Girls play game of strip volleyball

Philadelphia Daily News ^ | 7 November 2001 | Fort Worth Star-Telegram

[Fintan]

FORT WORTH, Texas - Girl volleyball players at a Fort Worth middle school were asked by their coaches to play a game of "strip serve" volleyball, which school administrators criticized as inappropriate after some parents complained.

During the drill, held Sept. 21 at the Gene Pike Middle School gym, two girls took their shirts off and one girl may have taken off her shorts, district officials said.

Three female coaches supervised the 22 eighth-graders while they played the game, which required that team members take off shoes, socks, kneepads or hair accessories if a player missed a serve. After a few girls took it upon themselves to undress further, the drill was immediately stopped, administrators said.

The drill should have never been conducted, Northwest Independent School District Superintendent Keith Sockwell said on Monday.

"I thought it was the most stupid thing I ever heard. You just don't do things like that," he said.

An investigation began after several parents complained about the activity. Statements were taken from the players and the coaches, officials said.

The girls' written statements indicated that, for the most part, they were not upset about the game, Pike Principal Kyle Copp said. The coaches were "remorseful," he said.

The three coaches, whom the district declined to name, are still employed, Deputy Superintendent Ron Hibbs said. Some parents said that even though the coaches apologized to the players, they should have been punished.

"It's an appalling story," said the mother of a Pike volleyball player, who asked that her name not be used. "They got no reprimand for this that the kids could see. Nobody sees that there's consequences to bad choices."

Said another: "I think it was an error in judgment, and that's all it was - plain and simple."

[Don Myers]

"Where does it say that the teachers asked the children to disrobe?"

Oh, I see. The girls just did it on their own.

[Don Myers]

Don't ask for pictures of 13 year old girls with their clothes off, and things will go ok for you.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

If that can be proven, I'll gladly withdraw my attempts at supporting the coaches in question.

C'mon, man---I'm as hedonistic as anyone else here at FR, but even I recognize this strip drill as utter BS. Just from a pure coaching standpoint, what's the purpose of a drill where you disrobe if you screw up?

[Terriergal]

yes, don't bother saying "WHOOPS Sorry, folks I didn't mean it that way. I totally left out the part about the perpetrators in the first post. But you know me well enough that you should have read my mind."

Incidentally, from where exactly am I supposed to know you to have given you the benefit of a doubt?

[Freemyland]

Dont ya' suppose a lot of the heat you are taking is unnecessary, and even a bit gratuitous, given your post # 42, where you explained you posted the comment before reading the article.

Hell, when I saw the title, my first thought was to post something similar. I got lucky and caught the ages before I did so.

[Terriergal]

Aw shucks, I bet you tell that to all the girls you meet.

[Sabertooth]

"Whose name for that was it? Did any instructions include removing actual clothing (beyond socks while having shoes put back on)? Does YOUR having a foot-fetish make ME a pervert for not realizing it?"

The article stated that the strip-volleyball game "...required that team members take off shoes, socks, kneepads or hair accessories..."

My daughter was on the 8th grade volleyball team at her school last year. The gear they wear is for their own protection, and every coach knows this. There is no good reason for removing any it during practice.

That leaves only bad reasons.

Having said that, let me state for the record, that any foot-fetish that I may or may not have is reserved soley for women of a less pediatric vintage.

[lepton]

Oh, I see. The girls just did it on their own.

Ever been around teenagers? I at least was one once, I'd have expected you were one too. Teenagers do dumb and bizarre things (I'm not EVEN gonna name MY list). This was hardly an act of great complexity requiring creative depravity to come to. This one can be done just by not thinking.

[lepton]

Just from a pure coaching standpoint, what's the purpose of a drill where you disrobe if you screw up?

Convenient marker without having to keep written records. Think Analog computer.

[Cyber Liberty]

I am quite inclined to agree with you. BUT, given the self-important twits running loose on this thread, it's somewhat understandable.

[Terriergal]

But... you didn't get that much from me before you called me "rude." I only said "very crude." Isn't it *good* that people were calling you on the card for thinking you wanted to see young disrobed girls? I think so. Yes, it was uncomfortable for you, but... it's a good sign that it happened. In fact, I'm glad that (if you're speaking truthfully - you did say you would lie to appease...) you made the comment about posting the perp's pictures for all to see. Good healthy sense of indignation.

[Don Myers]

Lepton, read the first sentence again of the article. The girls did not do these things on their own. "Girl volleyball players at a Fort Worth middle school were asked by their coaches to play a game of "strip serve" volleyball, "

[Cyber Liberty]

How soon they forget. I bet you say that to all the guys...lol.

[Cyber Liberty]

RE #151,

I think it's pretty obvious that we look at the same world in remarkably different ways, gal.

[Sabertooth]

"...I would still rather give them the benefit of the doubt, and reiterate that they specified the appropriate items to be removed..."

See post #147. The items were not appropriate.

What I'd like to see is an example of teachers who are willing to make an example of other teachers. Pleanty of reasons to fire this lot.

[lepton]

My daughter was on the 8th grade volleyball team at her school last year. The gear they wear is for their own protection, and every coach knows this. There is no good reason for removing any it during practice.

Yes. Safety is a concern - and the one that came to my mind...but that's not the question. On the other hand, pads in volleyball are mostly for dealing with rub-burns, not actual impacts. Barefoot is O.K. No socks in shoes are O.K., but playing in stocking feet is daft.

[lepton]

My daughter was on the 8th grade volleyball team at her school last year. The gear they wear is for their own protection, and every coach knows this. There is no good reason for removing any it during practice.

Yes. Safety is a concern - and the one that came to my mind...but that's not the question. On the other hand, pads in volleyball are mostly for dealing with rub-burns, not actual impacts. Barefoot is O.K. No socks in shoes are O.K., but playing in stocking feet is daft.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Convenient marker without having to keep written records. Think Analog computer.

Thank God my coach didn't make me strip off a piece of equipment for every goal I let in during practice. I'd be dead right now.

[Terriergal]

I'm still amazed that the age matters, morally. Legally yes, but it's not good to ogle women of any age. You may think it makes you feel virile but it's not healthy to allow yourself to indulge your eyes. I don't think it's funny. There was a time when that was the normal attitude. Just because girls dress like sluts nowadays doesn't mean men's attitudes have to be led mindessly along the same trail.

[Sabertooth]

"Ever been around teenagers? I at least was one once, I'd have expected you were one too. Teenagers do dumb and bizarre things..."

I was a teen ager, I'm raising a teenager, and I've coached teenagers (swim coach, ages 5 to 18).

You are correct, teenagers are often foolish. That's why we can't allow the adults who are supposed to supervise them to be be idiots at best, and in this case, propbably worse.