Protect Our Student-Athletes: End Conflicts of Interest in School Athletics

Every student-athlete deserves a fair opportunity to compete, develop, and succeed based on their talent, dedication, effort, and performance—not their last name or family connections.

Unfortunately, when coaches are permitted to coach their own children, grandchildren, nieces, or nephews, an inherent conflict of interest arises. Whether favoritism actually occurs or not, the potential for preferential treatment creates legitimate concerns about fairness, transparency, and accountability.

Coaches have tremendous influence over young athletes. They determine playing time, starting positions, opportunities for development, disciplinary consequences, and advancement within athletic programs. When family relationships are involved in these decisions, the impartiality of the process can reasonably be questioned.

But the consequences extend beyond individual athletes.

Perceived favoritism can destroy team unity, undermine trust in leadership, create resentment among teammates, and damage the culture of an entire athletic program.

Young athletes should never feel that their opportunities are limited because they lack a personal connection to the coaching staff. Likewise, coaches should not be placed in situations where their decisions involving family members are constantly questioned.

We believe school athletics should teach integrity, accountability, teamwork, discipline, and fairness. Those values must begin with the adults entrusted to lead our children.

We are calling on the Flushing Community Schools Board of Education to adopt a district-wide policy prohibiting coaches, including head coaches, assistant coaches, and volunteers, from coaching teams on which their children, grandchildren, nieces, or nephews participate.

This is not an attack on individual coaches or families. It is a call for higher standards, stronger safeguards, and a more transparent athletic environment.

No athlete should receive preferential treatment because of a family relationship. No athlete should lose an opportunity because they don't have one.

Our children deserve a level playing field.

Fairness should be guaranteed by policy—not dependent on the personal integrity of whoever happens to be coaching.