Hazing is the practice of rituals and other activities involving harassment, abuse, or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group. Often held up as tradition, coaches may feel pressure to allow these rituals in the name of team bonding or because it is how things have always been done.

A coach hoping to provide a positive, developmental experience for their athletes can find other ways to welcome new players onto the team and facilitate peer relationships based in respect and trust using methods of Positive Inclusion.

For more explanation on these suggestions for team initiation, as well as more on why it’s so important for you to prevent hazing on your team, see the document below.

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