Bullying in youth football -
tackle it head on
Youth
football coaches need to look out for signs of bullying and be prepared to
take quick, positive action to nip any problems in the bud. It's our duty as
the temporary guardian of children in our charge to know what bullying is,
how to recognise it and how to prevent it, preferably before it happens.
What is bullying?
"Behaviour
by an individual or group, usually repeated over time, that intentionally
hurts another individual or group, either physically or emotionally."
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).
Bullying
manifests itself in a variety of forms. It ranges from teasing and spreading
rumours to pushing someone around and causing physical harm. It usually
happens in front of other people.
Name
calling, mocking, kicking, taking or messing about with personal belongings,
writing or drawing offensive graffiti, gossiping, excluding people from
groups and threatening physical violence, are all forms of bullying.
The effects of bullying
Bullying
makes the lives of its victims miserable. It undermines their confidence and
destroys their sense of security. It can cause sadness, loneliness, low
self-esteem, fear, anxiety, poor concentration and lead to self-harm,
depression, suicidal thoughts and, in some cases, suicide. (NHS UK, http://www.nhs.uk/live-well/bullying/facts.aspx)
Bullying
will certainly result in players leaving a club. And not just the ones who
are being bullied. A football field where bullying is allowed is an
unpleasant place for everyone, not just the victims.
Who are the bullies?
The
bully can be any person. For example, a bully could be:
- A parent who pushes too hard.
- A coach who adopts a win-at-all-costs philosophy.
- A player who intimidates other players or officials.
How do you know if
children on your team are being bullied?
There
are several tell-tale signs of bullying and, as a coach, you are in a good
position to spot them. If one or more of your players,
- Suddenly decides they don't want to take part in
activities they used to enjoy.
- Becomes anxious or lacking in confidence.
- Has bruises, cuts or scratches, and gives improbable
reasons for them.
- Has possessions regularly damaged, lost or "go
missing".
- Appears nervous of walking to or from training.
- Appears frightened of a particular individual or
group.
- Becomes aggressive, disruptive or unreasonable.
- Starts bullying other children.
- Is frightened to say what's wrong...
you
should find out if they have become a victim of bullying.
What can you do about
bullying?
Ensure
your players know what bullying is and that it will not be tolerated. Tell
them that it's okay to complain if they are being badly treated by one of
their team mates or anyone else. And, just as important, they should tell you
if they see someone else being bullied. After all, you don't have eyes in the
back of your head and bullies can be very secretive.
If you
spot behaviour that can be classified as bullying, you should take prompt
action but don't dive in. You could do more harm than good if you identify a
child as the victim of bullying in front of his or her peers. So be
sensitive. Take the victim to one side (but not out of sight of everyone
else) and ask the child to tell you about the incident.
You
then have to discuss the incident with the bullies and their parents. This
will probably be difficult, but it has to be done. It will be a lot easier to
talk about bullying with an 'offender' and parents if your club has an
up-to-date and well communicated anti-bullying policy.
What to include in your
anti-bullying policy
- A reminder that players must play within the Laws of
the game.
- What bullying is and the forms it can take - name
calling, making racist remarks, threats, hitting, kicking, unwelcome
physical contact, exclusion from groups, making unwelcome remarks on
social networking sites.
- That bullying is unacceptable behaviour and will not
be tolerated at any time.
- How to complain about a bullying incident (to the
coach if it involves players, to a named club official if it involves
the coach).
- What will happen when a complaint is made (there will
be written feedback to the complainant and how long the process will
take).
- Who to complain to if the process is not followed.
- What sanctions will be taken against bullies (verbal
warning, written warning, temporary ban from the club, permanent ban
from the club).
- Links to websites where bullies, their victims and
parents can find more information (see 'useful links' below for some
suggestions).
This
policy should be reviewed and issued once a year to all parents. It should be
included in the welcome pack you hand out to new players and be displayed.
Cyber bullying
It's
never been easier for a child to bully another child. Social networking sites
such as Facebook can be a fun way to exchange messages, but they have been
misused by some children who post spiteful comments with a quick click of a
mouse.
You
should discuss cyber bullying with your players and make sure that they know
that you consider this to be as serious as any other form of bullying.
Useful links
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/inform/cpsu/resources/bullying/bullying_wda60599.html
http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/
http://www.childline.org.uk
http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/school_stuff/bullies.html
http://yp.direct.gov.uk/cyberbullying/
http://www.bullying.co.uk/
http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/WhatWeDo/FootballSafe/Downloads
|
News 
