Nathaniel Aaron Hooper, Esq.

When tampering violates rules, it’s wrong. However, as Counselor @NHooper19 correctly points out, much of what people complain about in these situations is completely legal. The more interesting issue is the good ole boy network that exists in sports at every level—from youth football to high school and college athletics. To be clear, I’m not talking about most coaches. Most coaches are hardworking, ethical people who genuinely care about kids and families. In my experience, many of the best coaches in the profession don’t operate this way at all. I’m talking about a small but toxic group of coaches who view players as something to control rather than something to develop. They preach opportunity and what’s best for the athlete until a bigger opportunity comes along. Great coaches focus on building programs players don’t want to leave. They don’t lose sleep over who might call one of their players. And when a young person earns a better opportunity, they support it—even when it’s inconvenient. The good ole boy network isn’t the establishment. It isn’t the best coaches. It isn’t even most coaches. It’s a small group of insecure gatekeepers who mistake influence for ownership and leadership for control. Players are not property. The job of a coach is not possession. The job of a coach is development. I discuss this exact mindset in this podcast episode: youtu.be/bwKf-wsp9Ag