Physical Punishment of Children in Sports ?

[Mike Barker]

All the coaching bodies in just about every country and every sporting
code have declared physical punishment in sport as “unsound”
“unethical” etc etc. Not surprising – it’s not the Middle Ages.

I recently came across a case where the coach’s sole motivating
technique seems to be forcing school kids to run up and down with
heavy objects. This was evidently done as punishment for making
mistakes.

Is this common in rowing communities ? I am told that it’s a
traditional British thing ?

[Tinus]

How are they forced and are they in pain due to this practice?

Running up and down with heavy weights sounds much like normal training
(although this particular heavy exercise can be seen as damaging for the
knees and should be performed with care in normal training). If this
practice is unsound and unethical, then also training in itself should
be seen as unsound, and any type of motivation tool to get someone
training should be seen as unethical.

Is this example really a physical punishment in the sense of the
associations which we have with the middle ages? And also, is this
really his only motivating tool or is it just the one which is most
clearly used?

I've seen and experienced many similar things being used like for
instance coaches making a crew row extra amount of distance when they
didn't pay attention. Of course you have the articles telling that
positive reinforcement is a better motivation for learning and
adaptation of behaviour. But it doesn't mean one can not use
punishments. Both types of motivations are useful.

An example which I can not imagine not to be universal is the fingers
getting jammed between the handle and the boat when the stability is not
good. I've heard many coaches respond, to a complaining rower, that he
or she won't get their fingers punished when they don't make mistakes.

[sully]

I don't know about the "heavy objects" thing,
but coaching has a long and persistent culture
across most sports of training as "punishment".

make a mistake, take an extra lap. Somebody
is late to practice, everybody
does pushups, and indeed this seems
pretty standard in military training.

I'm not opposed to it, but like every training tool
it has to have a specific purpose such that an
athlete doesn't learn to associate hard work
w/ punishment.

[Mike Barker]

Thanks for the prompt response.

I am referring to intentional punishment, rather than hard
training ? For example - making kids run in their socks over thorns
and rocky ground as punishment, and denying them the opportunity to
put shoes on first when they ask.

If you cut&paste the following sentences into Google you will find two
documents, one a position statement by the NASPE, and one by the
Canadians. Perhaps these will better explain my concern.

“ Physical Activity Used as Punishment and/or Behavior Management “

“ physical punishment of children in sport and recreation “

The NASPE say " The core issue is that administering or withdrawing
physical activity as punishment is inappropriate and constitutes an
unsound education practice. "

The real trouble is that there is a fine line between physical
punishment and corporal punishment. In most countries corporal
punishment at school is a criminal offense.

It seems ridiculous of course - after all what’s wrong with a few push-
up ? Then again, 10 years ago, no one objected to beating kids at
school, or to slapping your wife around either ?

If you dig further you will find the majority of sporting bodies with
the same sort of approach – physical punishment is wrong.

Where does the rowing community officially stand on this ?

[sully]

that's insane. Here I'm wondering about having kids
do pushups when they're late to practice.

What you describe above is abuse.

>
> If you cut&paste the following sentences into Google you will find two
> documents, one a position statement by the NASPE, and one by the
> Canadians. Perhaps these will better explain my concern.
>
>    “ Physical Activity Used as Punishment and/or Behavior Management “
>
>     “ physical punishment of children in sport and recreation “
>
> The NASPE say " The core issue is that administering or withdrawing
> physical activity as punishment is inappropriate and constitutes an
> unsound education practice. "

What about the 'withdrawing' part? If a kid is late to
practice, I see no problem not boating him or her.

I can think of exceptions to the administering physical
activity as more of a consequence than punishment,
but as a general rule I agree with it.

[Rebecca Caroe]

> I recently came across a case where the coach’s sole motivating
> technique seems to be forcing school kids to run up and down with
> heavy objects. This was evidently done as punishment for making
> mistakes.

We used to watch the London Rowing Club squad holding large weights
and 'bunny hopping' up and down the stairs outside their boathouse on
Tuesday evenings - very comical!

[AJ]

On Jan 25, 7:44 pm, Rebecca Caroe <rebe...@creativeagencysecrets.com>
wrote:

That will have been Masonic night :)

[Carl]

Only if said large weights were lumps of stone, surely?

Where's my coat?
Carl
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