taking the sports out of rugby Sports, posted by robert, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Jan 12, 2011 at 9:52 am
I am concerned about the way the coach{John S} is intimidating and belittling his players, instead of developing and encouraging them.
I recently had a chance to view a practice and his style of demeaning kids and making fun of them when he believed they wern't around is not a coach. this is a sport where all kids should play and have fun, its a sport not life or death or the John way. get a coach who enjoys the game not someone who has a ego...
Posted by mary with amazon rugby, a resident of another community, on Jan 13, 2011 at 8:43 am
whats with the not a girlie sport bruiser? Id be happy for you to play us he in sacremento, we are national champs and proud to be in this sport. don't call people names that is kinda bigot gender picking. I happen to agree that if you teach you will get more than bullying.
Posted by Bruiser, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Jan 13, 2011 at 11:54 am
So you think girls can play sports at the same level as men? I am trying to think the last time I saw a women's high school football team, or even a women's baseball team, I think they call it softball.
Posted by tracy, SF FOG supporter, a resident of another community, on Jan 14, 2011 at 8:24 am
I find this comment sexist and shows the narrow mindedness in some not all men. This butch or rather"bruiser", has never played sports . I am a strong supporter of the CITY's SF FOG a rugby team who has all different players. Gays, straights lesbians, transgender
and they dont seem to be playing touch rugby. I am very proud of who i am,So butch i mean brusier keep your small mind opinons like other parts, to your self. women are also hear to stay and men like you are
Posted by The Chuckster, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Jan 19, 2011 at 7:48 am
Wow! Bruiser: I think you've been dragging your knuckles on the groud too long! Stand up straight, my friend, and join the rest of humanity!
Sports (in the lower levels, up to and including High School) have a mulitude of life-lessons to be taught, and "winning-at-all-cost" is NOT one of them. Any coach who "belittles" his players, whether in front of them or behind their backs, is just another immature, adult jerk. He should be replaced!
Posted by Steve, a resident of another community, on Jan 19, 2011 at 8:03 am
Bruiser - There is a difference between "Tough Talk" and "Belittling" or bullying kids.
A "Great" coach is tough and gives tough talk "coaching" kids on the wrong they are doing and encourage them on the "good" they do, helping them to be better players. If a kid cannot handle this type of coaching then I agree with you he does not belong in the sport. BUT, when you have a coach belittling kids or personally attack their character where is the coaching in this? It does not matter how tough you are, how thick your skin is and who you are NO ONE likes to be belittled.
John S. - Coach the kids and be tough but there is no room for Belittling kids!
Posted by Elite Rugby Player, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Jan 19, 2011 at 10:23 am
I am five foot three woman, ran a sub par 7 minute mile, am completely straight and was a member of the elite Cornell Women's Rugby team during my college years. Using my speed, knowledge of the game and proper tackling skills I was able to take down 200lb+ men on our select team in scrimages throughout my career.
Our coaches had many styles - some drawn from NZ Allblacks, but they showed honor even when they passionately corrected our plays. Never would they demean a player in front/or behind their back. No matter how elite a team is this shouldn't be tolerated.
Speak from what you know, when you don't it just demonstrates you need to protect your ego and try to make yourself feel better.
Posted by Bruiser, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Jan 19, 2011 at 10:08 pm
SF Fog Rugby: "men's team" is a division III team, and the "women's team" is a division I team. The division rugby classification for the men and women SF Fog rugby club teams simply says enough in itself.
Cornell: An Ivy League school with an elite sports program? Looks like somebody might have read one too many books in their life.
If mommy does not like the team Johnny is on, I would suggest finding another team, or another sport.
Posted by Coach Pete, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Jan 20, 2011 at 5:46 am
This thread is embarrassing. The post is ultimately about “taking the sport out of rugby”… it’s a shame that an individual has been identified but hey ho! More a shame is the nonsense that is being discussed here…it’s fun but some comments are close to abusive and worse than John S’s conduct. Go to RFU’s web site at Web Link to understand the core values of rugby. The game is also about community, and indeed a discipline and I am an advocate. I have been coaching youth 5-12 year old boys and girls in the East Bay for the past 5 years and I get it! Please stop the barrage of insults and let’s see if together we can do somehow to bring this right back to a positive.
Posted by bz, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Jan 21, 2011 at 12:05 pm
I don't know this coach, and I certainly am sympathetic to parents who know how important it is to encourage versus tear down children. Still, I find it a bit ironic that anyone would use this very public forum to bring up the issue rather than going straight to the "offender." It seems this coach is getting the same sort of treatment that he is accused of giving the players.
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