CIC Coaching Principles & Ethics 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A coach overhears an assistant coach making derogatory comments about an athlete's body weight. What is the head coach's ethical responsibility?
- Ignore it if the athlete did not hear the comments
- Address the assistant coach privately and make clear such behavior is unacceptable (Correct answer)
- Wait to see if the behavior is repeated before intervening
- Tell the athlete to toughen up and not be sensitive
Correct answer: Address the assistant coach privately and make clear such behavior is unacceptable
The head coach is responsible for the conduct of all coaching staff and must address inappropriate behavior immediately to protect athlete dignity.
Question 2: A student-athlete confides in a coach about contemplating self-harm. What is the coach's FIRST ethical and legal obligation?
- Keep the confidence and continue monitoring the athlete
- Immediately notify the appropriate school counselor or administrator (Correct answer)
- Call the athlete's parents without involving school officials
- Encourage the athlete to seek help on their own terms
Correct answer: Immediately notify the appropriate school counselor or administrator
Coaches are mandated reporters and must immediately involve qualified school personnel when a student expresses thoughts of self-harm.
Question 3: Which of the following coaching behaviors best demonstrates the principle of integrity in interscholastic sports?
- Bending rules slightly when it provides a competitive advantage
- Adhering to rules and ethical standards even when officials are not watching (Correct answer)
- Winning at all costs to secure college scholarships for athletes
- Reporting only rule violations that directly harm your team
Correct answer: Adhering to rules and ethical standards even when officials are not watching
Integrity means consistently acting in accordance with ethical standards regardless of external oversight or personal gain.
Question 4: An athlete from a low-income family cannot afford required equipment. How should an ethical coach respond?
- Allow the athlete to practice only and not compete until they obtain equipment
- Publicly ask the team to donate so the athlete is not embarrassed
- Discreetly work through school channels or booster funds to provide assistance (Correct answer)
- Advise the athlete to quit until their financial situation improves
Correct answer: Discreetly work through school channels or booster funds to provide assistance
An ethical coach discreetly seeks available resources to ensure equitable participation without embarrassing the athlete.
Question 5: What does 'informed consent' mean in the context of interscholastic coaching and athlete participation?
- Athletes must agree with every coaching decision made during practice
- Parents and athletes must be informed of risks and voluntarily agree to participation (Correct answer)
- Coaches must consult athletes before implementing any new drills
- Athletes give up their right to refuse any training activity by signing up for the team
Correct answer: Parents and athletes must be informed of risks and voluntarily agree to participation
Informed consent requires that participants and guardians understand and voluntarily accept known risks associated with participation.
Question 6: A coach learns that a competitor gained an advantage by illegally recruiting a transfer student. The ethical response is to:
- Retaliate by also recruiting outside the rules to remain competitive
- Report the violation through the proper sanctioning body channels (Correct answer)
- Ignore it since rule enforcement is not the coach's responsibility
- Confront the rival coach directly and publicly at the next game
Correct answer: Report the violation through the proper sanctioning body channels
Reporting violations through proper channels upholds the integrity of the competition and is the appropriate ethical response.
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of inequitable treatment that violates coaching ethics in interscholastic sports?
- Giving more advanced drills to more skilled athletes
- Providing superior facilities and resources only to the varsity program while JV uses substandard equipment (Correct answer)
- Having different training plans for athletes with different fitness levels
- Scheduling more playing time for athletes who perform well in practice
Correct answer: Providing superior facilities and resources only to the varsity program while JV uses substandard equipment
Denying JV athletes access to safe, adequate facilities while providing them only to varsity constitutes inequitable treatment violating ethical standards.
CIC Coaching Principles & Ethics 3
A coach overhears an assistant coach making derogatory comments about an athlete's body weight.
What is the head coach's ethical responsibility?