{"id":3385,"date":"2016-10-20T20:28:03","date_gmt":"2016-10-20T20:28:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=3385"},"modified":"2025-07-11T04:53:17","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T08:53:17","slug":"can-you-spot-the-signs-of-bullying-in-sports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/can-you-spot-the-signs-of-bullying-in-sports\/","title":{"rendered":"Can You Spot the Signs of Bullying in Sports?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3387\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/can-you-spot-the-signs-of-bullying-in-sports.jpg\" alt=\"Bullying in Youth Sports\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/can-you-spot-the-signs-of-bullying-in-sports.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/can-you-spot-the-signs-of-bullying-in-sports-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Handle_Bullying_in_Youth_Sports\"><\/span>How to Handle Bullying in Youth Sports<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\/can-you-spot-the-signs-of-bullying-in-sports\/#How_to_Handle_Bullying_in_Youth_Sports\" >How to Handle Bullying in Youth Sports<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/can-you-spot-the-signs-of-bullying-in-sports\/#What_clues_do_you_need_to_look_for_to_identify_that_your_young_athletes_are_the_subjects_of_bullying\" >What clues do you need to look for to identify that your young athletes are the subjects of bullying?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/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\/can-you-spot-the-signs-of-bullying-in-sports\/#How_to_Cope_with_Bullying\" >How to Cope with Bullying<\/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\/can-you-spot-the-signs-of-bullying-in-sports\/#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\/can-you-spot-the-signs-of-bullying-in-sports\/#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>Parents, it\u2019s easy to assume that bullying won\u2019t strike your <strong>sports<\/strong> <strong>kids<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Truth is, bullying is rampant in <strong>youth<\/strong> <strong>sports<\/strong> today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kids bully each other and even coaches bully kids&#8230; Even parents bully each other!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The weaker players are not always the targets. Often, strong players and performers are the targets of bullies because the aggressors are jealous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_clues_do_you_need_to_look_for_to_identify_that_your_young_athletes_are_the_subjects_of_bullying\"><\/span>What clues do you need to look for to identify that your young athletes are the subjects of bullying?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Bullying can have a huge effect on how kids view sports. It can hurt young athletes\u2019 <strong>self<\/strong>&#8211;<strong>esteem<\/strong> and prompt them to drop out of sports. Children and teens don\u2019t feel safe in sports if they\u2019re being harassed, teased or threatened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Often, young athletes&#8217; first reaction to being treated this way is shame. They feel as if they somehow caused kids to treat them badly. They may also say they don\u2019t want to play sports anymore. Or they may try to avoid going to practices or games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If this happens, it\u2019s critical that you try to understand what\u2019s going on. Attend a few practices. Talk to other parents. Make sure you\u2019re on the alert during games. Most importantly, open the lines of <strong>communication<\/strong> with your kids. Encourage them to talk to you about any bullying they experience or witness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, if you discover that your kids are being bullied, it\u2019s important that you intervene as soon as possible. Begin by talking to the coach, but if that doesn\u2019t change things, go to the league\u2019s administration. Some parents have taken bullying as far as the courts to stop it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Cope_with_Bullying\"><\/span>How to Cope with Bullying<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your young athletes can also cope with bullying by taking advantage of <strong>mental game<\/strong> strategies. For example, they need to stop <strong>focusing<\/strong> on or obsessing on the bullies\u2014unless, of course, they\u2019re in danger. If that\u2019s the case, you might consider removing them from the team temporarily, until you can address the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To cope with bullies, kids need to build their <strong>confidence<\/strong>, stop worrying about what others think, and stop comparing themselves to others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s take the third tip. When kids compare themselves to others, they put others\u2014often, the bullies\u2014up on a pedestal and fail to see what\u2019s great about their own game&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They need to learn to STOP <strong>focusing<\/strong> on others and <strong>focus<\/strong> on their own skills and talents. They may be great team players or gamers who come through in a pinch or effective leaders and communicators.<\/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\/helping-kids-with-bullying-in-sports\/\"><strong>Helping Low-Income Kids With Bullying in Sports<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-bullying-is-everywhere-even-in-the-pro-arena\/\"><strong>Sports Bullying is Everywhere\u2014Even in the Pro Arena<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><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<\/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>How to Handle Bullying in Youth Sports Parents, it\u2019s easy to assume that bullying won\u2019t strike your sports kids. Truth is, bullying is rampant in youth sports today. Kids bully each other and even coaches bully kids&#8230; Even parents bully each other! The weaker players are not always the targets. &#8230; <a title=\"Can You Spot the Signs of Bullying in Sports?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/can-you-spot-the-signs-of-bullying-in-sports\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Can You Spot the Signs of Bullying in Sports?\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3386,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[134,145],"class_list":["post-3385","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-bullying-in-sports","tag-sports-and-bullying"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3385","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=3385"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3385\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3386"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}