Can you believe this??

[bentley483]

PLEASANTVILLE, N.J. - The coaches of a middle school basketball team who humiliated one of their players by giving him a "crybaby award" will likely face disciplinary action from district officials.



The 13-year-old boy's coach called him just before last month's team banquet and told him to make sure he attended because he was getting a special trophy, the boy's father said.


At the event, the boy watched as all of his Pleasantville Middle School teammates received trophies or certificates.


He was then called up to receive his award, and a coach told the crowd that the boy was being honored because "he begged to get in the game, and all he did was whine."


The trophy had a silver figure of a baby atop a pedestal engraved with the boy's name, which was spelled incorrectly. Family members said the teen — an honor roll student — was so embarrassed that he stayed home from school on the following Monday.


Edwin Coyle, superintendent of the Atlantic County district, said he would recommend that the unidentified coaches receive some type of punishment. He planned to address the matter at Tuesday night's Board of Education meeting.


"I was very upset and dismayed that our coaches would take an opportunity to belittle or lessen the self-esteem of our athletes," Coyle said.

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Only some type of punishment? I hope they lose their jobs! I hope the parents of this child sue the pants off these morons. What kind of example does this set for the other kids on this team? I cannot beleive they let idiots like that guide and mentor children!

 

[Kimberle]

That is terrible and totally unexcusable.

The principal should have stopped this in the middle of the ceremony.

I hope the coaches responsable are fired.

 

[keenercam]

I saw this story on the news last night and felt very sorry for the kid. My DS experienced something similar on a very small scale recently when he told a teacher about conduct of other students in violation of school policy (bullying) and the teacher told him he refuses to "babysit" and that my son should work out the issue himself. We were very unhappy about that and took the issue to the school counselor, with very satisfactory results. I just don't think adults, who are there to teach and mentor and nurture, should condone belittling or bullying behavior -- it can be devastating to a child's self esteem, sometimes to tragic consequences.

 

[SeaSpray]

That is an outrage I hope they lose their jobs and coaching positions.

 

[jcemom]

What is WRONG with those people? Obviously there was more than one adult involved in this, do you mean the thought that this was not a good idea never occurred to even one of them? How did these people get jobs working with children anyway? I never cease to be amazed by the extent to which people go to prove their stupidity!

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

I would have been mortified if something like this had happened to any child at an awards ceremony. The fact that the coach made the call to insure that the child was present is horrible.

If that had happened to my child there would have been a sure case of "assault" on a coach shortly thereafter.

 

[Celluloidgal]

That is just horrible. I admit, the immature part of me, would like to give those coaches a "bad teacher" award at the next staff meeting

 

[minniecarousel]

What's even worse, is that it was a planned, deliberate act by the coaches. They had time to re-think their decision and not go through with it. I mean, even if, as coaches, they sat around joking: "yeah - we should give the "cry-baby" award to..." It's one thing, to discuss a pain-in-the-neck kid (which this kid may or may not have been) and to go through with something like this! It still amazes me the type of person who chooses to work with kids, when apparantly they don't know the first thing about them!

 

[CEDmom]

I saw this as well and couldn't believe no one stopped this coach during the ceremony. As a parent I don't think I could have sat by and let someone humiliate my child like that. People need to realize that stuff like this has a huge impact on kids and can affect them for the rest of their lives. I bet most of us can't remember alot of our day to day school activities but we can remember the names of people who were mean to us.

 

[Sleepy]

They wonder why bullying is a problem in schools It's because the teachers encourage it!!!!!!!!!!!! I find it sad that the very kids who bully turn into adults who teach the next generation how to be cruel.

I think part of the coaches punishment should be to hold a pep ralley during school hours and mid way through have the coaches walk out into the center of the ball court and APOLOGIZE (with microphones) to the poor child who was humiliated by them. Then, give them a huge award for being rude and change the sign out front of the school to state their name and their award.....the same way they announce teacher of the year.

 

[two4ruff]

A 13 year old's life is difficult enough without this kind of garbage.

Sad, just plain sad.

 

[disdreams]

How terrible for the kid! That's the problem with (some) sports now. Coaches....grown men....take things too seriously. What ever happened to the fun in sports? People like that should not be coaches. Or, dads!

 

[Serena]

Why on earth weren't they stopped before the actual ceremony? What is wrong with people?

 

[WDWAurora]

Firing him would not be easy to accomplish, especially if he is tenured. I was called stupid on a daily basis by my hs chemistry teacher, not to mention the sexual harassment. Calling me stupid was worse than that to me actually. Keep in mind we discovered later that my IQ was more than 20 points higher than his, and when the principal opened his application file, my hs GPA was WAY higher than his, and my current college GPA is about 1.5 points higher than his was. The guy was an idiot and really made me miserable, but they couldn't fire him...it's a horrible situation and I only hope that his parents are as wonderful as mine were....mine basically told me to pass the class, with a C or whatever I could get, and forget him. He belittled my mother in a parent/teacher/student meeting, so they really supported me through all of it....I feel for the kid, it really does affect your self esteem, no matter how you feel about your self aside from that situation.

 

[mommystieg]

Ohmigosh If that had been my kid I am pretty sure that coach would have been wearing his dinner Kids have enough to deal with without "adults" acting like that

 

[ilovepcot]

Had that been my son, I'd have earned an award myself.....the "SHE'S NO LADY AWARD" after I got through with those coaches!!!!! I'd have been the talk of the town for a looonngg time!

 

[missypie]

Amazing! Even if the coach did it all on his own, other folks had to have asked "What's that trophy with the baby on it?" Did those folks just laugh and think it was funny, too?

 

[kild]

That couch would need the trophy surgically removed from his rear end.

 

[Ragmop]

When my child was on a 7th grade team we had a terrible coach-who locals thought was a wonderful coach-he yelled and bullied, never praised.
After one game -that we won-but not a big enough point spread-he started yelling at the boys. One brave Mom had the gumption to tell him to 'stop"-it was enough for all the rest of us to "give him a piece of our mind". It was a voluntary position & he resigned the next day.


The parents in that auditorium should have stood up and Boo-ed those coaches!

 

[Lanshark]

This was brought to light because someone reported it to the media. It makes you wonder what other things these coaches did that have never been brought to light.