Rutgers University Sports Scandal: A Crisis of Leadership

The firing of head basketball coach Mike Rice by Rutgers today, after video documentation of his massive, pervasive and disturbing behavior indicates a crisis of leadership at the university.

Throughout the nation, public outrage continues on why the termination came only after extensive coverage by the press. The lack of judgement by both the school athletic director and president for allowing the coach to stay so long despite continuous, reprehensible and overt abuse toward players is shameful.

As documented in my January 16, 2007 blog (written because of my concern of dysfunction by numerous individuals in sports) the qualities of effective coaching must be sportsmanship, leadership and citizenship. Unfortunately, the administration at Rutgers made it obvious through scandelous headlines; character, so critical to a college sports, was not part of their basketball curriculum:

Youth Coaching Principles: Sportsmanship, Leadership, Citizenship-January 16, 2007

If youth sports coaching throughout the United States were to be honestly evaluated, there would be some alarming concerns exhibited by poor example, lack of training and certification, omission of background/reference checks and inappropriate cultivation of a hyper-aggressive atmosphere. Conversely, the qualities of effective youth coaching must be sportsmanship, leadership and citizenship with an unwavering focus on the best interest of the young that are entrusted to their care. Coaches must be trained, evaluated and required to concentrate on character education and positive reinforcement, ingredients which must be the core of youth social and skill development.

American sport programs must turn the tide from a failing grade that does not have the total education of the youth at heart due to a win at all cost dysfunction. The proper youth athletic education program centers and inspires life lessons that include:

• Character
  
• Fair Play
  
• Teamwork
  
• Dedication to Study, Family and Community
  
• Respect
  
• Hard Work
  
• Patriotism
  
• Commitment
  
• Civility
  
• Proper Nutrition and Hygiene
  
• Safety
  
• Leadership
  
• Integrity
  
• Diversity
  
• Honesty
  
• Responsibility
  
• Self Control
  
• Compassion

The future of America is its youth and character education, as well as a code of ethics, must be cultivated by the coach and inseparable from personal example in all school, league and community athletic programs. Read the National Youth Sports Coaches Association's Code of Ethics