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She let two players score 14 goals without attempting to faceguard or even mark up on either. She watched her starting goalie make zero saves in the second half and barely gave the one going to UNC a chance. She didn't start a junior who was All-County last year and had 6 goals in the previous game - the player who took her spot did absolutely nothing in the game. Then when she finally put the junior in, she had her play midfield even though she is an attacker and had one of their best midfielders sit on attack.

^all of that in only one game makes me think that she has no clue what she's doing.

Just heard she told a bunch of juniors yesterday not to come back next year because she is making a lot of changes and has a lot of jv players coming up. That's nice. Don't come back to this public school team, to try and play a sport you've played since you were about 8 years old, because I am bringing my daughter and her friends up instead. Criminal.

They tried to double the ball but they never played the adjacent player, it is quite easy to beat a double that way. That player was wide open every time, why not pressure everyone closest to ball and have the farthest defender split 2 , pretty basic stuff. Sorry but that is the sad fact.

Exactly!!!! Anyone who is even a decent coach knows that. Let's not get off topic though because what parents and players are upset about isn't the fact that she's a bad coach (even though it's true and it's a problem) - it's the bullying. I am praying that the school gets smart and gets rid of her before her daughter and friends are pulled up to varsity. That will REALLY become a nightmare. No more parent coaches!!!!!

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Maybe her and ESM coach both get removed in the same year. Would be good for all the young girls involved.

Let's understand something, KW is employed as a lacrosse coach by the school district. Except for a select few, the “coaching” services she has provided have been found wanting by the vast majority of those served and the issues have not been addressed. In any other employment situation, the employee would no longer have the position. The AD has failed to recognize the “coaching”performance issues, failed to manage the situation by siding with the employee rather than the community served, and failed the players because the players do not feel they have an advocate for them in the AD’s office. If this approach is the managerial oversight and leadership shown by AD, her tenure as AD should come to a close quickly. There are failures at all levels. A review of the whole chain is in order

Exactly!!!! Anyone who is even a decent coach knows that. Let's not get off topic though because what parents and players are upset about isn't the fact that she's a bad coach (even though it's true and it's a problem) - it's the bullying. I am praying that the school gets smart and gets rid of her before her daughter and friends are pulled up to varsity. That will REALLY become a nightmare. No more parent coaches!!!!!

Let's understand something, KW is employed as a lacrosse coach by the school district. Except for a select few, the “coaching” services she has provided have been found wanting by the vast majority of those served and the issues have not been addressed. In any other employment situation, the employee would no longer have the position. The AD has failed to recognize the “coaching”performance issues, failed to manage the situation by siding with the employee rather than the community served, and failed the players because the players do not feel they have an advocate for them in the AD’s office. If this approach is the managerial oversight and leadership shown by AD, her tenure as AD should come to a close quickly. There are failures at all levels. A review of the whole chain is in order

I heard this has all happened in the past. (Within the past 5 years). It was brought to the AD and the school board and NOTHING changed. Now there is a colossal problem and people are fed up. This ball was dropped on many levels. There are paper trails and people coming forward who my have been afraid to speak up in the past. It is a sad situation and my heart goes out to these girls. They have felt helpless for the past few years. They have been bullied and manipulated with no one in authority willing to listen. I would be very worried if I were the AD or KW. This probably could have been handled quietly and in a dignified manner if they had both stepped down. I'm afraid for them that it will now become very public. What is going on with the school board? Why haven't they stepped in already?

I heard this has all happened in the past. (Within the past 5 years). It was brought to the AD and the school board and NOTHING changed. Now there is a colossal problem and people are fed up. This ball was dropped on many levels. There are paper trails and people coming forward who my have been afraid to speak up in the past. It is a sad situation and my heart goes out to these girls. They have felt helpless for the past few years. They have been bullied and manipulated with no one in authority willing to listen. I would be very worried if I were the AD or KW. This probably could have been handled quietly and in a dignified manner if they had both stepped down. I'm afraid for them that it will now become very public. What is going on with the school board? Why haven't they stepped in already?

"Bullying" is the most overused word of this generation. I'm not saying it doesn't happen or that it didn't happen in this situation, but please articulate what these instances of bullying consisted of. Unless, of course, you're just looking to anonymously disparage someone to further your own agenda using a hot topic buzzword.

They tried to double the ball but they never played the adjacent player, it is quite easy to beat a double that way. That player was wide open every time, why not pressure everyone closest to ball and have the farthest defender split 2 , pretty basic stuff. Sorry but that is the sad fact.

With all this bad press, I can't imagine they will let this go on any longer.

I've read the posts. These 2 are the closest thing I can find to specifics:

"You can doubt it all you want, but yesterday she publicly shamed three of her starters in front of the rest of the team and told them how horrible they are and that she doesn't need them. Not a great team building strategy. Last year she allowed a bunch of girls to go on a trip over Spring Break- gave them all permission- and then when the team lost a game, she screamed and yelled at those girls and blamed them for the loss. She creates incredible conflict for the girls within the team."


"Lastly, I am sure this post will receive complaints from the same people who are OK with coaches who use bullying tactics on children and use their influence as coaches as a threat to college careers. It's not about yelling at kids because they make mistakes. It's bullying kids and belittling them on the field in front of their peers, their teammates and their opponents. How about you try coaching them instead of tearing them down? Imagine a teacher ripping a kids head off in math class because she got a question wrong and threatening to call the admissions officer at the college they are applying to "to tell them they are not good enough.""

Sorry, this doesn't qualify as bullying to me. On its face, these are just instances of holding players accountable. If she has a negative style, that's unfortunate, but so do lots of coaches - and many of them happen to be great coaches. Personally, I find the nepotism allegations more disturbing - if the kids don't belong.

Just because "lots of coaches" do it, doesn't mean it's okay. Those were the only examples you found? I think you missed a few. If you think it's okay for coaches to belittle kids and threaten their college careers, I feel sorry for your children.

It's not bullying when a coach makes starters stand on one line, non-starters stand on another, and then publicly shame the starters in front of the whole team? Then make two girls step forward and tell them that they are no longer needed, do nothing right, are a detriment to the team, etc. when those two girls were the heart of the team?

It's not bullying when she tells girls to bruise each other and hurt their teammates in order to "toughen up"?

It's not bullying when the girls college careers are threatened and when they are told that their coaches will be called because girls more deserving of those spots should have them?

It's not bullying when she allows her own personal agenda to get in the way of doing what's right - and therefore chooses players from the club team that she is paid to coach on (and that her daughters play for) to favor and then puts down all the other girls in the process?

It's not bullying when she makes a rule that the girls are no longer allowed to go talk to their club coach after the games, even though she is someone who has always supported them and is someone they can always turn to and feel safe with?

It's not bullying when she got angry that the girls were braiding their hair and screamed at them to shave their heads?

It's not bullying when she forces multiple girls to tryout for JV and then to just cut them in order to mask the fact that she just wanted to pull her daughter and friends up?

It's not bullying when she doesn't let a senior goalie - who is going to a division 1 school - step on the field basically the entire season, even in games where they were winning by 10 goals - and provide no explanation to the poor girl?

It's not bullying when she tells girls they are awful and don't know how to play lacrosse?

It's not bullying when she creates an environment in which the girls are scared and uncomfortable at every practice, and were relieved when the season was over because the bullsh** was finally over?

There are MANY more instances. These are only a few. These are WONDERFUL young women who should be enjoying playing the sport that they once loved - not dreading it. MAKE A CHANGE HUNTINGTON.

Just because "lots of coaches" do it, doesn't mean it's okay. Those were the only examples you found? I think you missed a few. If you think it's okay for coaches to belittle kids and threaten their college careers, I feel sorry for your children.

Whoa. Sounds terrible.

[quote=Anonymous]I've read the posts. These 2 are the closest thing I can find to specifics:

"You can doubt it all you want, but yesterday she publicly shamed three of her starters in front of the rest of the team and told them how horrible they are and that she doesn't need them. Not a great team building strategy. Last year she allowed a bunch of girls to go on a trip over Spring Break- gave them all permission- and then when the team lost a game, she screamed and yelled at those girls and blamed them for the loss. She creates incredible conflict for the girls within the team."


"Lastly, I am sure this post will receive complaints from the same people who are OK with coaches who use bullying tactics on children and use their influence as coaches as a threat to college careers. It's not about yelling at kids because they make mistakes. It's bullying kids and belittling them on the field in front of their peers, their teammates and their opponents. How about you try coaching them instead of tearing them down? Imagine a teacher ripping a kids head off in math class because she got a question wrong and threatening to call the admissions officer at the college they are applying to "to tell them they are not good enough.""

Sorry, this doesn't qualify as bullying to me. On its face, these are just instances of holding players accountable. If she has a negative style, that's unfortunate, but so do lots of coaches - and many of them happen to be great coaches. Personally, I find the nepotism allegations more disturbing - if the kids don't belo

It's not bullying when a coach makes starters stand on one line, non-starters stand on another, and then publicly shame the starters in front of the whole team? Then make two girls step forward and tell them that they are no longer needed, do nothing right, are a detriment to the team, etc. when those two girls were the heart of the team?

It's not bullying when she tells girls to bruise each other and hurt their teammates in order to "toughen up"?

It's not bullying when the girls college careers are threatened and when they are told that their coaches will be called because girls more deserving of those spots should have them?

It's not bullying when she allows her own personal agenda to get in the way of doing what's right - and therefore chooses players from the club team that she is paid to coach on (and that her daughters play for) to favor and then puts down all the other girls in the process?

It's not bullying when she makes a rule that the girls are no longer allowed to go talk to their club coach after the games, even though she is someone who has always supported them and is someone they can always turn to and feel safe with?

It's not bullying when she got angry that the girls were braiding their hair and screamed at them to shave their heads?

It's not bullying when she forces multiple girls to tryout for JV and then to just cut them in order to mask the fact that she just wanted to pull her daughter and friends up?

It's not bullying when she doesn't let a senior goalie - who is going to a division 1 school - step on the field basically the entire season, even in games where they were winning by 10 goals - and provide no explanation to the poor girl?

It's not bullying when she tells girls they are awful and don't know how to play lacrosse?

It's not bullying when she creates an environment in which the girls are scared and uncomfortable at every practice, and were relieved when the season was over because the bullsh** was finally over?

There are MANY more instances. These are only a few. These are WONDERFUL young women who should be enjoying playing the sport that they once loved - not dreading it. MAKE A CHANGE HUNTINGTON.

Honestly the coach should just step down its not worth dealing with some of these overly hysterical parents, many of the things you state depend on the context in which they were stated. The bruising each other thing sounds a lot like a coach asking the girls to get more physical with one another in practice to simulate game physicality , run into the same problem with my daughters team they let the offense walk right in because they don't want to hurt each other.
The contradiction about the goalie seems to be that doesn't that goalie play for the coaches club team , the club that she so clearly favors anyone that plays for it, can't have it both ways. Maybe the school board and AD have done nothing because the parents are so emotional that its difficult to separate fact from fiction. When they do replace the coach hopefully they hire a coach with no kids in the district, no club affiliation, no ties to anyone with kids in the district and a lot of cheese, crackers and diapers to deal with all the whiny babies.

You are disgusting. Calling children whiny babies? You read this entire thread and came to the conclusion that it's the kids fault? Get off this website and get your life together. Pathetic.

pretty sure he/she was referring to the parents

It's not bullying when a coach makes starters stand on one line, non-starters stand on another, and then publicly shame the starters in front of the whole team? Then make two girls step forward and tell them that they are no longer needed, do nothing right, are a detriment to the team, etc. when those two girls were the heart of the team?
Depends on what precipitated it. Was it completely unwarranted? Calling them the heart of the team is an emotional characterization by you and really has no bearing on whether or not they were bullied.

It's not bullying when she tells girls to bruise each other and hurt their teammates in order to "toughen up"?
Telling the team to "toughen up" is not even close. Telling them to bruise and hurt each other, if those words were actually spoken, is definitely problematic.

It's not bullying when the girls college careers are threatened and when they are told that their coaches will be called because girls more deserving of those spots should have them?
Not necessarily. Did these college coaches reach out to the coach at some earlier point to get feedback on the player(s)? And did anything the player(s) did cause the HS coach to question what she told the college coach previously?

It's not bullying when she allows her own personal agenda to get in the way of doing what's right - and therefore chooses players from the club team that she is paid to coach on (and that her daughters play for) to favor and then puts down all the other girls in the process?
Not really coherent, but it doesn't sound like bullying. It sounds like a possible conflict of interest and you're accusing her of nepotism and favoritism. But not bullying.

It's not bullying when she makes a rule that the girls are no longer allowed to go talk to their club coach after the games, even though she is someone who has always supported them and is someone they can always turn to and feel safe with?
No

It's not bullying when she got angry that the girls were braiding their hair and screamed at them to shave their heads?
Were they braiding each others hair when she expected them to be doing something else? Sounds like this is going on at practice. If that's the case, definitely not.

It's not bullying when she forces multiple girls to tryout for JV and then to just cut them in order to mask the fact that she just wanted to pull her daughter and friends up?
How do you force someone to try out for JV? That doesn't make sense.


It's not bullying when she doesn't let a senior goalie - who is going to a division 1 school - step on the field basically the entire season, even in games where they were winning by 10 goals - and provide no explanation to the poor girl?
Not bullying.

It's not bullying when she tells girls they are awful and don't know how to play lacrosse?
Is this a reaction to mistakes (or repeatedly making the same mistakes) or mental errors? Then no.

It's not bullying when she creates an environment in which the girls are scared and uncomfortable at every practice, and were relieved when the season was over because the bullsh** was finally over?
This again sounds like your characterization. Some girls can't handle criticism and negative feedback makes them uncomfortable, but that doesn't make it bullying.

There are MANY more instances. These are only a few. These are WONDERFUL young women who should be enjoying playing the sport that they once loved - not dreading it. MAKE A CHANGE HUNTINGTON.

Looking for opinions
Girl is a non top 20 D1 commit. Makes Varsity but gets pulled into the coaches office and told "your past has caught up to you" because her parents had a couple of disagreements with the school 3 and 6 years earlier. She is told by the coach "if there is a single problem with you I will cut you out like a cancer". The girl herself is a hard working student that has never had a problem of any kind, she didn't even ditch on senior cut day. Girls on the team start spreading rumors about her (later to be exposed as untrue) and is confronted by one of the team "captains" and threatened, but is too afraid to approach the "coach" because she doesn't want to be seen as a problem. She practices hard every day taking shot after shot while her counterpart lackadaisically prances around the field only taking part in the drills she wants , and sometimes completely abandoning the position to socialize. The girl is never given the chance to compete in games (except 1).
My question is this. Isn't it the A.D. job to make sure that these people we entrust our kids to are not only keeping our kids safe, but treating them fairly and with respect? I have never seen the A.D. attend a practice, how could they possibly know how a coach is without seeing them interact with the kids? What are we paying these people for? I know I sound sappy , but why can't these kids be treated right while in school? I know some of you will say that that is the way the world is, and your right, but is it really the schools job to teach them that people can be cruel, isn't that our job as parents?

The bullies sound like the parents who can't understand why there kids don't play and don't win. Of course everybody and anybody can do a better job. So typical, and always the case, when a season doesn't turn out like expected. Ultimately the girls are responsible for the outcome. Sounds to me as if this team was maybe a little, or maybe alot overrated!

I placed a call to the district. The AD, his first name is George (I didn't get his last name) asked how he could help me...I told him I was helping him and did he read what's being written...George says he and the Supt., and Board president do not read anonymous blogs, and he hung up the phone as I started to build this little tenured [lacrosse] an [lacrosse]...good luck with the district AD...maybe he's porking this coach? Ya' never know