During the 2023-2024 season, 10 percent, or approximately 102 students out of 1,021 athletes quit their school-associated sport.
Reasons vary for this abandonment, but how the team gets along with one another and their coaches, plays a major role.
“I know some of my friends didn’t want to keep playing the sport because their coach just didn’t make it fun for them anymore,” said junior Charlotte Brink.
Brink isn’t alone. According to a survey conducted by Athens Journal of Sports, “Fourteen percent of participants had dropped out of a junior high or high school sport due to a coaches’ behavior towards them or a teammate”
Excessive pressure from a coach (or the athlete’s teammates) can affect student athletes in more than just sports.
David Rusbansan, author and psychologist at Marian University, conducted a study on this exact thing and found that “[…]inflexibility exhibited by toxic coaches and resulting role conflict may adversely affect student-athletes’ sport and academic performance.” as well as “toxic coaching may adversely relate to the degree of role conflict, burnout, commitment, and school/sport performance reported among collegiate student-athletes.”
But coaches aren’t the only people who influence a student’s choice to stay or go. The banter from rival teams could also harm the mentality of the players in the game, thus causing them to leave the sport altogether..
“The other team’s student section can sometimes say cheers that are rude, and insulting ” says Brink.
Oregon School Activities Associations (OSAA) rules and guidelines for spectators conduct addressing banter from spectators in competitive games is written as such:
“The high school principal, coach and other responsible officials of each member school shall take all reasonable measures to ensure that the school’s coaches, players, students and supporters maintain a sportsmanlike attitude toward all events so that events may be conducted without unreasonable danger or disorder. All cheers, comments and actions shall be in direct support of one’s team. No cheers, comments or actions shall be directed at one’s opponent or at contest officials.” It is important that these rules are enforced on school grounds to ensure the safety and security of the players and other spectators.
“If the students know the expectations as well as possible consequences, then confronting a student is much easier.” Says Jonathan Hohm, dean of students.
Jason Ashely, counselor and coach at tigard also says that as a coach it is important to make the athletes feel safe and understood rather than yelling and intimidating the players.
Educating student athletes and coaches of proper sportsmanship and morale will strengthen the bond of not just the teams but our school and community as a whole and help make sports more enjoyable and accessible to all.