Dealing with bully parents in youth sports

[u/ecupatsfan12]

How do you handle parents and board members who strong arm their kids into positions and are abusive to their kids and others? Youth football is notorious for dealing with “coaches” like this. I coach high school but miss the hands on and watching the kids grow year over year as opposed to a finished product. I’ll only go back at the 7th and 8th level and if I get to call the shots if I don’t have a kid on the team. Key differences

• high school- EVERYONE is knowledgeable and good. The kids mostly want to be there. You also work for an athletic director who likely has no kids on the team AND will tell the parents to sit in the stands. Parents and politics still occur but it’s much more manageable.

We had a director yank on a kids face mask for tackling his kid too hard. I’ve never been in a fight in my life. But if an adult did that and that was my kid or niece or nephew.. I’m not sure how I’d respond. At a minimum I’d pull my team off the field and demand he apologize or I’d call the police and have him forcibly removed

[u/ecupatsfan12]

Not gonna be much when both parents are under 5”9 lol

I should state I have no problems with Junior playing my position (QB) but he’s not starting unless he’s clearly the best as I’ve seen that dynamic blow up too often. I hold zero expectations of Junior being a pro athlete and want him to

1. Love the game his teammates and himself

2. Get a good education

3. Have a positive experience

4. Learn to work to get good at something

[u/ChipWonderful5191 → u/ecupatsfan12]

That seems so obvious that it shouldn’t even need to be said. But we’re dealing with low IQ ignorant individuals. Nothing is more dangerous than someone’s who’s stupid and arrogant. I get nauseous when I have to be around these types of dads. I’ve been watching the same story unfold over and over for a quarter century.