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Hampton Johnson
English 111
K Turner
23 September 2014
How Close is to Close?
In todays society athletes and their coaches go hand and hand in regards to any sport.
This is true at all levels, from pee-wee all the way to professionals. However, until recently the
relationships of the athletes and coaches have never been questioned. This simple fact is brought
to light in the novel Dare Me, written by Megan Abbott, Addy a cheerleader in the novel has a
questionably close relationship with her coach. In many cases in real life just like the novel these
relationships start innocently, and are just considered bonding with ones coach or simply
friendship. Day by day these relationships morph into socially inappropriate relationships that
break social normalitys. Three questions are brought to mind while facing this topic: How far
is too far in an athlete-coach relationship?, Is it possible for a coach to simply just be a coach
to his or her athletes?, and Do athletes better in their sports if a friendly relationship is present
with their coach, compared to an athlete with a coach who is simply a coach?
Relationships between individuals are confusing enough. When the overlapping
confusion of boundaries between coaches and athletes are added, relationships become an
overwhelming mess. With this added pressure a coach or athlete might wonder, how far is too far
in terms of personal relationships, the NCAA takes the liberty to answer this question in there
guideline book Staying in Bounds. When relationships between coaches and athletes cross a

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sexual boundary the NCAA takes this matter seriously stating, NCAA member institutions must
unambiguously and effectively prohibit such (sexual) relationships to ensure that sport programs
offer a safe and empowering experience for all student-athletes,(Brake). Were the NCAA takes
these matters seriously and thrust the incidents to the public, other levels of competition keep the
matters close to the source allowing limited outside knowledge. Athlete-Coach relationships are
seen in ever changing perspective. The parties involved in the relationship will see it as
misguided innocence, where as outside parties will view the situation as a social atrocity.
With the tremendous pressure of being a coach, mentor, and a friend for athletes, coaches
might wonder if their athletes would benefit from separate relationships. A coach during
practice, a mentor during a game, and a friend at the end of the day. A simple idea clouded with
the overwhelming pressure to not let each individual relationship askew the next. This idea is
presented by Katherine Starr as she talks about how relationships between older athletes and
coaches remain off the table of discussion (Starr). However, this keeps the relationships off the
table it hides the issue from the public. By hiding these relationships from the public the coaches
and athletes are eliminating chances for future solutions to these relationships.
At this point my research has falling apart and away from my topics I will regroup and
finish at a later date. Ask: if I am properly conveying my point in the first paragraph. And, if I
am staying on point in later paragraphs.

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Works Cited
Brake, Deborah J. "Staying in Bounds." STAYING IN BOUNDS (2013): n. page. www.ncaa.org. NCAA,
2013. Web. 16 Sep. 2014 <www.ncaa.org/sites/default/files/Staying+in+Bounds+Final.pdf>.

Starr, Katherine. "The Truth about Coach-Athlete Relationships." The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 27 Sept. 2013. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.