Sadly, this incident isn’t a unique one. The history of sports is full of coaches who berate and hit. And it’s also full of athletes who buy into that system. It wasn’t a player who released the Rutgers video. It was the school’s Director of Player Development, Eric Murdock. He also was fired and claims in a lawsuit that it was because of the video. His actual motivation has yet to be determined.
In any event, the incident raises an important question. What kind of behavior is appropriate for a coach, especially a coach of young people?
1. Is it ever okay for a coach to hit a player? Or hit a player with a ball? Why or why not?
2. How should a coach get an athlete to do what he or she wants?
3. If you were the athletic director at Rutgers and no one else had seen the tape, what would you have done with Coach Rice? Would you have reacted differently?
4. Have you ever witnessed a coach going too far? Did you say or do anything about it? If not, what do you think you would do in that situation?
5. Have you had a coach who really inspired you to play better? What did he or she do?
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