Ending high school athletes’ taunting via social media

There are certain principles that should be taught in high school sports, or any sports, for that matter. The athletes should be respectful to the coaches, who should reciprocate.

In addition, a student-athlete should show that same respect to teammates and opponents.

Trash-talking or demeaning an opponent, just because it's done in the professional ranks, shouldn't be tolerated in high schools.

The recent incident in which most of Paulsboro's football starters were suspended from school, and also for Friday's game against West Deptford, should give administrators at all schools the incentive to make more stringent rules regarding social media.

The suspensions came after players were part of a YouTube video that degraded rival Woodbury.

Twelve players were suspended, school officials said. Because of the suspensions, Paulsboro had just four of its usual starters on offense and three on defense Friday.

"Our policy is that you can't be involved in bullying, and that is why they were suspended," said Frank Scambia, Paulsboro's superintendent of schools.

The video was made after the Red Raiders beat Woodbury, 10-0, in a South Jersey Group 1 semifinal Nov. 20.

Paulsboro coach Glenn Howard, known as much for setting a positive example for youngsters as he is for winning games, was so upset by the incident that he reviewed the video several times.

Howard watched it with the administration, and any player participating in the action was suspended for two days of school.

Scambia said the players would be eligible to play in the Dec. 4 sectional championship game.

Howard described the video as "very disgusting." He was upset that his players had disrespected an opponent, using language he would never condone. The video has been removed from YouTube.

Howard has guided Paulsboro to 11 South Jersey Group 1 championships, and has enjoyed some classic battles with Woodbury and coach Zack Valentine. The two coaches have a great admiration for each other. Once the game is over, both shake hands and go back to work, plotting ways to beat each other the next time.

Howard has taken this YouTube incident as hard as any of the defeats Paulsboro has suffered.

It would be easy to point a finger at these Paulsboro students, but that would be too obvious and would be missing the point. Everybody knows those youngsters were wrong, but this is an issue that society faces.

Taunting is a serious problem, and with the advances in technology, there seems to be a new way to do it each day.

Which is why schools, not just Paulsboro, not just in South Jersey, must take a stand against this type of behavior.

To represent one's school in an athletic endeavor is a privilege, not a right. We know that the saying is older than leather helmets, but it needs to be reinforced.

And if coaches and schools are going to demand certain rules, such as players coming to practice, working out in the off-season, and keeping their grades up, then the list should be expanded.

Every athlete who wants to represent his or her school should sign a paper pledging not to demean a fellow student, opponent, coach, or anybody else, via social media or any other method.

Now, we can see some detractors suggesting that this might curb freedom of speech.

No, it would curb knuckleheadedness.

Let's make it simple.

Any person who violates the rule is off the team.

Schools should make this all clear before the first player steps on the field or court. This way, nobody would be caught off guard.

Something has to be done, and looking the other way should no longer be an option.

Youngsters have to realize that what they deem as just having fun can be deeply hurtful and should not be tolerated.