Over the past week, the blogosphere has lit up over a video showing John O'Connor, the head basketball coach at tiny Holy Family University, shoving one of his players to the ground during an early morning rebounding drill and kicking him when he stayed down. The nineteen year old Sophomore struggled to his feet, bleeding from his nose and holding a sprained wrist that has now kept him out of the game for over a month. Coach O'Connor was dismissed from the University last week, but has since taken to the airwaves saying that although his tactics went too far, his intent was still a noble one. He insists that his "tough love" approach was designed to prepare his players for life and teach them lessons that extended beyond the basketball court. "Its always been about the kids and teaching and trying to get them to learn that, in life, there's lessons to be learned in this game" he told the Philadelphia Daily News. The incident, and O'Connor's defense of his methods, has sparked a public debate about both the role of coaches and whether or not tough-methods are appropriate. At first glance, it may seem that a ministerial-based approach to coaching would be wholly at odds with O'Connor's behavior. Although certainly it would be inexcusable to physically assault a player whose care and development has been entrusted to you, but what about the concept of tough love? Is the Norman Dale approach from Hoosiers, although unpleasant, superior to a coach who teaches only the techniques and spares his players the discomfort of challenging situations? The Video is linked below.

James Hasson, ND 2011
Social Foundations of Coaching
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncBckf71Tbs