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Post by kylem56 on May 16, 2009 19:55:01 GMT -6
Coaches, I would like your opinion on this topic. What is your team policy on drugs? Obviously every coach here does not want anyone on their team using drugs and I am sure all schools have a zero tolerance policy but say for example a player came to you in private and said they need help because of an addiction? Would you boot them off still ? Would you try to find them help? or would you turn it over to the school? I would never make an excuse for someone who uses drugs cause I seen it ruin or end lives of young people but at the same time I do know that everyone makes mistakes. I guess my question is, what is your team's policy?
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byuwolverine
Junior Member
Life is a game of inches --- Add them up in any aspect and there is your outcome.
Posts: 285
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Post by byuwolverine on May 16, 2009 20:04:04 GMT -6
From what I gather from our HC, administration and some parents want zero tolerance. But we feel that is not in the best interests of the kids (thats what were there for right?) and lets be honest, kids will do stupid stuff and make wrong choices. But there needs to be structure and support and athletics and school clubs can provide that. Some players do not have the I deal "Honey I'm Home!" American home life and if zero tolerance would occur, then some kids would be lost. They would go to school and go home, some will go back to bad influences that can fill up their time that used to be spent under us.
Now there are suspensions, but kids still come to practice and come to games in their jerseys and stand on the sidelines. Now if it is an ongoing issue then parents and coaches need to work together for the kids best interests.
But if the kid is a disruption and undermines the team and could care less about the team then yes let him go.
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Post by coachguy83 on May 16, 2009 20:07:53 GMT -6
I personally believe in a zero tolerance policy, but if a player feels comfortable enough to come to you with a problem you have to honor that special relationship. I think you have to help that kid the best that you can and that probably means that they need the structure that football can provide. I would allow them to stay on the team under the condition that they get the help that they need.
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Post by kylem56 on May 16, 2009 20:11:53 GMT -6
Thanks for the responses thus far. In my mind, yes there needs to be discipline action but if we realy care about the kid, we dont just want to boot him off and give him even less structure in his life.
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Post by coachguy83 on May 16, 2009 20:21:06 GMT -6
Exactly, but zero tolerance doesn't mean you just give them the boot. It just means that there will be punishment for the rule infraction.
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byuwolverine
Junior Member
Life is a game of inches --- Add them up in any aspect and there is your outcome.
Posts: 285
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Post by byuwolverine on May 16, 2009 20:26:43 GMT -6
Exactly, but zero tolerance doesn't mean you just give them the boot. It just means that there will be punishment for the rule infraction. And Punishment for their actions is a part of structure.
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Post by mariner42 on May 17, 2009 3:02:51 GMT -6
For us, first offense = suspension from school which will mean no PT and two more missed games after they come back from their suspension, so 3 in all. Second offense = done with sports for a year. Third offense = done period, potentially expelled.
I like it, I find it firm, fair, and honest about expectations.
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Post by 19delta on May 17, 2009 7:10:12 GMT -6
Every school that I am aware of has the policy written in such a way that if a kid gets caught using drugs, it is really out of the coaches' hands. Treatment and discipline is always done at the administrative level.
In the case of a kid who has not been caught but admits to a school authority (teacher, coach, administrator, etc, etc) that they are using drugs or alcohol, I'm not sure what would happen. My guess is that, at the least, the information must legally be shared with parents or administrators.
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Post by khalfie on May 17, 2009 8:19:59 GMT -6
Thanks for the responses thus far. In my mind, yes there needs to be discipline action but if we realy care about the kid, we dont just want to boot him off and give him even less structure in his life. Just the opposite coach... That's exactly what you want to do. 1. If you have prior knowledge of a kid doing something dangerous and illegal and don't report it... you will be held more accountable than the kid for his actions. 2. As good as you may believe the game is for kids... its still a game. You can spend personal time with the kid, in hopes of helping him get his life right... but he obviously has bigger issues than football... and that's where his focus should lie... So much so, the fact that he told you speaks to his awareness of just how bad his problem is... 3. Rules are rules... and they can't be ignored, simply because a kid came clean... that's why the rule is there... to make kids come clean... they are supposed to come clean... Getting clean is the reason for the rule.
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Post by coachks on May 17, 2009 12:22:34 GMT -6
What about if you find about about incidents informally. You hear rumors about a party or what not in which players use alcohol/drugs ect.
How do you handle that? High Schoolers aren't exactly known for their ability to shutup about things so it almost certainly has/will come up for just about every HC.
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Post by khalfie on May 17, 2009 13:18:52 GMT -6
What about if you find about about incidents informally. You hear rumors about a party or what not in which players use alcohol/drugs ect. How do you handle that? High Schoolers aren't exactly known for their ability to shutup about things so it almost certainly has/will come up for just about every HC. I've got a buddy... coaching at a real piss poor school... he's going into his second year and thinks they may have a shot... He's talking with one of his stud players... smells the stinch of weed on the kid, and somehow finds out the kid has weed in his pocket... while in school. Kid is easily one of the better players in the program, no one else knows the kid was high, or had weed in his possession... Without hesitation, my buddy turns the kid in, and the kid is suspended for at least the first 3 games of the season... Long story short... you do the right thing... Because its the right thing.
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Post by bobgoodman on May 17, 2009 14:02:52 GMT -6
I don't see what good it does a team to have any drug policy whatsoever. If the team is sponsored by an institution that conditions the program on following that institution's drug policy, or policy on chewing gum for that matter, then OK, that's the deal you make to use their facilities, etc., just as I enforced my dept.'s attendance policy in courses I taught even though I wouldn't have one myself. Otherwise I don't see how it affects the game.
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Post by mariner42 on May 17, 2009 14:32:31 GMT -6
What about if you find about about incidents informally. You hear rumors about a party or what not in which players use alcohol/drugs ect. How do you handle that? High Schoolers aren't exactly known for their ability to shutup about things so it almost certainly has/will come up for just about every HC. I tell them to very careful about what they say to me. I'm happy to hear about their lives and I like to think I give good advice when asked for it, but I'm very clear that if I hear anything about drug/alcohol use on school grounds or at a school function, I will be having some serious conversations with my administrative team. I suppose mine's closer to a "don't ask, don't tell" sort of policy. I let them know that even if they use euphemisms (We got super-'happy' while having a 'sleepover'), I'm not ok with hearing about it. I tell them drug/alcohol abuse is against the law and should be something they don't partake in, but I also advocate safety and being responsible.
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Post by touchdownmaker on May 17, 2009 19:02:32 GMT -6
My policy is to do whatever the principal wants me to do in that case. Its his building and thats a school issue before its a sports issue in my opinion. Kids arent traffic tickets, you cant just throw them away.
I think we have a responsibility to help the young men even if their judgement stinks, their actions stink and their habits stink. Just try to help them through it and in the mean time coach up the rest of the kids. what else can you do? if its me, I dont want druggies around my team. Im sure we have our share like anyone but If I know about it, im chasing them off and pushing for them to get their lives right , forget sports and get help.
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Post by fbcoach74 on May 18, 2009 13:54:37 GMT -6
we have a school wide policy 1st offense 35% of the season suspension 2nd offense is 365 day suspension 3rd offense lifetime ban of athletics.
We are also implementing a new random drug testing policy next school year for all extra curricular activities. Should be interesting.
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Post by caneman on May 18, 2009 16:39:11 GMT -6
Thanks for the responses thus far. In my mind, yes there needs to be discipline action but if we realy care about the kid, we dont just want to boot him off and give him even less structure in his life. You need to notify the school and let them handle it... unfortunately, in our litigous society you will be liable if you handle the issue on your own and not let the school handle it and then something happens to the kids... i love working with the kids and being part of a positive influence in their life but I got a wife and three kids who come first...
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Post by caneman on May 18, 2009 16:41:02 GMT -6
What about if you find about about incidents informally. You hear rumors about a party or what not in which players use alcohol/drugs ect. How do you handle that? High Schoolers aren't exactly known for their ability to shutup about things so it almost certainly has/will come up for just about every HC. At a public school you can't really do anything about it... but I coach at a private school and we remove the kids from the team if they are at parties where this is happening...
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Post by coachcathey on May 19, 2009 6:00:34 GMT -6
Long story short... you do the right thing... Because its the right thing. Well put... Schools that I know of have a district policy and you follow that.
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Post by John Knight on May 19, 2009 6:37:17 GMT -6
We have random drug testing. Our school athletic policy does include a one time turn yourself in clause where the kid can self report and gets counciling instead of punishment.
Not sure I agree or like it but that is the policy.
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Post by k on May 19, 2009 10:16:15 GMT -6
Long story short... you do the right thing... Because its the right thing. Disagree. I'll turn the kid in because I'm covering my arse not because it is the right thing. Reality is in a good deal of cases it wouldn't be the right thing.
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