Crisis Alert: Combating Abusive Coaching - Are We Doing Enough?

BOSTON, Oct. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Abusive coaching in school and youth sports is a pressing concern demanding immediate action. According to EndAbusiveCoaching.Org, recent high-profile cases have exposed the pervasive issue not only in professional and college sports but also in local communities nationwide. It's time to raise awareness and stand against this known but unaddressed crisis.

Mitch Lyons, a retired lawyer and dedicated educational advocate, founded GetPsychedSports.org (GPS) in 2002, striving to modernize outdated team models prevalent since the 19th century. "Coaching abuse, in all its forms, is a silent crisis affecting our youth and their development. It's time we shed light on this pervasive issue and take decisive action," emphasizes Mr. Lyons, who also founded the Social Emotional Learning Alliance for Massachusetts (https://sel4ma.org/).

"Every instance of coaching abuse is a disservice to the potential and dreams of our young athletes. It's a betrayal of trust and mentorship," remarks Khari Roulhac, educator, former athletic director, and President of GetPyschedSports.org and EndAbusiveCoaching.Org. Mr. Roulhac sees the potential for sports to teach modern science-based skills in a team setting with consistent messaging on all teams in a school district.

"Abusive coaching is a scar on the heart of school sports. We must raise awareness and offer modern science-based alternatives that protect our young athletes and ensure they thrive in a safe and nurturing environment." Mr. Lyons says that coaching by negatively yelling or abusing children and game officials erodes the essence of team sports, including creating team climates that generate togetherness in pursuit of a common cause.

Mr. Lyons and Mr. Roulhac's dedication to transforming the sporting experience led them to a meaningful partnership with Boston Public Schools, where they helped create a new mission and vision for high school sports that includes intentionally teaching social-emotional learning (SEL) skills (https://www.bostonpublicschools.org/athletics).

EndAbusiveCoaching.Org, an initiative of the nonprofit GetPsychedSports.org, is forming a national coalition to ensure that modern science, backed by compelling stories of victims, becomes a beacon for those seeking to bring sports out of the past and into the contemporary world where achievement is a process, not just a result.

Prominent figures in the world of sports, like Rich Lapchick, nicknamed the "social conscience of sports," Kathy Delaney-Smith, 40-year coach of Harvard's Women's Basketball, and Dr. Michael Yogman, retired chair of the Massachusetts American Academy of Pediatrics Child Mental Health Task Force have joined this effort to nurture our young athletes in a safe and supportive team climate. https://endabusivecoaching.org/support/

The time for real change is now—young lives depend on it. Join us in this urgent battle to protect and educate our children. We're rallying for revolutionary legislation in Massachusetts, "An Act to Remodel Public School Athletics through Social Emotional Learning (S. 247/H. 516)."  For more information and to join this intense campaign, visit https://endabusivecoaching.org/ma-legislation/. 

#EndAbusiveCoaching #StudentVoice #highschoolsports

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SOURCE EndAbusiveCoaching.Org