top of page
Dare to Care

Alternatives to Physical Punishments in Sport

  • Writer: Freya Szmidt
    Freya Szmidt
  • Mar 24
  • 7 min read
Alternatives to Physical Punishments in Sport

Do you remember “Drop and Give Me Ten”?


Have you seen Coach Carter? Or maybe the movie Miracle? Do you remember the scenes where the team is going through what seems like an impossible physical punishment with the inspiration music playing and as an audience we were inspired to link their resilience to something in our own lives we wished to overcome? Maybe you can relate. Watching those movies with fresh eyes twenty years later can bring about a sense of nostalgia and also the realization that physical punishments are considered a form of misconduct.


“Drop and give me ten!” … I wonder how many of you read that and heard it in the voice of someone you’ve been coached by. Maybe for every minute late you were to practice, you had to do a push-up. Or due to unmet standards in a game like effort or losing to a team you “shouldn’t have”, coach had the team run sprints. Whether it is at the grassroots level, on a high school sports team or at the national team level, countless people have experienced some form of physical punishment on their journey through sport.



So why do so many coaches have athletes go through physical punishment? 


It comes down to:

  • The belief that a better standard is upheld after or with the threat of physical punishment

  • The coach went through it themselves or has seen it frequently, so it is familiar

  • Holding on to the idea that it acts as team bonding

  • The thought that it creates a competitive drive


N.B This blog post is not to discourage conditioning. Read on to find out more…


Anyone who has chosen the path of “coach” is there for some form of passion- for the sport, for leading the next generation, to stay healthy and connected in the community… The list goes on. I can think of many coaches who have changed my life for the better. Coaches who demand physical punishments are not necessarily bad coaches or people. It is more likely that this method was used frequently in their own careers and it is what they know. Maybe it brings a sense of joy or pride to coaches who see teams push themselves to their physical and mental limit. It might even make some coaches feel a sense of power. It is important here, of course, to understand the difference between a dangerous and challenging environment for an athlete. When we think deeply and critically, the truth about physical punishments is that they are not acceptable.



How many adults do you know who hate running?


I know some personally who hate running and fitness due to how they were punished as a young athlete.


For some, reminiscing about what they went through in that brightly lit gym, lined up with teammates along the baseline before a sprinting punishment brings up a fond feeling of accomplishment and nostalgia… “kids these days wouldn’t be in sport if they endured what we had to…” said with arms folded and a smirk. But… Why should they? Don’t we want better for the next generation in every way? What if competitiveness and high effort can be fostered without physical punishments?



Safe Sport & physical punishments


Safe Sport has deemed physical punishments such as using exercise for disciplinary reasons a form of misconduct.


Now that there is no question about whether coaches should or should not be using physical punishments in sport, let’s discuss alternatives. Coaches who have embraced alternative methods express how it has made them a better and more creative coach.


If an athlete or a team continually makes the same mistake, to physically punish them will not result in improved performance. It is likely that the skill needs more practice or the athlete needs to work on mental skills such as focus. In a sport like golf, if a short putt is missed, the athlete’s coach would not make them do sprints down the green, would they? So why in certain sports has it become the norm to punish a mistake with intense physical exertion and punitive response?


I have heard coaches express that alternatives will only make athletes “soft” aka less resilient or not as fit. This perceived threat has not been supported by research and fear not! We absolutely understand the importance of conditioning (aka running full speed, getting those push-ups in, working to max out in the weight room, etc.) for athletes to stay on top of their game. This conditioning should be titled as such- conditioning! Tying this with punishment does not foster a “Sport for Life” mentality and especially does not highlight the importance of physical literacy- especially at the grassroots level. It has been proven that conditioning as a punishment has led to increased drop-out rates and higher reports of dissatisfaction from young athletes. As members of the sport community, we should work for high participation rates and for everyone to enjoy sport for as long as possible.



So, what are the alternatives? 


Alternatives to Physical Punishments in Sport

Building a sense of belonging

This means a culture that everyone wishes to be a part of so athletes buy-in to core values such as being on time and trying their best. Influential people- whether they like it or not- are role models. So, as a coach, a leader on a team, a volunteer, how you move through the world is being observed and then imitated by those around you. At Dare to Care, we highlight the importance of how we impact others. If respect, safety and inclusion is a bare minimum for your team, the sense of belonging created will have the team values exercised and upheld. Has anyone seen Ted Lasso? Watch it and I can almost guarantee you’ll see what we are talking about here…


Rewarding athletes

…who demonstrate the core values of the team. As simple as a high-five to the athlete who puts in the most effort per practice. At the pro-level, head coach of the Toronto Raptors Darko Rajaković awards the same jeweled gold chain to the athlete who demonstrated Raptor’s team culture and identity on the court that game. Check out their instagram to see the team pride and celebration this tradition ignites!


Offering learning opportunities

Combining the consequence with a learning opportunity. E.g. An athlete is late? They sit out the first drill of practice. Or a verbal reprimand of “lateness will not be tolerated on this team” is given followed by a short reflection letter they write to the team. Or they conduct some research on the importance of being on time to practices and games. Maybe have them find out what a high-level athlete they admire says about being on time. At Dare to Care, this is what we call Discipline with Dignity. It holds the person accountable with reasonable consequences tied with a learning opportunity to effectively shift behaviour.


These conversations also need to take into account what is in and out of the athlete’s control… especially if they are too young to make their own way there. Another possible cause of tardiness is to do with the safety of the athlete… if they are experiencing bullying in the locker room, maybe they are late on purpose to ensure they are alone (away from the perpetrator) when getting ready for practice. Getting the “full picture” is important for psychological safety, belonging and ultimately athlete retention. Our workshops help teams to recognize the signs of bullying along with tools to navigate and prevent it.


Building game-like scenarios. 

Let’s say a basketball team has a very low percentage of made free-throws in a game. Having them run sprints at next practice will not improve this skill. In a game-like scenario, the athletes will have to learn the tools required to stay composed and make a good shot, despite the fatigue from the game.


Conditioning

Ensure conditioning is woven into your practice schedule. And at high level sport, leaving the conditioning to the professionals (the S&C coaches). 


Positive culture 

Creating a culture where movement is a privilege and is fun- not something to evoke shame, be a punishment or be something to dread. To be amongst the strongest and fastest on the team would bring pride to an athlete and inspire others who wish to achieve that level. Their efforts to get there would be known and should be celebrated! Maybe the fear of athletes “not pushing enough” exists in a coach. The “punishment” of an athlete not working hard in conditioning would be to witness others reaching higher heights. Intrinsic motivation to reach the next level can be built when they know that deep down they didn’t give it their all. On the other hand- if an athlete only participates in competitive sport for a short chapter of their lives, let’s make it a fond memory for them to look back on as they engage in other activities later in life.


In our Sporting Change podcast, we have an episode with the wonderful Cari Din PhD who explores what great leaders do all the way up to sport on the world stage. Listen here. 


As coaches and leaders in our community, I think it is fair to assume that we want our athletes of all levels to develop a deep love for sport and moving their bodies. To unlock the potential of athletes, they need to be challenged in healthy ways and encouraged to have well-rounded characters as human beings. This will ensure more people will stay in sport throughout life with positive memories of how hard they worked to reach their athletic goals, alongside coaches who put creativity and evolving above habit.



References






 
 
 
bottom of page