Minnesota HS basketball coach resigns over abuse from parents

January 16, 2018 / BasketballCoaching
A Minnesota high school basketball coach this week announced his resignation, saying the abuse from parents has become too much to handle.

Photo: Kevin Hoffman

Brainerd High School boys basketball coach Scott Stanfield, and his entire staff, will step down at the end of the season. Stanfield is in his seventh season leading the program, but he’s been on the Warriors coaching staff for 22 years. During his time as head coach, he carries a 99-66 record and, during his second season, earned a trip to the state tournament with a 28-2 record.

Stanfield is a retired police officer, and he told the Brainerd Dispatch that his time as a coach has been more stressful.

From the article:

“I go from being a cop to this, and it’s one stressful job to another and it’s time for a break,” Stanfield said. “Coaching was worse. Coaching has been way worse.

“If you win, it doesn’t matter. If you lose, it doesn’t matter. If their kid doesn’t get enough playing time—look out.”

Activities Director Charlie Campbell sent a letter explaining the situation:

“It is hard for any of our coaches, including coach Stanfield, to find joy in this vocation when met with a general dissatisfaction, anger and/or hostility from an increasing number of parents.”

“It was after an away game, and over the year it just kind of hit a boiling point, and it was time to re-evaluate what we’re doing as a school, maybe as a staff, and maybe as a parental community,” Stanfield said. “We’re not on the same page as far as what we want our kids to get out of the experience. A lot of times with high school sports, we’re running two different roads with the AAU ball and the school ball.

“Unfortunately, one side wants things done one way and the other wants it the correct way, which is about educating our kids for life beyond a sport. That’s what we’ve tried to do.”

Troubling pattern

Unfortunately, we’re beginning to see more coaches resign over this type of pressure from parents. In spring of last year, a Michigan high school basketball coach — who just that season led his school to its highest win total in two decades and was named coach of the year — stepped down over parents. During the fall, an Ohio high school football coach did the same after allegedly receiving threats from parents.

Click here to read more from the Brainerd Dispatch.


3 thoughts on “Minnesota HS basketball coach resigns over abuse from parents”

  1. Parents living through their kids and having completely unrealistic expectations, Coaches integrity being questioned, budgets being cut – the “no joys” outweigh the joys. The parents make it very unpleasant!

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