Is The Show Really Worth It Coach?

As tennis officials we have all witnessed or experienced an irate coach and when all the yelling and venting is done, I sometimes want to ask the coach, "Was the show really worth it?"

In the past few days I have personally witnessed two head coaches totally lose their cool during a match and spent their time screaming at officials and/or anyone who would listen.  To say it was a disgrace would be an understatement.  I was embarrassed for their schools and players and wondered if anyone had ever actually confronted them about their behavior.

A while back I was sitting with an athletic director watching his school play a dual match.  Their coach was well known as one of the most vocal and argumentative of coaches and the AD told me at one point, "Just watch.  He fixing to throw a fit on that official to get the focus off of his player."  If that is true (and I have no reason to doubt the AD's explanation) then I'd love for that coach to tell me "if the show was worth it."

Simply put, here are some of the things that happen when a coach becomes irate and throws a fit on whomever is close by:

*  The coach looks juvenile beyond description.
*  Its not good for their health.  Extreme anger and agitation are always bad for one's health.
*  Their players know that its for show most of the time and lose respect in a hurry.
*  If their anger is real, the players, fans, parents, and officials lose all respect for the coach.
*  They totally disrespect the official and that is just simply wrong.  We are adults and deserve respect just like they do.
*  Can they honestly say that they believe that is how an adult should act?
*  Would they seriously want their children to see them acting that way?
*  Would they want their spouse to see them throwing their tantrums?
*  They need to ask themselves, "What kind of  human being would treat another human being like that?"
*  They need to remember that "that which proceeds out of the mouth shows the condition of the heart."  Enough said...

As officials we have steps we can take to curb a coach's rants and raves but they are rarely employed. One suggestion would be to immediately code a coach when he/she starts their tantrum but there would be a high cost to be paid.  It might be good too for the individual conferences to suspend offending coaches for a match or even the entire season.  The behavior would change in a hurry if there were valid penalties.

In conclusion, let me share a story with you.  A few years back I was standing around with some officials and talking to one of the most renowned "screaming coaches" in America.  We were talking about the coach's rants and raves and he laughingly looked at me and said, "Don't take it personally if I scream at you."

My reply was simply, "Don't take it personally if I code you for screaming at me.  I'm an adult and expect to be treated with the same respect that we give you."  Nothing more was said...