HS Coaches: What is your team alcohol policy?

Aren't you overestimating your importance slightly? I realize the temptation to elevate yourself but you are simply their athletics coach. You're not their principal, you're not their teacher, and you're certainly not their parent.Stick to what your know and what you are supposed to do and let the administrators and guidance counsellors deal with any substance issues.

You refer it to someone qualified to deal with it. Example: her parent, her principal.....a person qualified, in other words.Stick to blowing your whistle and handing out workouts.

&)34lkdnf934 wrote:

chill ??????

So what do you do about the kid who shows up to Saturday morning practice/meet still drunk? Her parents think she just isn't a morning person.

Serious college runners don't drink?? I've partied with the oklahoma state xc team.. nobody goes harder then the people who are "serious" Have fun do crazy shit, just show up to work when you have to

[quote]Simmer down, coach wrote:

Aren't you overestimating your importance slightly? I realize the temptation to elevate yourself but you are simply their athletics coach. You're not their principal, you're not their teacher, and you're certainly not their parent.

[quote]

No, I don't think I am.

balsam spruce wrote:

Rojo, thanks for the response but I'm not quite clear on why this becomes a more relevant topic--or "good" to use your word--when we are referring to college drinking.

I thought Rojo was saying the consensus is going to be high school kids shouldn't be drinking so it is less a topic for conversation than college kids.

However, the question could be how do you get across a zero tolerance policy. I am impressed with the states that have the ban.

I guess those of us away from the high school scene forget that many kids do drink in high school apparently from this thread.

College kids are on their own, legal adults, with half the team under the drinking age and half over so it is a different decision.

Must be why Louisiana sucks in XC.

What is the school's policy on alcohol and athletic involvement? Do you really need to go above and beyond what the school already has set in place?

As a coach focus on the performance aspect by letting them know how much it can interfere with what they are trying to accomplish. Your better, more serious runners will heed that warning.

Our runners and parents sign this statement at the beginning of each season. It is more or less adopted from school-wide policies.

Being a member of a team is a privilege not a right. All athletes must be academically eligible at the start of the season and maintain that eligibility. Coaches and athletes have the responsibility to live a healthy lifestyle, void of drugs, alcohol, and stimulants that detract from athletics. Coaches and athletes must at all times use appropriate and non-abusive language. Coaches and athletes have the responsibility to be at every scheduled practice and meet with a positive attitude, a good work ethic, and a winning mentality. Coaches, athletes, and parents are expected to display good sportsmanship throughout the season.

You need to chill wrote:

I'm ready to quit your team after reading your post.

Who cares what they do when they aren't at practice/school/meets???????

You aren't their parent, it's not your problem. Stop trying to control every aspect of their lives.

My county had a rule that if anyone was caught drinking at any point, anywhere they were no longer allowed to participate in school sports. My friends had a party on a Saturday night at their own house with booze, the high school found out and they were booted from the XC team for the season. Really ruined that year for us...

Our school has a policy all athletes much sign. Basically they miss 1 month on a first offense, 3 months on a second, and a year on a third. It doesn't matter if the infraction occurs during the season or on the offseason, but it's really only enforced if the kid are caught by police.

Things tend to work themselves out. Kids rarely stay in the top 7 unless they are making good choices outside of practice because the majority of our kids do things the right way. We really try to protect our team culture, and we don't allow kids to talk about participating in illegal activity while with the team. What they do outside of team time is their choice and under the guidance of their parents, but we expect that our upperclassmen are good role models for their younger teammates when around them.

When individuals let their social life impact their running, we talk with them. They are always shocked that we know what they're doing on the weekend and we point out their race results reflect their choices and priorities. After that, some kids change their behaviors and some don't, but expectations are out on the table and we tend not to have issues with them being unhappy or causing drama.

SonOfRitz wrote:

This is a bit ridiculous, but an easy solution. You don't tell them what they can and can't do outside of practice, but what you can tell them is that what you will be able to recognize those who are serious about the sport and dedicate themselves to it, both in and outside of practice. If they should do anything that might jeopardize their performance, they are letting you down, the school and the team down. Remind them that at the end of the year, the people who still run varsity, 'A' relays, and the championship meets are the kids who were serious. Easy, sweeping general statement that covers everything from crime, drinking, smoking, etc.. Serious college runners drink, big time, trust me...

Yeah, honestly I think this is a good way to go about it. Wrap every vice up into one statement.

I think the question is a good one. My high school in the late 90s was straight out of Dazed and Confused and the track team was not an exception. However, all sports teams had a written no alcohol/ drug policy that basically read, "If you get busted, you don't play/run/dress for a month." The policy didn't miraculously curb teenage drinking but it made the consequences definite.

The question isn't whether teenage drinking is permitted, condoned, or tolerated by a high school coach. Of course it isn't. The question is what are the consequences of getting caught? Are you off the team for the entire year? Do you miss a meet? Does it matter how fast you are? The consequences should be made clear from the beginning of the season so there are no excuses and minimum of dispute when something does come up.

That way, when your No. 1 runner gets busted on Homecoming night a week before Sectionals, the coach and AD just follow the procedure and there is no question of favoritism or heavy handedness..

Also, the perception that only the good tee-totaller kids will stay on XC top 7 is a little naïve. IME, there were plenty of highly talented and successful HS runners who drank in and out of season.

All you need to tell them is that alcohol will make them fat.

SonOfRitz wrote:

Serious college runners drink, big time, trust me...

But not during the season.

Everyone here citing pro runners they've seen drink are ignoring the difference between the occasional beer or two and binge drinking.

Binge drinking is the norm in HS. Rojo's example of Rupp having a beer is disingenuous because it ignores this. I guarantee you Rupp is getting sh*t faced drunk every weekend during his base phase.

So what should a coach's stance on drinking be? Whatever is best for the athletes. But you have to figure that out based on who you have in your group. One of the joys of coaching. Perhaps abstitence is the right way, but perhaps you could use this as a chance to teach them moderation. It's up to you.

wejo wrote:

balsam spruce wrote:

Rojo, thanks for the response but I'm not quite clear on why this becomes a more relevant topic--or "good" to use your word--when we are referring to college drinking.

I thought Rojo was saying the consensus is going to be high school kids shouldn't be drinking so it is less a topic for conversation than college kids.

However, the question could be how do you get across a zero tolerance policy. I am impressed with the states that have the ban.

I guess those of us away from the high school scene forget that many kids do drink in high school apparently from this thread.

College kids are on their own, legal adults, with half the team under the drinking age and half over so it is a different decision.

It was a lot simpler when I was in college and the drinking age was 18. We routinely bought a case for the drive home from XC meets.

Deep South XC Coach wrote:

I am a coach at a high school in Louisiana. If I tried to have that policy we simply wouldn't have anyone running. It is what it is. Kids here drink and they drink quite a bit. I just tell that when they do go out drinking they need to get up early the next day and go for a light jog or bike ride to get it out of their system, and those miles cannot count towards their weekly mileage. Kids will be kids and they will do what they want. You can't police them. I feel this is just best way to handle the situation.

If you hand out a waiver I guarantee you your kids will just think you are a dork of a coach and lose respect for you.

Drinking jeopardizes eligibility. For that reason alone, I don't know why any coach would just say "kids will be kids. I can't control it, so I'm not going to make a rule about it." Why would you put state championship hopes on the shoulders of athletes who could land themselves in jail at any random time during the season?

Serious college runners don't drink?

All I hear about within my family is how they use to drink beer after most workouts. I wouldn't say alcohol is the problem, its just the amount of sleep you get as a result!

So long as theyre not smashing it every night of the week, they'll be fine with the occasional tipple of the good stuff!

Great post Rojo.

From a former a former top HS runner and partier, all you can do is tell them to be smart about their decision making. If running is going to get them into college and pave the way for a better future, then why compromise that with drinking. If younger team members look to them for guidance, being a drunk is a lousy way to lead. Drinking and driving kills; your phone is on 24/7 if they need a ride. They are gonna drink though and forced pledges, threats and ultimatums will not work.