A football coach has lost his job, his reputation bruised for as long as the word Google is part of the American vocabulary.
An undefeated team on the way to its school’s best season in years is forced to conclude that campaign under different leadership; good coaches without experience managing that workflow.
The community at large, already recognized in the region as a place that eats up coaches, takes another shot to the chin.
Who’s in the wrong? Who loses out?
All of us.
How much do a majority of us know about what exactly happened at a Sept. 19 football practice in Oakland? Somewhere between zero and not much, which is enough these days to make us err on the side of alarm.
At some point in the middle of otherwise standard midweek preparations for a game against the Oxford Hills Vikings, former Messalonskee coach Wes Littlefield became embroiled in an incident with a player.
The confrontation was significant enough that it wound up in the hands of the local police department. Littlefield was suspended with pay, and he subsequently resigned the day before the Eagles’ 41-0 road rout of the Vikings.
When the investigation concluded Tuesday, Littlefield — Messalonskee’s coach for nearly a decade — was charged with simple assault.
It’s a cautionary tale, but the teachable moment isn’t restricted to the guy holding the summons.
Yes, it is true that the days of the spitting, stammering football coach from central casting (think Jon Voight’s character from “Varsity Blues”) are over.
It is no longer acceptable to slap a player in the helmet for any reason except affirmation for a great play. No longer permissible to grab and twist his facemask. No longer OK to literally kick his butt while he’s in the three-point stance.
We’ve moved on. I know too many successful coaches who cast a shadow as successful authority figures without ever behaving like a belligerent fool. Mike Hathaway of Leavitt, Gary Parlin of Mt. Blue, Bill County of Lewiston and Dick Mynahan of Lisbon immediately come to mind. There are others. The tri-county schools are blessed.
But I guarantee you all those guys have self-evaluated at the end of a rough day and wished they had handled something differently. Football is an emotional game, one in which society’s rules of personal space are violated on every play.
You might not be shoved or yanked around by your coach, but the odds are good in a four-year career that you’ll be slapped with words that hurt just as much. And you’d better get used to it, son, because that’s an element that pervades every nook and cranny of the real world.
Among the unanswered questions for most of us is how this incident spilled over from the practice field to the dinner table and to the local authorities in the first place.
Did the athlete immediately run home and vent to his parents? I’m all about family communication, but schools have an athletic director, a principal and a superintendent in place for a reason. There doesn’t seem to have been sufficient time for all of them to be involved before law enforcement was.
Was an eyewitness to practice responsible for the swift reaction and rush to justice? I’m all for community involvement in high school athletics. It’s a nice system of checks and balances. But some things look and sound differently and carry a different context at arm’s length than they do from a hillside.
And what of Littlefield’s record and character references? I’m not saying that a stellar reputation is always an automatic sign of innocence (see “Penn State”), but on the surface the coach doesn’t appear given to random fits of rage.
Former players have characterized Littlefield as hard-nosed but fair and an outstanding teacher of the game and its life lessons. Current players are said to be heavily involved in his local gym, a pretty good sign that he hasn’t done anything to make himself universally despised.
Littlefield could have, probably should have, I’m betting would have, behaved differently if he had the opportunity for a second take on those five seconds of his life.
I also know from experience that the people who filed the complaint likely wouldn’t change a thing, and that’s what bothers me.
Unless blood was drawn or stars were seen, “assault” appears to be an overreaction. This is something that could have been hashed out in an office among the good people of Messalonskee High School and the parties involved.
But our society wants satisfaction, and we demand it now. Which is pretty much the No. 1 reason we struggle to keep good coaches, isn’t it?
I guess I’m a little confused. Is it the Police Department’s fault, the High Schools fault or the kids fault? I mean on one hand we acknowledge that the level of public knowledge is zero, but we lay blame on an “overreaction”. We don’t really know what the “assault” was. I’m guessing that it was more than a slap on the helmet or a face mask twisting, but I don’t know. It just seems that this article trys to deflect blame from the person who created the situation, the coach. But again, perhaps I’m reading it wrong.
Seems it was a helmet grab followed by a punch.
Helmet grab? You betcha. Punch, that sounds a little bit over the top.
Zero knowledge???? The so called man hit a kid thats right or am I reading this wrong??? I bet this is not the first time this has happened. I hope he gets time and help for his problem.
I totally agree with you. I meant Zero Knowledge just based on the fact that the report is still with the police, and has not been released to the public.
Excellent article! There needs to be a buffer of reason between the “I gotcha!” type of players and parents and the punching, kicking, screaming, water depriving tyrant coaches that I grew up with. I think Kalle’s point is that this should have been handled “in house” first, ie. player, coaches, AD, principal, superintendent.
Football is a tough game. Emotions are always running high and tempers flare. Especially when coaches are trying to work on mental discipline. With ADHD affecting so many kids today and respect for your elders and any type of authority generally a thing of yesteryear, it is an unenviable position to be a coach today. Having said that, there is no room for punching and kicking or worse in today’s world. Working it out as a team first and then the succession of administrators would have been a more reasonable approach.
No, it would have been a very unreasonable approach to let the team or a succession of administrators handle a criminal act such as an assault. It’s not part of any other their job descriptions and it IS within the job description of the police and courts.
what is this article about exactly?
Amen. Sounds like a Littlefield supporter trying not to sound like one.
It should be labeled an editorial, not presented as a news article.
It says commentary right at the top….
I see that now. It was not there earlier but thank you for pointing it out. It does change the perspective of the article entirely.
Condoning violence by an authority figure; go figure.
Yes, there were many eye witnesses. Yes Littlefield is hard nosed and when young students are used to that they end up not realizing that the behavior is wrong. Of course they will (most of them especially the star players who are spoiled) stand by their coach. (think even how children still love their parents even though they get verbally and or physically abused) Yes they were required to work out at his gym and parents had to pay for their membership. That was another way this coach used his players, to get more money after already being payed by the school to coach. I don’t believe blood has to be drawn in order for an assault charge. Anyone who feels they were assaulted should go to the authorities. Littlefields credentials come second to what comes out of his mouth and at the end of his arms.
I don’t understand why this became a big deal. So what you got roughed up a little bit? deal with it and move on. A little adversity never hurt. There are plenty of other kids around the world who are probably a lot worse off and we don’t see the complaints there. I do not believe the coach was in the wrong. Especially if all it was, was a slap on the helmet.
So you condone violence by authority figures? That is how fascists justify themselves….
I love it when people like you grab on to a word such as fascist and use it every time they get a chance.
> I love it when people like you grab on to a word such as fascist and use it every time they get a chance.
Like; “So what you got roughed up a little bit?” , [ again, Honey. ] ??
‘
People like me? I just love ignorant trolls ….like you
This “Troll” thing you play everyday is played-way played. Try something new.
Well sir, if you don’t like it stop playing troll and don’t respond.
You keep saying people are being “trolls”, but I’m pretty sure you misinterpreted how that word is to be used.
Football IS a violent sport liberal meathead.
Yes I know; I played in junior high and high school in the south; so how does not condoning violence by an authority figure make me a “liberal” or anything else? Sounds like your a BDN passive/aggressive troll.
Because you used a favorite word of liberals, fascist. Anytime an authority figure speaks out, you call them a fascist. Well, that is what authority figures do, they speak out and take control. Liberals hate control.
Football is a violent sport but that is NOT an excuse for the coaches being violent to the kids they are teaching the sport to. The violence is supposed to take place on the field, between the two opposing teams, and within the context of the game, and that violence is no excuse for fights after the game or violence between coaches and kids.
My guess is that you don’t have kids…?
Say your boss at work dose the same thing to you what would you do ?
The workplace is not a football field.The players are student athletes-not employees- There is a major difference. The two have no similarities whatsoever.
Right. One is an adult and the other a minor being assaulted by an adult. There is never a need for a coach to raise a hand to a player. Inexcusable and he should have lost his job.
Absolutely. The era of the “old-school” coach – i.e. Shawn Walsh, Herb Brooks, Vince Lombardi, Biill Parcells, John Tortorella – has long passed us by, and the more laid back style is favorable in today’s sporting world. Doesn’t matter what happens at practice and in a game, no reason to strike one of your players.
And Maine hockey hasn’t won since, Team USA hasn’t won gold, and the Packers sucked until Brett Favre resurrected them. And it’s why the rest of the world feels they can push us around and get away with it.
Who cares about winning a ball game if it mean hitting kids ? Seriously.Win at any cost seems like that what Bob Lucy did Blue ribbon test scores by cheating. You remind me of A guy i met in a bar lol thought he could push me around . Sucker punched me out side with 3 of his friends. When I pulled a knife they all took to running. One has the right to defend themselves . I will not stand back and let someone maybe kill me . Never bully someone or start a fight you may never know the outcome. Good thing I do not drink anymore someone might have died .
Exactly. I’ve heard numerous stories about Herbie being an extreme jerk back in the 80’s.
So you are more worried about a coach being a jerk, than the the pride he brought to this country in what may be the greatest moment in American sports history. A moment that EVERY American was proud of. A moment that rallied this country during the Cold War. To be a great leader, you need to be a jerk sometimes. It’s why our man in the White House is so useless.
Sure, the team won a gold medal. But he treated those players like crap half the time. Making your players run suicides after a game for looking at girls in the stands? C’mon, man
So a smack on the helmet is a terrible act? Do you know how many times I saw a coach smack a kid on the helmet when my son played football? Do you know much love and respect ALL of those players had for their coach? And why do I remind you of a guy in a bar? I never threatened you, nor would I ever threaten another person. This kid wasn’t threatened either. I just disagree with your point of view. However, since I know a few people who drink too much, I can see why you thought I was threatening you, since every drunk I have met gets pissed off at the littlest things.
Correct Wayno. The “wussifcation” of America through political correctness.
AMEN STEVE63!
If some adult hit my kid believe me. I would show him how hard a man can hit. It would be well worth the assault charge. I would be hitting him ten times harder.
Back in the 60s my dad would have told me to change the channel(ignoring me) if I had told him that a coach roughed me up a bit-he would have been embarrassed that his kid was such a whiner. This will bleed over to the whole educational system-not just sports. I don’t like my grade, the teacher yelled too loud, the teacher hurt my feelings…there will be no end to calling higher authorities. Who would dare to step in and break up a play ground fight-not me. Parents will love that.
So if the kid decided he would hit the coach with a baseball bat would that be right.? Please tell me the difference I want to know. I do not know exactly what happened but it was assault. If any adult hit my son he better have good reason . apparently you do not know what it is like to be bullied . Ralph Greanleaf found out the hard way . By About 5 college sports players. The right thing for them to do seeing a drunk man maybe running his mouth would have been to walk away. Young atholetes pushed him . I would care to be it was not just a simple push and a fall by the way his skull was damaged. Some of these spoiled bullies get away with it. If those people did nothing wrong why did they run? You defend yourself and you are the one in trouble. In school the spoiled jock rich kids would turn thier class rings around and hit people on the head I would have loved to cut thier finger off.
The adult gets to wear a football helmet right ?
Ya but if he dose I get to bring a tire iron. I guess I will never let my son play football if winning is everything at all cost. I would be willing to bet the coach would have me arrested even if he was not hurt bad enough to be in ICU . Seems like a double standard. Bullies always go cry to authorities when you defend yourself . but it is OK when they do it.
Double standard would be using a tire iron instead of a fist.
Double standard is hitting a kid.
There ya go tough guy. Great way to teach your son about violence. Maybe if you taught him to fight his own battles, instead of doing it for him, he would become a man instead of a wuss
Teach him to fight a man ? This kid did the right thing . Went to his parents. I would hope the heck he did not fight fair . Seems the coach Is teaching about violence pick on the weak. I always walked away from trouble . I rarely lost a fight . No such thing as a fair fight defending yourself or your family. Some people took my kindness as a sign of weakness . some even thought I was a wuss . I will tell you what people who pick on or bully other are the biggest wusses . If I was mad enough to hit someone I was not afraid to hurt them. That is something I do not want my son to learn . Maybe I would not have hit the coach but I would not just let that go.
Sir, it sounds a lot like you are trying to counsel yourself on these posts. You walked away, yet you never lost a fight. You thought people saw you as weak. You had to get really mad to hurt someone. You tell us is one post how you will “hit another man”, but when you are called out you claim you probably wouldn’t hit him. Sir, I NEVER, EVER hit another human no matter how mad I was.
So you say its ok for a coach to hit a kid but its not ok for your boss to hit you if you go some thing wrong .
I am with you on this. If he can hit a kid can I go down to the football field and beat the snot out of the coach ? I would bet you money he would have me arrested . I can tell you what if he slapped my kid he would get a lot more than a slap for me. This coach was lucky it was not my kid. He might not have lost his job but would have been hard to coach from a hospital bed.
I wouldn’t have on a full set of pads, and a helmet, playing a violent sport that other kids may do far worse things to me on the field.
In no way, shape, or form is a “simple” assault to be dismissed as the author of this “article” seems to believe. Teenagers, who are still developing their sense of right and wrong and learning about not acting on and controlling impulses (google teenagers and prefrontal cortex development with regard to make judgement decisions), deserve good role models to emulate. Adults are responsible for teaching kids right from wrong. To say the kids should toughen up leaves me floored. These same kids will grow up and then maybe on an impulse give their wife or kids a little tap and a shake and a punch. Should we tell the wife or kids to toughen up?
I think the absolute RIGHT end has resulted from this situation.
It is all about context.
A football player practicing for what is a violent game, and a game that subjects the player to continuous assaults, is wearing a helmet designed to protect his head from much more severe impacts, gets his face mask grabbed, and a slap on the helmet by the coach. He probably could not even feel it. This is much different than a slap on the side of the head in almost any other domestic or otherwise docile environment or situation. It is unfortunate some folks cannot insert a little context or common sense into the situation.
If that is what it takes to win maybe we do not need football. These are kids.
Do you watch the NFL at all? Where do you think these men learn to play this game, when they are drafted?
I also watch my wallet UMaine sports cost $87o,000 more last year than it brought in. Who pays for this ? I do and every kid going to school. Only a very few benefit. Why do we even NEED football . look assault is assault . Seems you are one of the people who think some people should have special rights. I would bet My son in middle school would score as high on the SAT as half the UMaine football players . I will have to pay to send him to college and as much as i do not like it have to pay some of Jack Cosgroves $260k with benefits . I work hard for my money . I would have No issue with Bangor high schools new $7 million dollar football field if they had a lower drop out rate than local schools that do not have football. I know you like football great . It is not fair to make everyone pay for it. School need to be more focused on education than winning sports. These are kids not NFL players .
You are wrong in your assertion that your Middle School child would score as high on the SAT as half the UMaine football players and a statement like that goes to show you what a simple-minded person you are. I went to UMaine, graduated from UMaine, and played sports for UMaine. The majority of the football players were and are extremely intelligent and very tough.
Unfortunately, you sound just like you have “small man’s syndrome” (and no I am not implying that you are a small man, but you certainly sound like one.
I said half . You have no idea how well my middle school child would score on an SAT . I agree some of the player are real bright and work hard that dose not change the FACT that the average football player in college lags roughly 200 points below average on the SAT . Factor in the smart ones . Almost a standard deviation below average for a college student . To score that big of a difference knowing some are way above average some a lot must be way below. 63 on scholarship at UMaine . My point I did not go to college because I could not afford too. Why send some that will never learn as much as I did in High school. Special tutors ? Dumb down classes or majors?
So we should do away with ALL college sports at UMaine then, since they ALL lose money? Football gives the other sports a REMOTE chance of existing at all. And I agree that education is the most important thing, but sports and other activities make a person well rounded. My son played football nearly his entire life, although he is only 19, and parlayed that into enlistment in the USAF, and plans to make a career out of it. His younger sister played basketball most of her young life, and is planning on going to Bentley College(not looking forward to that bill). So barring a knock down, drag out fight by a coach, I have no issue with how they handle their student-athletes.
Even a hard punch to the helmet would only hurt the coaches hand. But by law, if you so much as brush a cops uniform you will get charged with assault. So I guess it’s assault.
What? You are comparing an officer of the law with some high school kid? Of course you can’t touch an officer. You can never touch an officer in the line of duty.
If the coach tackled him on the field to demonstrate a play, that would be fine. To strike a kid in ANY other context is violence and is never ok.
If your still developing your sense of right and wrong at 16 it’s too late
Really? Teenagers are still developing right from wrong? ummmm.. I taught my kids when they were 2, 3 4 years old what right from wrong was. They knew by the time they got into grade school that stealing, lying, etc. was wrong. They certainly did not get taught this as teenagers. Teenagers know right from wrong, they know what they should do and what they should not do.
When sports becomes more important to people then the kids themselves then they should shut it down… you people are freaks to think it’s OK to assult kids. He should never coach again… No wonder the country is in the mess it’s in, their values are messed up.
Sport are always #1 . I think it is so stupid . When I was in school A teacher (coach) not a sport I was playing condoned the little punch you in the arm game. I told the kid if you punch my in the arm again I will punch you in the mouth. (who could I go to the teacher) after being hit many time for few weeks. I punch the kid in the mouth. probably not as hard as he was hitting me . Non the less he was crying and had to go to the orthodontist. I was kicked out of school. I just do not get it. They wonder why kids snap. When a teacher is part of the bullying it lets it get out of control .
Obviously you never played a sport in your life and had a coach yell. Once again, one whiny little punk has ruined a man’s life because he was a little puke. WWHHHAAA!!! MOMMY HE WAS MEAN TO ME!! WWHHAAA!!!
Hit my son without a real good reason . I will show you what a man is . A man dose not pick on kids. The people who do are afraid of real men. Sometimes we have to play by the rules . Seems like the ones who support him is only because he was a winning coach.
You just called a kid a little puke. Thats all I need to know about you…..
When kids whine and cry to mommy because someone yelled at them, they are pukes. And I could care less what you think about me….!
Oakes missed this one by a mile, time to get out of the office and into the “real world” as you call it. If someone had the courage to go to the police years ago, perhaps Penn State wouldn’t be the laughing stock they are today.
Comparing this instance to Penn State is ridiculous. Think about it.
I wasn’t comparing the physical incident to Penn State, I was comparing Oakes assertion that you should go to the school instead of the authotities. If the kid was wrong, then the police can sort that out. I don’t know the deatils here, but if a law is broken, I think it’s ok to call the police
Once the kid and his parents made that decision there was no turning back. Several years ago Bangor High School had an incident where the AD held back a kid at a school rally. The parents contacted police and the whole deal went off the charts. When kids know they can call the police on school employees-they will- and it will be tough to handle for everyone involved.
The Penn State issue did go to the authorities, but they did nothing also. Not until it was taken outside of The Valley was anything done. And you say “if the kid was wrong.” Well if he was wrong, it’s too late for the coach now. His life, and career, are ruined because it went to the cops, and now it’s public. It’s another reason why names, charges, etc. should NEVER be released to the public until the person is found guilty by a jury, or pleads to the crime.
Sounds like one football player had too much of mommies milk. If that is the case “he grabbed his facemask and a slaped him on the helmet than I’m not sure what the deal is? There is a line that can’t be crossed and I’m not sure this coach crossed that line in this case. More information would be nice.
‘When the investigation concluded Tuesday, Littlefield — Messalonskee’s coach for nearly a decade — was charged with simple assault.” …….. I think that all your questions you throw out are trumped by the outcome my friend. Nice writing though.
Let me say this if an adult assaulted my son I would show him how hard a real man can hit. I might go to jail but it would be worth it. This is why kids bully in school. learned from adults. I was bullied in school and was the one in trouble for defending myself. My mother said alway told me if someone hit you hit them back 10 times harder . Of i would have listened to my mom some of these bullies would have been dead. You see child suicide and bringing guns to school. It is not all about winning it about kids being kids.
my child plays football. IF his coach ever assaulted him at a practice, it is MY JOB as a parent to be the one he comes to speak to. Me first. Not the AD, not the Principal. We entrust him to the staff at schools and football practice to teach him, with integrity and self-respect, NOT to be assaulted EVER.
This article is abhorrent. You are blaming the victim, who is a child. You should be ashamed of yourself.
I agree 100% If he had talked to the school it probably would have been covered up. Just look at what happened in the Carlson case . Police new . Counselors treating 6 of him victims who are mandated by law to report. Not trying to put this man in Carlsons class by any means . Pay the fine coach . Get another job and move on you screwed up.
But we do NOT know what happened there. And no, I am not saying that the Coach was right or wrong. I am saying that we do not know what happened and it is nice to see so many people here assume guilt before we assume innocence.
It’s pointless to speculate on what should have happened to this coach until we know exactly what happened at the practice. If all that was done was an open-handed slap to the helmet and/or a facemask grab, this coach has been railroaded!
Sorry assault is assault . Try an open handed slap on your wife and see where that gets you?
If she’s wearing a helmet? She’ll laugh her a** off.
Ever play football?
I do not think Almy would laugh it off. Or the police. No never played football but I know how some of the jocks were when I was in school . They would like punch me in the arm for no reason. When I would punch them back in the mouth they would go crying to the teacher.
I’m done here; not wasting any more time trying to open an unopenable mind.
Cheers.
I do not think your a bad guy neither am I . Just we will never agree on this .
Agreed.
Last time I checked, our wives don’t walk around in a helmet and pads getting beat up and bruised on the field of play.
Nope – by law it is an assault; and since it is an adult authority figure the coach should not only be fired; he should held responsible at an even higher degree; perhaps he should also be charged with child endangerment.
GREAT ARTICLE!! And another reason why today’s media, and society, are such a disgrace. “What did he do? What did she say? We must know now! Who cares if the facts aren’t straight, we must bring someone down NOW!” I am appalled at the way things operate today, with the media, and it’s followers, so anxious to rake someone over the coals, yet they back away and say, “I knew he was innocent.” when the person is found as such. OVERREACTION!! But what can we expect when people like Nancy DisGrace continue to pop up on our TV screens across America.
“You might not be shoved or yanked around by your coach, but the odds are
good in a four-year career that you’ll be slapped with words that hurt
just as much. And you’d better get used to it, son, because that’s an
element that pervades every nook and cranny of the real world”.
Don’t say that to a liberal. According to them, that type of philosophy is what is wrong with this country.
Ms. Oakes, you missed the boat on this article, in fact you aren’t even in the right body of water. I have no idea what transpired to bring about the charges, but what I do know is that somebody told an authority figure about an incident at practice. Somebody, either leadership at school or the police, did some preliminary investigation to ensure it was credible, then the school leadership made a choice to put the coach on paid leave to give them more time to look into the situation.
The coach made a choice to resign, his choice, not the principals, not the AD’s choice, not the players’ choice, the coach’s choice.
The police continued their investigation and found there to be enough evidence to charge the coach for his actions, again his actions, nobody else’s actions.
So I am completely blown away how “swift action not always the right one” has any place in the headline. The school took the choice to put him on paid leave to give themselves and the police department time to ensure the proper decision was made, that shows they were refraining from taking swift action but also not leaving themselves open to a lawsuit. The only one that made was could be remotely considered swift action was the coach.
This article just baffles me, it is just out of touch with reality.
I just don’t understand this story. Is she saying it’s ok to hit a kid, and if he doesn’t bleed he’s fine? Is she really saying that a kid should not talk to his parents before he talks to a principal? I’m thinking she was taking “mothers little helper” before she wrote. It’s a little scary that the BDN even put this online.
Who is “she” that you are talking about? Are you talking about the author? If you are then “she” is a “he”.
Here’s a message to all HS coaches in Maine…Quit now! It’s not worth it! Even when you speak harshly to a kid these days you have parents complaining! I used to coach football, basketball, and baseball. I absolutely loved the kids…it was the parents that drove me out of it.
We once played in an Eastern Maine Championship baseball game and lost a heartbreaker by one run. As I was addressing my team, a parent came into the dugout and started questioning me why I didnt play his kid in the game? I barked at him and told him to never step foot in my dugout again. Within 2 days I had the AD questioning me about it. See, the part I left out was that the parent was a local restaurant owner and a member of the Chamber of Commerce. I lost 2 kids off that team to graduation and we were favored to win it the next year. I was so fed up with the lack of support by the AD I resigned that fall, that very talented team went 6-10 the next year and didnt make the playoffs. I run into players from that team 16 years later, they all still call me coach and want to talk baseball and what should’ve been!
Ive never told them, and never will the reason I left. Just when I start to regret leaving and start thinking about getting back into it, all I have to do is remember the day he walked into my dugout at the worst possible time. Today, he’s still throwing his weight around…only now its with his grandkids!
great post..you are dead on!
“Unless blood was drawn or stars were seen, “assault” appears to be an
overreaction. This is something that could have been hashed out in an
office among the good people of Messalonskee High School and the parties
involved.”
This is one of the most ridiculous statements I’ve seen spoken or written by a (supposed) adult person in a very long time! The fact that someone coaches a physical game like football does NOT give him carte blanche to in any way assault the children in his charge. If he cannot teach the game or inspire his players or chastise his players without trying to physically intimidate them, then he had no business being a coach to start with. I think that sports teach young people lots of valuable life lessons and I’ve known quite a few very good high school coaches, and some of them were very intense, but they all were able to be effective without even coming close to physically assaulting their players.
Contrary to the opinion of the author, no community took it on the chin, and none of us lost out, but we all would have lost out if ANY high school coach is allowed to assault his players and then is allowed to hide behind wannabe macho apologists, such as this author, for the (adult, authority figure) coaches misbehavior.
Assault is a crime and is NOT something that is “hashed out” by anyone but the appropriate criminal authorities and that applies to us ALL, even football coaches!