What Do You Replace Physical Punishment With?

I've written a lot about physical punishment and one of the common questions is: what do you replace it with?

This is a genuine and excellent question. I've tried answering it in a number of ways in order to help coaches replace methods in their normal 'workflow'. That may have worked for some.

Then I started thinking about it differently. In relation to cultural change. For example, initially people didn't like it when they weren't allowed to drive while drunk. Now everyone accepts that it is just something you don't do.

Ultimately I think the best solution is: when you would normally do physical punishment, don't do physical punishment.

Don't allow yourself to do it. Take it away from yourself as an option. As Phil Knight didn't say: "Just Don't"

Decide independently that you know it has been proven to be less effective than other methods of teaching and just don't do it.

Decide independently that you know you don't want to be that sort of coach.

Just don't.

What do you replace it with? It really doesn't matter. Be creative. Start again. Be patient. Move onto something else. Talk to friends about what they do. Ask the players. But if the players say they want to run then you know something is wrong because kids don't grow up choosing to be punished!

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