Are anonymous message boards part of the problem or part of the solution in high school athletics? They do help you promote a player or team, but problems exist, mostly because people on them hide behind an anonymous name.Players, coaches, and fans get on these sites and speak their opinions with zero consequence unless someone finds out their identity. Is it that big of a deal? I think it can be. In the past people went to the local barbershop or wherever and publicly said what they believe. That is more admirable than hiding behind a name, unknown in your accusations.
But these opinions can spread to people who, more often than not, are not as informed on the subject and consider it to be the truth because such and such said so. I recently had an opinion on a coach and what he was doing then finished with these words: "of course, I don't go to their practices, I have watched few games, and I don't know what he is trying to do, so because of that I really don't have an informed opinion." There are people passed off as educated who do not know anything other than what they see and read in the papers about sports players and teams or hear gossip from their friends and then they form opinions.
People go on these websites and pontificate about high school kids and coaches who are working to make the players and teams better. I know that things posted on these sites cause hurt feelings and break teams apart. It happened to my teams and other people that we know in the area who got tired of this happening to them, their family members, their teams, and their players.
Facebook is a little better in that an opinion is right there next to a name and/or picture, but people feel that they are more insulated online. However, on Facebook, you know where people stand and the longer Facebook and Twitter are around, the more bold people are getting, but it does allow coaches to know where parents/fans stand.
Next time you read a message board read it this way..."I don't have a dog in this hunt" (yes, you do and are leading the hunting party); "It's not just me, a lot of people think this" (no, it's just you and/or your family and friends); "I just don't understand what he is trying to do" (yea...I agree with that one, you don't understand); "the kids really played hard despite the loss" (my son/daughter scored some points and got to play); "we won, but the coach was horrible" (my son/daughter didn't score or play as much as I thought they should).
How much fun would it be to have your job bashed anonymously by people who have minimal experience in your field? If a professional accountant was slammed daily on a message board by someone who did their taxes a few times, or Principals being slammed online by someone who ran an office or a small restuarant (it's not the same thing, it isn't) how do you think it would make you feel? Coaches are told to "get over it", it's "part of the job", but I can guarantee you if many of these people were evaluated in their daily jobs, they would not be able to "get over it" any easier than coaches or players.
I will admit that I do read these boards sometimes. Am I part of the problem? Probably, but I am trying to stay informed so that I am not caught off guard by someone who brings me the next "hey, did you read on __________?" not that it matters as much today with me not coaching. Next time you feel like venting online, remember these people are people too. Why don't you take it up with them personally face to face?
One of the reasons I got out of coaching was dealing with the ever increasing problems of the online world. I didn't want to have to deal with often trying to soothe feelings either on my team or in my home, but I guess this article could very well cause some of the same problems, maybe even worse, but I am a coaches advocate and I want these words out there. And if you want to know who wrote it; just look at the top and there is my name and picture.
