Athletes have power to stop bullying

Editor's note: Nancy Justis is a former competitive swimmer and collegiate sports information director. She is a partner with Justis Creative Communications.

By Nancy Justis, correspondent

School has started for millions of children. This time of year also brings practice for student-athletes involved in competitive sports.

It's an exciting time, but it also can be a challenging time for those kids who have been left out of the circle for one reason or another - too smart, too awkward, too poor - or for no good reason at all. They are the ones subjected to hazing and bullying, a practice that unfortunately has become way too common.

Student-athletes have power not just on the field or court. Right or wrong, they are considered the cream of the crop, part of the in-crowd, a circle everyone hopes to be a part of. They are idolized by peers and those younger than themselves. They should use that power and influence to end bullying and hazing, whether it be in a team situation or in the schools' hallways.

Many instances of bullying occur and continue because witnesses stand by without intervening, lacking the courage or moral fortitude to become involved. But that's what it takes - the courage to stand up publicly and say 'this isn't right and I'm not going to let this go on anymore.”

A 'Pursuing Victory With Honor” Sportsmanship Blog tells of an Arizona high school football team that took a stand when a female special needs student was a victim of continual bullying. Her mother called a member of the team who also was a friend of the family, hoping he could tell her who was making her daughter so miserable at school.

The boy did more than that. He invited the girl to sit with him and his friends at lunch to ensure her safety and throughout the day they looked after her. The bullying stopped. Easy. Problem solved.

The solution isn't always that easy and doesn't have to be that involved. Directing a certain look toward a perpetrator or asking a pointed question may stop the hazer in their tracks.

Jim Thompson, founder of 'Positive Coaching Alliance,” a national non-profit organization helping to build 'Better People, Better Athletes,” gives several suggestions on how to prevent bullying in his book 'Elevating Your Game”.

l Mentor younger athletes. 'If you reach out to less skilled or younger teammates ... you will have a huge impact on how they feel about themselves and on their confidence on the playing field ... This might entail simply saying hello to them, showing interest in them on campus or before practice, or ‘taking them under your wing' to mentor them throughout the season.”

l Include the excluded. Joe Ehrmann, a former NFL Pro Bowl lineman and currently a high school football coach, was the subject of a book by Jeffrey Marx entitled 'Season of Life.” Ehrmann's team has a rule - nobody eats alone. If a member of the team sees someone eating alone, he is required to go and sit with the student or invite them to join the player.

l Set an example. Thompson advises you look at your own behavior. Stop if you are a perpetrator or tell a friend who is bullying you think that action is an act of weakness.

l Respond. If you see someone bullying another person, don't use or threaten use of force. Assess the situation to see if you can say anything which doesn't put you in danger, maybe by simply asking a question of 'what's going on?”

Other options include speaking with a trusted school official, offering your support to the victim or join a schoolwide anti-bullying effort.

Support other school activities, such as attending a play or concert, supporting the JV team or a girls' sport, and get involved in community service.

What's important is people remember you not just for your prowess on the field or court, but for what you did for others - your teammates, classmates, the elementary-aged child who looked up to you, your parents.

How do you want to be remembered?

l Tell us what you think by emailing Justis at njustis@cfu.net