Anymore to protect yourself from bullying you need to be a self-confident, well rounded individual who can stand on their on 2 feet and make the conscience effort not to be a follower. This is not an easy task, but for the one who can. They need to be willing or should I say strong enough to stand up and say weare a TEAM. You need to leave the? I don?t like her?, she?s? dating my ex?etc. at the door and put the good of the team first.You leave all don't likes, isues and problems behind you when you step on to the field.
Coaches and Parents should not tolerate bullying and hazing. (However player?s parents and the coaches should not be bullies themselves.)
Remember bullying is as contagious as a cold,so coaches and players need to help be the remedy.
Good points. I think sports can go a long way in stopping bullying instead of being a source of it.
Teamates should have each others backs on and off the field. Not alot different between friends and family.
I had a situation in the past where a couple players were either bad mouthing the team on social media or making a new player feel unwelcomed and bullied. I had a team meeting with just myself and the girls and told them how dissapointed I was in their behavior, when they had always been such a welcoming high character team. I decided to not call out the 2 girls, but instead address it at the team level and stressed team work and support of each other. I did make sure to make eye contact in the meeting with the girls In question, so they knew I knew. I threatened to suspend or cut players if it continued.
The great thing was that the girl that was doing the bullying, realized what she had done and went out of her way to genuinly befreind her teamate. I think this showed a high degree of character for that young lady in realizing the negative impact she had on her teammate and in trying to reverse it.
My oldest was bullied in school to the point where she does online schooling now and seeks other social avenues and has thrived. Though that road is not for everyone and we need the social interactions good or bad to respond to lifes curve balls.