POLL: Do coaches need to be in the players’ locker rooms?

Is it necessary for coaches to be present when high school athletes are dressing and undressing in the schools’ locker rooms?

You get the impression judging by the reaction to the Sayreville War Memorial HS Football team scandal that players in general can’t be left alone.

That players need to be watched over at all times.

A frequent contributor to the show feels that while coaches don’t need to be on top of their athletes while they’re dressing, undressing, or showering; they still need to be nearby in the event something happens.

Could be anything from a fall, to a fight – or perhaps to the type of hazing that had taken place in the locker area at War Memorial.

And that if not physically present, they should still know what's going on under their noses.

One would think – given the way the chain of events was described – that this coach wasn’t anywhere near the locker area.

According to this, from NJ.com, one former player said the following about the team’s coaching staff:

“I can count on two hands the number of times that George (Najjar) or any other assistant coaches were in the locker room,” he said. “Actually, I don’t remember another assistant coach being in the locker room for practices, games, everything. The only times that George or anyone was ever in the locker room — and it was only ever George — was for the vaguely religious pregame prayer.

“I don’t know who is to blame or who is responsible, and I don’t know if this was sort of inevitable due to the circumstances and sort of mitigating factors. But I want to make sure that something like this never happens again anywhere else.”

Guaranteed that what comes out the of will be some kind of legislation mandating coaches be in the locker room with their players at all times.

Let's all hope it doesn't need to go that far!

Common sense would dictate that they (coaches) need to be nearby – not on top of their athletes. Defining "nearby" should be the job of the school to determine. For instance, how close to the locker area should the coach be - and should the coach make sure everyone's out of the locker area at the end of practice - or what have you.

Should coaches be in locker rooms when high school athletes are present?