Painfull Realization: We have a GANG problem

I think one of the reasons why these kids are drawn to the "gang" is that not one of them has ever met there dad...

what you have is here, is poser syndrome. These kids wanna be so cool so bad. Gang language? They say cuz and blood to eachother? Ive heard every kid i know say that sinc ei was 14... just comes with the area, and 1% of these kids were actually involved in any gang activity. They see things on tv and online and want to be cool so they fake this gang look and personality.

sit them down, and try and get them to buy in to the fact that the football team is their gang, that they really arent very hard living in a rural area, and snap them back into reality. Show them pictures of dead gang members from drive by shootings, whatever you can to scare them

Best thing honestly would be to say, ok you wanna be in a gang???

and drop them off in oakland, compton, or detroit on a random street corner at midnight and tell them you will pick them up again in 48 hours. It would either kill them or scare them straight faster than anything else ever could. Obviously you cant do this though

I'm with coachbdud, these kids are probably posing. Rural area kids who just suddenly start wearing colors? One of the kids is an honor student? I live in the suburbs and there are kids like that in my high school- they honestly think they're hard if they know a few gang signs or they go out drinking on the weekend. I've only met one kid in my life who I would have believed if he said he was in a gang, and I think he might have been an honest-to-God sociopath. These kids are just hoping nobody sees through their act and sees them as "cool." At the very basic level they're looking for respect. Now, that's not the problem, the problem is the way they're going about doing it. I'd keep speaking to them about the issue, as well as contacting the local sheriff's department. You definitely have a problem here and you got to nip it in the bud before something really bad happens.

That's just my two cents.

Sorry about the triple post, pages weren't loading correctly on my phone.

That'll end as soon as Favre leaves Kiln for Minnesota.

First impression, they see the culture around them and want to be seen as "hard" and cool and are acting that way so others fear/respect them. Growing up in a rougher part of Cleveland my first reaction is much like coachbdubs in that I'd love to drop them off and let them see that some things should be left alone and aren't as cool as they may appear.

Second reaction, I remember seeing something on the spread of gangs to rural and affluent areas and kids forming their own gangs and how these kids are more likely to take drastic measures to prove that they aren't just wannabes. So it may be best to get the sheriff or gang task force or whomever may be around to come in and talk to/scare the hell out of them. You can go the route of implementing a strict policy but if these kids are really in a gang, which I doubt, football may be there only stable outlet...I know it is for some of our kids.

wingtol hit the nail on the head. ive been coaching in one of the most gang-infested cities in our state for the past 10 years. each year it gets worse, and ive lost 2 former players to gang violence, and 5 others who are in prison now. we have had known gang members on our team in the past, but a couple of years ago we drew a line in the sand. our HC called a meeting and when the kids arrived, there were two words written on the blackboard. STREETS / FOOTBALL. he said to the kids... choose one. these two cannot peacefully co-exist, and we will not tolerate ANY gang activity, language, clothing in or around our program. we have had to dismiss 2 kids in the past 3 years who just refused to let go of their affiliations, and brought that crap into our locker room. our kids know this much.... if they are found to be a part of anything gang related, we WILL turn our back on you completely. (our HC even goes as far as collecting any of our team gear from them... t-shirts, shorts etc.) since we arrived, our program went from a 30 game losing streak to now being an annual playoff contender. the kids WANT to be a part of what we do. they must choose, period. we dont bend the rules for anyone and we dish out the harshest pssible punushment in our arsenal.... complete and total banishment from our football program. believe me... the kids who really want to be with you, will conform.

Dave...

These are not rich white kids...these are poor black kids with no fathers...I know that one of them has a cousin who is a "real" Blood...

This is a very real danger...not just some kids "faking"...

Yesterday they just "rep'd"...tomorrow they could "bang"...

yeah thats tough stuff.
sucks seein kids do that crap.

just try and use your time as a coach to counteract the negative influences.
Just by spending time after school doing something constructive like football should help, even if only a little bit.
And most importantly, that band of brothers that is your football team is also a huge deterrent. the team mentality is huge.


That is tough though. bummer to hear about it and yes it is dangerous and a bad sign that they are showin colors. continue to work at getting these kids on the right path, and realize that you probably are a huge positive influence already, whether you notice it or not.

gangs are like a cancer. if allowed to grow they will take over a school. sad thing is most times the cancer has spread a great deal before people see it or in most cases are willing to admit it.

I was at a school that failed to admit they had a gang problem. It took them the better part of 5 years to clamp down on it after they admitted to it.

one of the things we did was ban colors. you get caught wearing colors you get extra conditioning.

the reality it though there is not much one can do if the school district and town do not want to admit they have a gang problem.