This is probably better suited for the coaching thread but this thread sees more views and I personally think this is important.
Background: I am trained in suicide prevention/conflict management and several other areas are part of my job. I am an AC for a 14U travel team. I also follow as many of the girls as possible on Instagram only. Why only Instagram well because a player told me that Facebook is for old people and parents so they go to Instagram.
Situation: I wake up on Saturday and begin looking through my phone as emails, facebook and of course Instagram. Scrolling through the ridiculous "Selfies" I come across a post from a player. This post reads like a goodbye message. I immediately send this to the manager so that he is aware. That afternoon we have practice and this girl arrives and we have her and her dad come outside so we can address the issue. The girl says all the right things and turns out she's being picked on by girls of another team at school. I know she is also struggling with grades as I monitor those as well and hope those are the only 2 issues she's having. The part of this that irked me was that the dad was oblivious to all of this. His response was one of "well how should I know she posted that I don't have instagram". I told him he needs to get instagram, twitter, snap chat, kik, facebook and I'm sure I'm missing some so he knows what's going on.
Parents... From what I have seen on here everyone is involved in their kids lives. But please as coaches monitor your players not just because social media will ruin scholarship offers if the wrong stuff is put on there, but because it to me is part of the coaches responsibility. The male involvement in female sports is so low in my area that coaches fill that role of father figure whether we want to realize it or not.
Background: I am trained in suicide prevention/conflict management and several other areas are part of my job. I am an AC for a 14U travel team. I also follow as many of the girls as possible on Instagram only. Why only Instagram well because a player told me that Facebook is for old people and parents so they go to Instagram.
Situation: I wake up on Saturday and begin looking through my phone as emails, facebook and of course Instagram. Scrolling through the ridiculous "Selfies" I come across a post from a player. This post reads like a goodbye message. I immediately send this to the manager so that he is aware. That afternoon we have practice and this girl arrives and we have her and her dad come outside so we can address the issue. The girl says all the right things and turns out she's being picked on by girls of another team at school. I know she is also struggling with grades as I monitor those as well and hope those are the only 2 issues she's having. The part of this that irked me was that the dad was oblivious to all of this. His response was one of "well how should I know she posted that I don't have instagram". I told him he needs to get instagram, twitter, snap chat, kik, facebook and I'm sure I'm missing some so he knows what's going on.
Parents... From what I have seen on here everyone is involved in their kids lives. But please as coaches monitor your players not just because social media will ruin scholarship offers if the wrong stuff is put on there, but because it to me is part of the coaches responsibility. The male involvement in female sports is so low in my area that coaches fill that role of father figure whether we want to realize it or not.