Dealing with Authority Figures 227
him unfairly, and I want to tell him so. The kid’s kind of wimpy, and he’d probably never stand
up for himself. The problem is that I’m afraid the coach is just going to give me laps to run as
a punishment for talking to him about the situation.
What’s Right?
Dear What’s Right,
I admire your values and the fact that you’re listening to your inner voice, which is telling you
that something isn’t right here. The coach’s behavior toward this player sounds totally un-
acceptable. If your teammate is unwilling to defend himself, maybe there’s something you can
do to make things better. I suggest that you talk to a teacher you trust about this situation.
Explain how it makes you feel to see your teammate being treated this way. The teacher may
have ideas for making the coach aware of the way he’s picking on this player.
If the situation doesn’t improve, I suggest you befriend this player—maybe practice extra
with him and help him improve his skills. That might change the coach’s view of him and make
him more willing to include this player in games. It would probably make you both feel bet-
ter about soccer. You could also advise this kid to try standing up for himself. If he knows he
has at least one person’s support (yours), he may feel more confident about speaking his mind.
Thanks for writing.
In friendship,
Terra