Chad Johnson's release has lessons for youth coaches

I received a text message from a friend Tuesday night asking if I was watching HBO. 'Hard Knocks' was on and they were showing Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin actually cutting wide receiver Chad Johnson from the team. It was happening live on national television. Johnson was arrested last weekend on misdemeanor domestic violence charges stemming from an altercation with his new wife, reality TV star Evelyn Lozada. Coach Philbin met with Johnson in his office after the receiver's release from jail. Here's what aired on HBO (email subscribers click here).



Both men handled the meeting with class and respect. Neither man raised his voice nor expressed any hostilities. This is a good example of how to talk to your players. Johnson is in a tough situation. His alleged actions have brought negative attention to his team and the coach had to address it. As you can see in the video, Coach Philbin's decision was made before Johnson walked in the office. However, he let Johnson say his peace and spoke to his player like a human being.

Granted, a conversation with a kid and/or his parents would be somewhat different. The goals of an NFL team and a youth team are different. Coach Philbin's job is to win games. He does not have time to address Johnson's maturity or marital issues. On the other hand, the youth coach should focus on development of the young person. You and the parents need to take steps to correct the negative behavior so it doesn't further damage the kid or his teammates. With that in mind, Coach Philbin provides a good blueprint on how to address issues on your team. Be firm. Be direct. Be respectful. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol