A CLOSER LOOK AT THE US SUPREME COURT ALLOWING A HS COACH TO RUN A PRAYER SESSION AFTER A GAME

The US Supreme Court decided that a long-time asst football coach who, at the end of each game, would go out to mid-field and hold an impromptu prayer session, was wrongfully removed from his HS coaching position at a public HS.

To me, regardless of the legal reasoning, the real-world impact of this case is the worry that a HS athlete- -- especially one who is eager to please his or her coach in order to garner more playing time – is going to feel pressured to go out after the game is over, and to join in with his coach at the prayer session.

I honestly don’t have an issue if a coach wants to go to a private or isolated area or room after a game and say some prayers. But the difference in this case is that this coach refused to do that, and instead took a knee in the middle of the field at the end of the game. He wasn’t making a political statement; he just wanted to pray.

Now, I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with a kid attending a prayer session. But on the other hand, in a public school setting, where students come from all different backgrounds and different cultures and presumably religions, is it right to expect a teenager to join in with their coach?

The teenager may not care at all about the coach’s religion. But consider the dynamics: who wants to be a kid on a HS team who doesn’t join in in an activity that is clearly important to the coach? After all, no athlete ever wants to disappoint their coach or their teammates.

High school athletes are all about trying to win approval from their coaches. Not only are teenagers taught to follow the rules, but they are especially eager to show the coaching staff that they are a “team player.”

So if you’re a HS coach, you always have to think ahead about what you say and what you do. That’s obvious – it’s because your student-athletes are looking to you for approval.

This is, of course, common sense. And it was very much in effect long before this lawsuit was filed in Wash State by this asst. HS football coach who felt his freedom of religious expression was being infringed.

And now, the Supreme Court has ruled that the coach was wrongfully terminated, so he can return to his religious prayer session on the field after a game.

But regardless, as a coach, I think you still have to be very careful about issues of religion and how your athletes respond to you.  Kids are always going to wonder whether they are expected to be involved in a post-game prayer get-together — even if you tell them the session is totally voluntary and optional, the kids are going to feel a bit of social pressure that they really need to be there and pray with you. The calls were excellent this AM on the show. Take a listen here: The Sports Edge with Rick Wolff