One example is Rodney Carroll who guided his Brunswick Cobras to a 0-15 record and was sued for $2,000 by the father of his catcher. The complaint was that poor coaching or Carroll's incompetence, cost the team a trip to a tournament in Florida. A group that studies sports-related lawsuits in North America reports that more than 1,300 suits involving high school and youth sports have been filed in the last five years, an increase of about 35% from the previous five-year period. Many of these cases are what lawyers call "personal feelings" suits which "hinge on the notion that a coach who ticks off a parent or student is liable for financial damages" (Asquith 21). One recent case involves a high school softball player, upset primarily over a pitching technique her coach taught her and is seeking $700,000. She claimed that her chances for a college scholarship were ruined because the pitching technique is an illegal motion. Most suits are similar to the one in which a mother took legal action after her 14-year-old son was benched during a "critical" hockey game. She wanted $1,000 in damages to cover league registration, hockey classes and mental distress. She lost just like many other cases in which the coaches usually win. Even with the statistics in favor of the coaches, the suits have a major impact. It takes up the coaches" time and takes a mental and physical toll on the body. There's also a financial cost as well. "According to Sadler & Co., which insures 4,000 sports organizations nationwide, the number of coaches buying insurance against claims such as discrimination and economic damage has doubled since 1997" (Asquith 21). Many coaches, even if they can afford bigger insurance bills are following the leads of Rodney Carroll and quitting. With so many parents suing, the inability to find coaches could be the next upcoming trend (Asquith 21.).
Another negative trend that is occurring in youth sports is parents trying to make their child specialize in one sport.