Sports Abuse Information         
 
A major barrier in solving the problem of abuse is that many coaches are not  clear what behaviors constitute maltreatment or abuse. Most recognize that  behaviors once considered by many to be acceptable are now considered to be  racist, sexist, harassing, or abusive. No wonder coaches are confused about not only what not to do, but what to do. When the people who should be guiding young athletes are emotionally, physically, or sexually abusive, a hostile and destructive environment can occur. This can erode self-esteem, confidence, and trust not only by the players, but by parents as well.


While we have little factual data on how often abuse occurs in youth sports, the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission (MASC) conducted a survey in 1993 and found the following incidence of abuse in sports in Minnesota:
 

21% said they have been pressured to play with an injury
17.5% of people surveyed said they have been hit, kicked, or slapped while participating in sports 
3.4% said they have been pressured into sex or sexual touching
(See Fact Sheet from National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, Inc.)

                                Pressures Facing Athletes

Some school-age athletes face unique pressures involving nutrition and body weight.  In sports such as football, kids may feel they need to radically increase body weight. In other sports such as wrestling, kids often try to achieve maximum strength at the lowest possible weight, which can lead to crash dieting and other harmful eating habits. 
 
In either case, your best bet is to emphasize performance. Healthy  eating supports healthy performance.  Unhealthy eating leads to lower  strength and endurance and poor mental concentration. Consider the  example of wrestling. To qualify for the lowest possible weight class,  wrestlers sometimes try to spit, vomit, or sweat enough water from their  bodies to make the weight.

"They think they can do without the water," Donze says, "but muscles are 75% water. Without water, muscles lose much of their effectiveness."

Similar performance issues arise when kids try to increase  their weight too fast. When a person overeats, the food the body cannot immediately use gets stored as fat. As a result, kids who overeat may  gain weight, but their physical fitness will be diminished.

                                                        What Coaches Can Do

                                                                                                -Treat all athletes with respect
                                                                                                -Use appropriate discipline
                                                                                                -Take injuries seriously 
                                                                                                -Replace put downs with instructions
                                                                                                -Motivate with praise, not name-calling
                                                                                                -Do not accept abusive behaviors by others

                                            "Communication is the most important influence on
                                     the relationships people have with each other."

                                                                                              -Virginia Satir

Six Essentials of Communication 
 
1. Use non-verbals wisely.
2. Be a good listener.
3. Provide positive feedback with clear instruction.
4. Be credible.
5. Emphasize positive reinforcement.
6. Be consistent.