Newark Middle School Volleyball Program

To: Newark Middle School Administration, Athletic Director, and Appropriate School District Officials

We, the undersigned parents, guardians, and concerned members of the school community, respectfully

call for a formal and impartial review of concerns regarding coaching conduct and the treatment of

student-athletes within the Newark Middle School volleyball program.

This petition is not about demanding that every student make the team or receive equal playing time. We

understand that school sports are competitive and that coaches must make decisions based on players’

abilities, teamwork, and performance.

However, we strongly believe that competitiveness should never come at the expense of a child’s dignity,

confidence, emotional well-being, or love for the sport. Coaches have an important influence on young

athletes, and their responsibility extends beyond winning games. They should also help students develop

their skills, learn from mistakes, build confidence, and grow as individuals.

MY SON’S EXPERIENCE: WHY I AM SPEAKING UP

1. Last Season: A Young Athlete Afraid of Making Mistakes

Last season, my son was selected to play volleyball for Newark Middle School. It was his first time

playing volleyball, and he had virtually no prior experience. He joined the team eager to learn and

improve.

During practices and games, however, my son and some of his teammates reportedly felt more

pressured than supported in their training. My son told me that he was genuinely afraid of making

mistakes.

At first, I assumed this was part of learning a competitive sport. I encouraged him to do his best and

continued supporting him.

During one game, my son was benched alongside several other inexperienced players. I accepted that

as part of the game. However, during the following game, he was benched again, this time by himself. I

became concerned about the embarrassment and discouragement he might have experienced.

My concern was never simply about playing time. It was about whether a young, inexperienced athlete

was receiving the guidance and encouragement he needed to learn and improve.

2. Summer Open Gyms: When a Child Begins to Lose Confidence

After the season ended, I enrolled my son in volleyball club training because I wanted him to

improve his skills, gain experience, and feel more confident going into the next school season. As a

parent, I believed that with more practice and dedication, he would continue to grow as a player and

enjoy the sport even more.

During summer open gyms at Newark High School, my son attended with his friends. On one

occasion, the coach, John, approached him and reportedly mentioned hearing that he had joined

DLEAG. When my son confirmed this, the coach asked what position he played. My son answered

that he played libero, to which the coach reportedly responded, “Really?” with a smirk that my son

perceived as insulting. During a subsequent scrimmage under the same coach, my son reported receiving significantly less

playing time than other players. He was placed at outside hitter, a position in which he had less

experience, before being substituted out.

These interactions may seem small to someone looking at them from the outside. However, to a

young athlete who is still learning, trying to improve, and hoping to be accepted, even a seemingly

brief comment or interaction can have a lasting emotional impact. Children may not always have the

words to explain why something hurts, but they can feel when an experience leaves them

embarrassed, unwelcome, or unsure of themselves.

After these experiences, my son became hesitant to attend open gyms because he felt uncomfortable

around the coach. Instead of looking forward to opportunities to practice with his friends, develop his

skills, and prepare for the upcoming season, he began to feel reluctant to participate.

As his mother, this was heartbreaking to witness. I had enrolled him in club training to help him

grow, not to watch him lose the confidence to participate in a sport he genuinely loved. I wanted him

to understand that improvement takes time, that every player has strengths and weaknesses, and that

making mistakes is part of becoming a better athlete.

Instead, I found myself watching my son become increasingly uncomfortable in an environment

where he should have felt free to learn and improve.

No child should begin to question their place in a sport simply because they feel uncomfortable

around the person responsible for coaching them. Young athletes need guidance, constructive

feedback, and opportunities to learn. They should be challenged to improve, but they should not have

to struggle with the fear of feeling embarrassed, singled out, or unwelcome.

My concern is not that my son should have received special treatment or more playing time. It is that

a child who was making an effort to improve began losing the confidence and willingness to

participate. That change in his attitude is what made me increasingly concerned about the

environment in which he was learning and playing.

3. I Raised My Concerns Before Tryouts and Requested Anonymity

Before the next volleyball season’s tryouts, I emailed Newark Middle School’s Athletic Director to express

my concerns about the coach and my apprehension about my son’s experience if the same coach

returned.

I also politely requested that my identity remain confidential because I was concerned about how

speaking up might affect my son during tryouts.

In response, I was told that I was the only person who had complained about the coach. However, my

son later learned that a former teammate had also emailed the Athletic Director to raise concerns about

the same coach and reportedly received a similar response.

This left us confused and concerned about how complaints were being received and communicated.

The Athletic Director subsequently sent an email explaining that the upcoming volleyball season would

be highly competitive and that not everyone would be selected. I understood that message.

I was not asking for my son to be guaranteed a position. I simply wanted my concerns to be heard and

wanted him to have a fair opportunity to try out without being treated differently because I had spoken up.

4. What Happened During Tryouts Raised Further Questions

On the first day of tryouts, my son came home upset and initially did not want to explain what had

happened. As a parent, seeing your child come home carrying an emotional burden that they are not

ready to talk about is difficult. You want to understand what happened, reassure them, and help them

work through it, but sometimes you are left trying to piece together the experience from what your

child is willing to share.

I later learned that my son and another student who had reportedly raised concerns about the coach

had been pulled aside.

According to my son, before tryouts began, he removed his hoodie, revealing a shirt representing

another one of his volleyball clubs. The coach reportedly commented, “What’s with that shirt?” My

son chose not to respond. He also reported that another student was wearing the same shirt but did not

receive the same comment.

During tryouts, my son reported that he and the other student were spoken to separately after a play in

which they did not call the ball. According to my son, they were told that the coach wanted both of

them to make the team. My son was confused about why this was said to them and why they were

singled out when other players had also made mistakes.

I cannot determine the coach’s intentions from these interactions alone. However, given the concerns

I had previously raised, these incidents left my son uncomfortable and uncertain about whether he

was being evaluated in the same manner as the other students.

What concerns me most is the emotional toll this appeared to take on him. My son became so

discouraged that he did not want to return for the second day of tryouts. He needed encouragement

from me, another parent whose child also plays volleyball, and his friends before deciding to return

and give himself another chance.

Think about what that means for a young student. Tryouts should be an opportunity for children to

demonstrate what they have learned, challenge themselves, and discover what they are capable of

achieving. Even when they are nervous or unsure of their abilities, they should be able to walk onto

the court knowing they will be evaluated fairly and treated with respect.

Yet my son was already struggling with whether he wanted to return at all.

As his mother, I encouraged him to go back because I did not want him to give up on something he

loved. I wanted him to believe in himself, trust the work he had put into improving, and understand

that one difficult experience should not define him. But no parent wants to see their child needing to

overcome fear and emotional discomfort just to feel able to participate in a school sport.

A few minutes before the second tryout ended, my son texted me to come pick him up. When I

arrived, he appeared upset again. I asked why he had come out alone while the other players were

still there, and he told me that the coach was talking with the other players.

A few days later, we received an email from the Athletic Director informing us that my son had not

been selected for the team.

I understand that not every student can make a competitive team. I have never believed that my son

was automatically entitled to a position simply because he wanted one or had worked to improve.

However, considering the interactions before and during tryouts, I believe it is reasonable to ask

whether his evaluation was fair, impartial, and based on appropriate athletic criteria.

Last season, my son made the team despite having virtually no volleyball experience and struggling

with basic skills such as serving. Since then, he had trained with a club, gained experience, and

improved considerably. Yet this season, he was not selected. Players and even coaches familiar with

his previous season were reportedly surprised by the outcome. While I recognize that this does not

prove the decision was unfair, it adds to my concern and reinforces the need for a transparent review.

But perhaps the most heartbreaking part of this experience was my son's reaction when I told him he

had not made the team.

He was not surprised. He told me he had already expected it.

Instead of seeing a child who was simply disappointed about missing an opportunity to represent his

school, I saw a child who seemed to have already prepared himself for rejection. What troubled me

even more was that he appeared more relieved than disappointed that the process was over.

That is the part I cannot ignore.

My son has told me that he felt the coach frequently had something negative or critical to say to him,

unlike his experience of how other players were treated. I cannot speak to the coach’s intentions, and

I am not claiming to know every factor behind the team's selection decisions. But I believe my son's

experience deserves to be heard and examined fairly.

As parents, we understand that our children will face disappointment. They will not always win,

make the team, receive the recognition they hope for, or get the outcome they want. Those

experiences can teach resilience, humility, and perseverance. But there is a difference between a child

learning to cope with disappointment and a child becoming so uncomfortable that they begin to

expect rejection before the decision has even been made.

No child should lose confidence in themselves because they feel they are not being treated with

the same respect and fairness as their peers. No parent should have to watch their child become

reluctant to participate in something they once loved and wonder whether speaking up about

their concerns could make things harder for them.

I am not asking the school to reverse the team's selection decision simply because my son did not

make it. I am asking the school to look carefully at the circumstances surrounding this experience,

listen to the students involved, and determine whether the concerns raised were handled

appropriately.

Because the real issue is not just whether my son made the team. It is whether students can trust that

they will be treated fairly, whether parents can raise concerns without fearing consequences for their

children, and whether our school sports programs are helping young people grow rather than leaving

them questioning their worth.

My son still loves volleyball, and I do not want these experiences to take that passion away from him.

I also do not want another child to go through the same emotional struggle, another parent to watch

their child lose confidence, or another family to remain silent because they are afraid to speak up.

That is why I am asking for accountability, transparency, and meaningful action—not special

treatment for my son, but a safer, more supportive environment for every student who steps

onto that court.

5. No Clear Explanation and an Unanswered Email

I contacted the Athletic Director to ask whether I could learn why my son had not been selected so we

could understand what needed to be improved. I was told that the Athletic Director did not know the

reason and that I should contact the coach directly.

I emailed the coach but did not receive a response.

I understand that coaches must make difficult selection decisions, and I am not claiming that my son’s

improved skills automatically entitled him to a place on the team. However, considering the events that

occurred before and during tryouts, I believe it is reasonable to ask whether his evaluation was fair and

free from personal bias.

Last season, my son made the team despite having virtually no volleyball experience and struggling with

basic skills such as serving. Since then, he has trained with a club, gained experience, and improved

considerably. Yet this season, he was not selected.

Players and even coaches familiar with his previous season were reportedly surprised by the outcome.

While that does not prove that the decision was unfair, it adds to my concern and reinforces my request

for a transparent review.

When I told my son that he had not made the team, he was not surprised. He said he had already

expected it.

What troubled me most was that he seemed more relieved than disappointed. Instead of simply feeling

sad about missing an opportunity to represent his school, he appeared relieved that the process was

over.

My son has told me that he felt the coach frequently had something negative or critical to say to him,

unlike his experience of how other players were treated. I cannot speak to the coach’s intentions, but I

believe my son’s experience deserves to be heard and examined fairly.

No child should feel so uncomfortable in a sport they love that they become relieved when an opportunity

to participate is taken away.

6. Why I Am Asking Other Parents to Speak Up

I am sharing our experience because I do not want another student to go through something similar in

silence.

I understand that some parents may be afraid to raise concerns because they worry that speaking up

could affect their child’s opportunities, selection, playing time, or relationship with the coaching staff.

Those fears deserve to be taken seriously, and families should have a safe way to report concerns

without fear of retaliation.

I am not asking anyone to make accusations they cannot support. I am asking parents and students who

have personally experienced or witnessed similar behavior to come forward through appropriate

channels and help ensure that these concerns receive a fair and thorough review.

If other families have experienced similar situations, their accounts may help the school determine

whether these are isolated incidents or part of a broader pattern that needs attention.

WHAT WE ARE ASKING THE SCHOOL TO DO

We respectfully request that the school administration and appropriate district officials take the following

actions:

1. Conduct an impartial review of the concerns described above, including the interactions during

summer open gyms, the handling of previously raised complaints, and the events surrounding

tryouts.

2. Review how complaints are received and handled, including requests for confidentiality and the need

to protect students and parents who raise concerns in good faith.

3. Clarify the tryout evaluation process and, to the extent permitted by school policies, explain how

players are assessed and how concerns about possible bias can be addressed.

4. Reinforce standards for respectful coaching, including constructive feedback, professional

communication, and appropriate treatment of student-athletes regardless of their experience or skill

level.

5. Provide a confidential reporting process through which parents and students can share concerns

without fearing retaliation.

6. Take appropriate corrective action if warranted by the findings, including additional oversight, training,

or other measures to ensure a healthy and supportive athletic environment.

7. Communicate the outcome of the review appropriately, while respecting student privacy and

applicable confidentiality requirements.

We are not asking the school to guarantee a position on the team for any student. We are asking for

fairness, accountability, respectful treatment, and assurance that students are evaluated based on

appropriate criteria rather than personal disagreements or the fact that a concern has been raised.

OUR CALL TO ACTION: LET US MAKE SURE NO CHILD FEELS THIS WAY

We are not asking for every student to make the team, nor are we asking for every child to receive equal

playing time. We understand that competitive sports involve difficult decisions. What we are asking for is

something every student deserves: fair treatment, respectful coaching, constructive guidance, and the

opportunity to learn without feeling personally targeted or afraid to make mistakes.

Our children are still growing. They are learning not only how to play a sport, but also how to handle

challenges, build confidence, work with others, and believe in themselves. The way adults treat them

during these formative years can have an impact that extends far beyond the volleyball court.

As a parent, I do not want my son to look back on his middle school years and remember volleyball as an

experience that made him afraid to participate or caused him to question himself. I want him to remember

the lessons he learned, the friendships he built, the progress he made, and the joy of playing a sport he

loves.

And I do not want another parent to experience the heartbreak of watching their child lose that

confidence. I do not want another student to feel that staying silent is safer than speaking up. No family

should have to choose between raising a legitimate concern and worrying about how that decision might

affect their child.

If we remain silent, how will we know whether another child is going through the same

experience? And if we do not ask for accountability now, what will change for the students who

come after ours?

We respectfully ask Newark Middle School administration and the appropriate district officials to listen to

these concerns, conduct an impartial review, establish a clear and confidential process for reporting

concerns, and take appropriate action based on the findings.

To parents, guardians, and community members: If you or your child have personally experienced or

witnessed similar behavior, please consider supporting this petition and sharing your concerns through

the appropriate school channels. You do not need to make accusations or assume anyone's intentions.

Your honest experiences and observations may help the school better understand what is happening and

whether changes are needed.

Let us work together to ensure that no child feels they must give up their confidence, their voice, or their

love for a sport just to get through a school season.

Please support this petition—not because every child must make the team, but because every

child deserves to be treated with dignity, fairness, and respect. Our children deserve a volleyball

program that challenges them to become better athletes without making them feel less confident

in themselves.

We respectfully call on the school administration to listen, investigate, and take meaningful action so that

future students can experience a volleyball program where they feel supported, valued, and safe to learn.