If not - second chance, but consequences - and "Three Strikes and you're Out!" You must be willing to lose in order to have and teach discipline. And you can't win - or live with yourself - without it. I agree. To me this is a CYA moment. Your HC has knowledge of drug possession by a student. Now, you have to read up on that school policy. You might have a zero tolerance policy and your HC might have his hands tied. Plus if he is required to report drug possession/use, and doesn't, he could be in for a world of hurt if the administration finds out what happened to this kid and the HC knew about it. Some schools i've been at, even off field conduct is grounds for dismissal from athletics. Like I said.... CYA ! All policies differ, but since this occurred off school property and off school time...and he kid self reported something he didn't have to report at all...it would be a shame if the school had such a Draconian policy for a single first time offense off school grounds and off school time, espcially for one that the coach othewise wouldn't have known about or had any right to know about other than the kid's self report. Agree with CYA, but read the policy careful to discern EXACTLY what your duty is and isn't. |
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Post by kboyd on Aug 19, 2009 10:23:00 GMT -6
One thing that I live by is that everybody is going to screw up at one point or another - it's what you do after that screw up that matters. If you learn from your mistake and take the consequences and the high road then great, if you continue on your stupid ways then we part ways.
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Post by poweriguy on Aug 19, 2009 16:03:29 GMT -6
I agree. To me this is a CYA moment. Your HC has knowledge of drug possession by a student. Now, you have to read up on that school policy. You might have a zero tolerance policy and your HC might have his hands tied. Plus if he is required to report drug possession/use, and doesn't, he could be in for a world of hurt if the administration finds out what happened to this kid and the HC knew about it. Some schools i've been at, even off field conduct is grounds for dismissal from athletics. Like I said.... CYA ! All policies differ, but since this occurred off school property and off school time...and he kid self reported something he didn't have to report at all...it would be a shame if the school had such a Draconian policy for a single first time offense off school grounds and off school time, espcially for one that the coach othewise wouldn't have known about or had any right to know about other than the kid's self report. Agree with CYA, but read the policy careful to discern EXACTLY what your duty is and isn't. Right. That is why I have such a BIG problem with anything "Zero Tolerance". And I attend a school with such draconian policies. |
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Post by justryn2 on Aug 19, 2009 16:38:37 GMT -6
So here's what I would want to know. What ELSE was this kid doing? The police don't just pick a kid randomly from a crowd, search him, find a joint and then let him go. Getting caught with pot is stupid on more than one level because generally one would have to be doing something else stupid to get caught in the first place.
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Post by Coach JR on Aug 21, 2009 8:15:53 GMT -6
So here's what I would want to know. What ELSE was this kid doing? The police don't just pick a kid randomly from a crowd, search him, find a joint and then let him go. Getting caught with pot is stupid on more than one level because generally one would have to be doing something else stupid to get caught in the first place. Kid could have gotten stopped on a traffic stop for something as innocuous as not wearing his seat belt, or some other traffic violation, then had the cop ask permission to search, or maybe the cop smelled the weed. At any rate, he didn't neccessarily have to be up to something else stupid to get caught with the weed. |
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