opinions wanted

[roughneck_2008]

i have an assignment for one of my classes, I have to write a paper over an ethical/moral situation in sports. My question was, "should a coach have the right to require an athlete (at any age) compete in only one sport?". My personal opinion is that a coach shouldn't be able to tell a kid what he can or can't play, but just wanted to know what other people on the forum thought?

[coach]

Originally posted by roughneck_2008
i have an assignment for one of my classes, I have to write a paper over an ethical/moral situation in sports. My question was, "should a coach have the right to require an athlete (at any age) compete in only one sport?". My personal opinion is that a coach shouldn't be able to tell a kid what he can or can't play, but just wanted to know what other people on the forum thought?

thats garbage and it hinders them more than helps them....more activity is always best but there is a fine line between too much activity

[roughneck_2008]

that's what I thought. the bad part is that I have to argue for both sides of the argument.

[STANG RED]

Coaches who demand their athletes compete in only one sport are being very short sighted. Those kids can develop lots of skills and just good ol physical fitness and stamina from participating in other sports. But I do agree some kids can get too many irons in fire sometime, to where even their studies are hindered. But the decisions of what to give up have to be made by the student and their parents, NOT the coach. Although I certainly think the coach has every right to put his/her two cents in.

[ASUFrisbeeStud]

is it for a sports psych class?

[roughneck_2008]

no, its an intro to exercise and sports science class

[BreckTxLonghorn]

Originally posted by roughneck_2008
i have an assignment for one of my classes, I have to write a paper over an ethical/moral situation in sports. My question was, "should a coach have the right to require an athlete (at any age) compete in only one sport?". My personal opinion is that a coach shouldn't be able to tell a kid what he can or can't play, but just wanted to know what other people on the forum thought?

I think a key word on this is (at any age). In high school and below, I don't think so, the kid is kid. But when you get to college, a lot of the athletes are having their school paid to play in that sport. At that point, the coach ( and the school) has a right. Same with professionals. If you are getting paid to play one sports, your employer has a right to tell you to obstain from others. In a simple job sense, every employer I ever had informed me on application that I have to submit a request for approval to work a second job. It's the same with with professional (and to a lesser extent, college) sports.

[Rabid Cougar]

Short answer, No. If the kid wants to be a 4 sport letter winner, so be it. In smaller schools it is practically a "have to". 4As and 5As with tons of kids, I could see coach's encouraging focusing on one or two sports.

[OldBison75]

I agree that through high school, a coach is a teacher and mentor first , and therefore should not discourage any kid from trying out for any sport the kid wants to play. The coach, after evaluating the kid, may encourage him or her to focus more energy in the area they excel in, but the decision to play or not should be the kid and parents choice. Once the kid is out of high school, the entire situation changes. If a kid has accepted a scholorship to play a sport, he owes it to his benefactor (college) to concentrate on the sport he is being compensated for. In a few rare cases, a school will allow a kid to play more than one sport in colege, but that is almost always through an agreement with the coaches involved.

[BIG BLUE DEFENSIVE END]

Originally posted by roughneck_2008
i have an assignment for one of my classes, I have to write a paper over an ethical/moral situation in sports. My question was, "should a coach have the right to require an athlete (at any age) compete in only one sport?". My personal opinion is that a coach shouldn't be able to tell a kid what he can or can't play, but just wanted to know what other people on the forum thought?


On the religious level, it impedes on the freedom of choice, which is a God-given right. On a political level, it goes against the American idea of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Write about how you really feel, if you aren't a great writer, then it will sound fake and you won't do well.

[BullsFan]

I think common sense should play a factor too. Signing up for both power lifting and cross country probably wouldn't be the smartest thing to do. But a coach can do a lot of encouraging and/or discouraging before you get to the forbid stage.

[Old Dog]

The main problem as I see it (and had a daughter involved in it) is the coach can "PUNISH" a kid by not allowing them to participate at their normal level. Some of the worst "pi____g matches I've seen have been between coaches and ag teachers/county agents or between coaches and band directors. They just flat refuse to share the kids, and I'm sorry to say that in our case the coaches were the a__holes!

[pancho villa]

Originally posted by roughneck_2008
no, its an intro to exercise and sports science class

As long as they don't play soccer!