Hazing/Bullying in Athletics

By: David T. Morris

Originally Published in: Student-Athletes: Control Your Own Destiny

 
Definition of Bullying:

As defined by the organization, stopbullying.gov, "bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a zeal or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. There are three types of bullying: verbal, social, and physical."

Definition of Hazing:

The National Federation of State High School Associations defines hazing as "any humiliating or dangerous activity expected of a student to belong to a group, regardless of their willingness to participate. Some practices associated with high school hazing carry the potential for serious bodily harm or even death. These practices include—tattooing, piercing, head-shaving, branding, sleep deprivation, physical punishment, kidnapping, consuming unreasonable/unacceptable foods or beverages, being deprived of personal hygiene, and/or inappropriate sexual behavior."

Coaches, administrators, parents, and students need to understand what bullying/hazing is, how to recognize that the activities are taking place, and how to handle and take care of the violations. Athletic teams sometimes have traditional activities to initiate or accept new members to a team, but these activities should not include any of the activities that are defined in the definitions for both concepts. Bullying and hazing are not acceptable behaviors for athletes/teams to participate in, and they should not be tolerated. Rules and regulations need to be established and put into place!! There have been too many injuries, humiliation stories, and even deaths related to high school and college incidents of bullying/hazing.

Effects of Bullying and Hazing

Bullying and hazing can affect many people. Bullying/hazing is linked to many negative outcomes, including impacts on mental health, substance use, and suicide. It is important that coaches, administrators, parents, and student-athletes understand and are able to recognize the signs and effects of each.

Student-athletes who are bullied/hazed can experience negative physical, social, emotional, academic, and mental health issues. Those who are bullied are more likely to experience:

• Depression and anxiety, increased feelings of sadness and loneliness, changes in sleep and eating patterns, and loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy. These issues may persist into adulthood.
• Health complaints
• Decreased academic achievement—GPA and standardized test scores—and school participation (They are more likely to miss, skip, or drop out of school.)