It is a common thing for coaches to use punishment and discipline as a way of teaching their athletes lessons. If the team or athlete fails to do well, makes a lot of mistakes or loses a game, a coach will punish them with more brutal practices, extra training, and long hard fitness routines. These extra workouts and practices are not foreign to any athlete.
Other infractions that would require discipline are disrespectfulness, lack of academic success or plainly bad behavior, which may result in suspension from a certain amount of games or the team as a whole. Some athletes believe that punishments do not help them correct their mistakes, especially when it comes to game performance. Players do not want to be scorned; they want to be able to learn from their mistakes. Most athletes always want to improve and not be stagnant or content with their performance. When the team screws up, it is a teaching opportunity for the coach. The players learn that mistakes are okay and can be learned from. If punishments and discipline are extensive every time a mistake is made, it will deter them from the sport and teach them that failing is bad. It can not be argued that players do not need to be disciplined or punished for bad behavior and academic failure, though. There has to be some type of fail safe in place for players to not just be good athletes but also great students.
According to Dr. Jim Chandler, head women’s basketball coach, “We rarely have discipline issues in our program. When we do they are handled on a case by case basis. We treat our players as young adults and they are given respect and are expected to respect each other. Disciplinary consequences take into consideration the infraction, the situation, and seriousness of the situation. Disciplinary consequences when needed can always be beneficial in helping to shape the lives of young adults.” Fortunately, Blackburn’s sports department does not have many of those issues.