{"id":1894,"date":"2013-02-27T20:23:22","date_gmt":"2013-02-27T20:23:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=1894"},"modified":"2025-07-23T07:48:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T11:48:14","slug":"sports-bullying-is-everywhere-even-in-the-pro-arena","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-bullying-is-everywhere-even-in-the-pro-arena\/","title":{"rendered":"Sports Bullying is Everywhere\u2014Even in the Pro Arena"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/parent-communication-with-sports-kids-who-lash-out-1.jpg\" alt=\"Youth Sports Psychology\" class=\"wp-image-3632\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/parent-communication-with-sports-kids-who-lash-out-1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/parent-communication-with-sports-kids-who-lash-out-1-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sports_Bullying_is_in_All_Levels\"><\/span>Sports Bullying is in All Levels<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-bullying-is-everywhere-even-in-the-pro-arena\/#Sports_Bullying_is_in_All_Levels\" >Sports Bullying is in All Levels<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-bullying-is-everywhere-even-in-the-pro-arena\/#Sadly_cyber-bullying_and_other_types_of_bullying_are_rampant_in_youth_sports\" >Sadly, cyber-bullying and other types of bullying are rampant in youth sports.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-bullying-is-everywhere-even-in-the-pro-arena\/#Its_possible_kids_wont_tell_you_directly_that_theyre_being_bullied\" >It\u2019s possible kids won\u2019t tell you directly that they\u2019re being bullied.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-bullying-is-everywhere-even-in-the-pro-arena\/#Related_Articles_on_Kids_Mental_Game\" >Related Articles on Kids&#8217; Mental Game:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-bullying-is-everywhere-even-in-the-pro-arena\/#Improve_Your_Mental_Game_From_Anywhere_In_The_World\" >Improve Your Mental Game From Anywhere In The World<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>The recent announcement that 22-year-old tennis pro Rebecca Marino quit tennis due to bullying should be yet another warning to sports parents that bullying should be taken seriously in youth sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marino, who had a 150-107 WTA record, said that she struggled with being berated by fans and others in social media. She was dealing with depression, and the negative comments drove her deeper into depression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tennis pro had received a number of tweets telling her to \u201c<strong>go die<\/strong>\u201d and \u201c<strong>go burn in hell.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sadly_cyber-bullying_and_other_types_of_bullying_are_rampant_in_youth_sports\"><\/span>Sadly, cyber-bullying and other types of bullying are rampant in youth sports.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s partially due to the <strong>competitive<\/strong> nature of sports. Kids use the Internet to try to psych out their competition. What\u2019s more, girls often use <strong>social media<\/strong> to practice relational aggression. That\u2019s when they try to hurt others using words or other non-physical means.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The top players aren\u2019t the only targets of bullies. Sometimes the weaker or smaller players&nbsp; are targeted, as well. Kids make fun of them or complain that they\u2019re bringing down the rest of the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As parents, there\u2019s lots you can do to fight bullying in youth sports. First of all, you should monitor your kids\u2019 social media use. Talk to them about what\u2019s happening on facebook, instagram and twitter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Next, be sure to attend your kids\u2019 practices. Be on the lookout for negative coaches. Coaches how are negative and who yell, scream at or berate their players are telling the kids that it\u2019s okay to behave this way. You don\u2019t want your sports kids to be on these coaches\u2019 teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Be sure to listen if your kids suddenly tell you they don\u2019t like their teams. <strong>Bullying<\/strong> could be at the root of this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Its_possible_kids_wont_tell_you_directly_that_theyre_being_bullied\"><\/span>It\u2019s possible kids won\u2019t tell you directly that they\u2019re being bullied.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s because they\u2019re embarrassed. Again, if you suspect that they\u2019re targets, go to practices and games. Talk to other parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not sit back and believe that your kids would never be bullied. As we mention above, all kinds of young athletes become targets, for all sorts of reasons\u2014jealousy, competition, anger, or a coach who fails to establish a <strong>positive<\/strong> team culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"related-articles-on-hockey-mental-game\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Articles_on_Kids_Mental_Game\"><\/span>Related Articles on Kids&#8217; Mental Game:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/can-you-spot-the-signs-of-bullying-in-sports\/\"><strong>Can You Spot the Signs of Bullying in Sports?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/addressing-anxiety-mistakes-and-low-confidence-in-youth-sports\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/help-girls-in-sports-overcome-bullying\/\"><strong>Help Girls In Sports Overcome Bullying<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-athletes-prepare-for-bullying-in-sports\/\"><strong>Helping Athletes Prepare for Bullying in Sports\u2026<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f49818fa-7c7a-4ee3-b5ee-66581aad2c71\">*Subscribe to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Improve_Your_Mental_Game_From_Anywhere_In_The_World\"><\/span><strong>Improve Your Mental Game From Anywhere In The World<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/mental-training-for-young-athletes.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6868\" style=\"width:138px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re certain that, as a parent,&nbsp;you want to help your child develop confidence and discipline in sports and life.&nbsp;And as a sports parent, you\u2019d love for your children to reach their potential in sports.&nbsp;But encouraging your child to <strong>strive for greatness without pressuring them<\/strong> can be a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can get expert mental coaching with us from anywhere. Meet with us via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime or phone call. With today\u2019s video technology, we are able to connect with athletes and coaches all over the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Call Us Today to Schedule Your Free 15-Minute Session.<\/strong><br><strong>Find Out How Your Athlete Can Benefit From One-on-One Mental Coaching!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sports Bullying is in All Levels The recent announcement that 22-year-old tennis pro Rebecca Marino quit tennis due to bullying should be yet another warning to sports parents that bullying should be taken seriously in youth sports. Marino, who had a 150-107 WTA record, said that she struggled with being &#8230; <a title=\"Sports Bullying is Everywhere\u2014Even in the Pro Arena\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-bullying-is-everywhere-even-in-the-pro-arena\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Sports Bullying is Everywhere\u2014Even in the Pro Arena\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3629,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[525,134,139],"class_list":["post-1894","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-athletes-and-bullying","tag-bullying-in-sports","tag-sports-bullying","resize-featured-image"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1894","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1894"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1894\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3629"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1894"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1894"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1894"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}