Does Your Player have a Bad Coach? Here's How to Tell

Frequently, hockey parents find themselves wondering whether or not their child has the right coach for them. More often than not, this is just common parental worry and concern, nothing more. However, in some cases, a child may have a coach who is not doing a good or fair job. If you are concerned that this could be happening to you, consider whether or not you’ve noticed any of the warning signs of a bad coach.

Abusive Behavior                                            

Your child’s overall wellbeing is a lot more important than how your child performs as an athlete. Thus, if a coach is purposefully or even inadvertently harming a child and their self-esteem, this is a major red flag.

Good coaches do not use scare tactics, humiliation, or threatening or intimidating behavior in order to communicate with their students. If you see your coach being verbally or physically abusive toward your child or if your child tells you of such behavior, report the coach and move on immediately. No matter how effective the coach, these tactics are not okay.

A Focus on Winning

Everyone likes to win. However, the sport of hockey is about much more than scoring goals. It’s about building and empowering confident young people.

Thus, if you have a coach who cares only about winning and doesn’t see the big picture, it’s probably time to find someone else or at least to have a real, serious conversation with the coach about his motives and goals for your young player.

Knowing when you have a bad coach isn’t always easy. But, if you listen to your gut and listen to your child, as well as observe the coach and his behaviors closely, you should know the right thing to do.