Q & A ACTIONABLE IDEAS FROM PEERS How Do DUIs Affect The


Status Of Your Staff Members? Athletic directors and coaches reveal various ways for dealing with violations and combating this challenge


Coach And Athletic Director re- cently asked readers how they deal with coaches on their staff if they receive a ticket for driving under the influence. More than 160 coaches and athletic direc- tors responded and the following represents the themes and topics most prevalent, as well as some interesting anecdotes. To read more comments from coaches and athletic directors on handling DUI violations, visit coachad.com/DUI.


I am a firm believer that if a per-


son makes a mistake, they need to be held accountable. In this case, I believe in allowing the process of the law to handle the situation. I do not believe that an individual should have multiple consequences by multiple institutions. The disci- plinary action itself will be handled by the court. I will definitely ad- dress the issue with the team and the individual. With our staff, I do comprehend


how much our coaches do and mean to our student-athletes. One mistake will not outweigh what a man or woman who has dedicated his or her life to caring for our youth has done. —Stu Brown, Varina High School, Richmond, Va.


Everybody on my staff is very clear on how I, as the head football coach, feel about this topic. Each of my assistants know that if this hap- pens to them, they would be expect- ed to step down immediately. As a


20 March/April 2013


staff, we set such a high standard for our student-athletes regarding not drinking or doing drugs, let alone drinking and driving. If we were caught doing something like this, then our credibility with our athletes would be shot forever. This is unacceptable to my staff and me. —Patrick Forster, North Branch High School, North Branch, Mich.


I would follow school board


policy. I think this is an issue that would be handled by the central office administration. I would not address the media until the pun- ishment has been decided—then I would be open and honest. The coach was fired or suspended be- cause of this action.


—Frankie King, East Hickman High School, Lyles, Tenn.


In our district we have a policy regarding staff members involved in a criminal offense. DUI is con- sidered a criminal offense, there- fore a coach would be required to report the offense to the superinten- dent. That offense (specifically the DUI) would need to be adjudicated before permanent district action could be implemented. In these cases, the superinten-


dent would discuss the case with the board of education in closed session. If the offense was public knowledge, I know there would be a great deal of pressure to suspend that coach at the very least. My rec- ommendation (if requested) would be to suspend that coach since I continually preach about the re-


sponsibility of a coach to be a role model for our athletes. All media contact in our district


is always referred to the superin- tendent. I would simply state “no comment” and offer the phone number for our superintendent to the reporter.


—John DiColo, Jefferson Twp. High School, Oak Ridge, N.J.


I would handle it like I would


with a student-athlete but only at a higher standard. If it was a first of- fense, I would follow my guidelines that I use for athletes. They would be suspended for a few games and expected to be at practice and help us prepare for the game, but then not allowed to be at the game. My coach would address the


team, and I don’t think it would get to the media (unless it was a head coach). If it did, I would handle it honestly. I would expect the coach to be completely cooperative with any school or law enforcement of- ficial and follow all directions and instructions to the “T.” They must go through an alcohol assessment and any other rules/guidelines the team or school has for students. —Lucas Smith, Hicksville High School, Hicksville, Ohio


I treat this as severe a crime as


there is. I have a hard time distin- guishing this action from abuse of a child. Realizing, however, that they are different, I still try to maintain that coaches are the ultimate role models in this world. There is no greater role model than a coach.


coachad.com


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