Attn HS Coaches who have active social media accounts

Agreed!

I'd also like to think that if you are over 22 years old, it's time to grow up and not have social media accounts.

Joe not cool wrote:

...so if you are an adult and know one kindly ask them not to.

If you're an adult (25+) and you are posting photos on social media, then you're a tool.

I attempted to sanitize my Twitter feed when I applied for my first coaching position. In the process I realized that 95% of my feed was me cursing at players and coaches for local sports teams when plays didn't work out I just went ahead and deleted the whole thing.

aoxomoxoa wrote:

Joe not cool wrote:

...so if you are an adult and know one kindly ask them not to.

If you're an adult (25+) and you are posting photos on social media, then you're a tool.

yes, yes... social media is only for young people... i truly feel sorry for the late blooming 26 years though... but hey, that's life!!!

What do you mean by "promoting beer"? Actively advertising for beer companies in a sponsorship relationship? Showing pictures of themselves getting sloppy drunk? Posting pictures in which they happen to be enjoying one beer responsibly?

Regarding the first two, yeah, that's wrong, but I can't say I've ever seen a coach doing these things (though I admittedly don't spend much time on social media).

Regarding the last one, I don't really see any problem with it. The only message it sends is that it's okay for a person of legal age to responsibly enjoy a beer.

In a matter of days there is an album of HS track-cc photos and then an advertisement picture of a 16oz full beer being poured from a craft beer tap. Then basically every other non-picture there is a beer in his hand with him -- a self proclaimed beer snob -- pointing the label of the beer can or bottle directly at the camera and makes it a focal point of the picture. That and he likes and visits every local craft brewery doing the same thing.

In my opinion there is just too much crossover between roles. I myself go out, act social and have friends but I am extremely careful about what I do in front of kids.

It is not cool to be advertising alcohol to kids.

Joe not cool wrote:

In a matter of days there is an album of HS track-cc photos and then an advertisement picture of a 16oz full beer being poured from a craft beer tap. Then basically every other non-picture there is a beer in his hand with him -- a self proclaimed beer snob -- pointing the label of the beer can or bottle directly at the camera and makes it a focal point of the picture. That and he likes and visits every local craft brewery doing the same thing.

In my opinion there is just too much crossover between roles. I myself go out, act social and have friends but I am extremely careful about what I do in front of kids.

It is not cool to be advertising alcohol to kids.

Gotcha. Yeah, I can see how this kind of focus on alcohol is distasteful. It won't bother me if a coach happens to have a beer in a photo here and there. But if the coach is going out of his way to make the photos center around the alcohol and this is a constant theme throughout the account, that's a bit much.

I like good beer myself, so I can understand the desire to share what you're drinking with your friends, but if that's going to be the focus of your social media account, it's probably best to keep that on an account that is separate from what you're sharing with kids.

Joe not cool wrote:

Unfortunately this is not recognized and addressed as often as it should be

If you share an account with student-athletes be conscious that you are not promoting alcohol or drugs in your photos and posts.

Having a bunch of high school track pics tagged with minors and then promoting beer in the same timeline is stupidity at its finest.

People guilty of this are generally ignorant so if you are an adult and know one kindly ask them not to.

Most people don't know that others can see everything you like. So when you see that funny meme coming up about being stoned or something, somebody is able to see that you liked it. I'm talking about even if you aren't sharing an account with kids on the team, which is probably a bad idea as well. This is referring to facebook, instagram, and twitter.

aoxomoxoa wrote:

Joe not cool wrote:

...so if you are an adult and know one kindly ask them not to.

If you're an adult (25+) and you are posting photos on social media, then you're a tool.

ok boomer

Same thing with promoting masturbation. Don't do it.

I would suggest having very private privacy settings on social media.

And DO NOT follow high schoolers on social media!

If you're a coach there are some social media type apps like sportsyou that can be used just exclusively with your team.

Do not get on twitter, snapchat, faceboook, etc. at all with athletes.

I get what you are saying, but there are 5-10 beer commercials during every football game on TV.

When it comes down to it, most high school kids are already binge drinking and partying, and will do so no matter what their coach tells them. Then they go to college and do it every night. Your job as a coach is to inspire them to train hard and commit to being a fully invested athlete. It doesn't mean they can never have any fun, but it does mean they need a certain level of discipline. Out of the 100s of high school coaches I am friends with/follow on social media, none of them post anything like that.

Can we get over this idea that adults in students lives shouldn't interact with them on social media or text them. Sure it can be abuse but the people saying it should never be done are stuck in the stone ages. They don't realize that is how teens interact and communicate. If you want to be able to have a relationship with them and communicate with them you need to do it on their level, if you try to force them into other forms of communication you will get resentment and the doors will close.

Obviously don't be a creep and there needs to be some checks and balances but those are all possible. Use group texts, etc...

Social media you really shouldn't have to worry about, it's all out there. So don't act weird on it and you're fine.

aoxomoxoa wrote:

Joe not cool wrote:

...so if you are an adult and know one kindly ask them not to.

If you're an adult (25+) and you are posting photos on social media, then you're a tool.

Says the "adult" anoymously posting on a forum.

fdsfafss wrote:

aoxomoxoa wrote:

If you're an adult (25+) and you are posting photos on social media, then you're a tool.

ok boomer

I am pretty sure most millenials( I am 26) have a VERY different outlook on social media.

Social Media is a cancer.

Treating alcohol as some dark topic to not be discussed or anywhere near high school kids is what leads to them becoming binge drinkers when they get to college.

Positive Contribution wrote:

Treating alcohol as some dark topic to not be discussed or anywhere near high school kids is what leads to them becoming binge drinkers when they get to college.

PREACH!

My wife and I were just talking about this. Creating a cocoon for HS students leads to the behavior that is seen by and large once they leave their protected lil world. Binge drinking, and crazy misguided experimenting.

It's how we present the topic, and being very transparent about best practices and the dangers with how one should conduct themselves once they get to a responsible, realistic age with consuming alcohol in this case.

Censorship is a fallacy and not realistic. In almost 2020, you realllly think HS students aren't aware of the world around them? Please.

I do agree, if you accept the role of coaching, there are some boundaries you should keep solid to prevent any headaches, and not break their trust.