In my 15 years as a sports parent, one of the most difficult challenges I ever faced was dealing with an abusive coach. My son was a 7th grader who loved basketball more than anything in the world, and his coach was a nightmare. He yelled at the boys, threw basketballs at them, and called them names.

None of the other parents of the team were willing to call up the coach and question his style. Why? They were afraid the coach would bench their sons or cut their playing time.

As a sports parent--especially if you're a parent to an elementary or middle-school aged child--it's your job to ensure your children are in good hands. Before you even sign your kids up for a team, it's entirely appropriate and reasonable to interview the coach. You should ask potential coaches about their philosophy and how they handle playing time.

That's not all you can do. If your young athletes are already part of a team, but don't seem happy with the coach, you need to do some research. Is the coach always unhappy with your athlete's performance, no matter how well she performs? Does the coach criticize your child constantly, or dwell on mistakes? Is your child withdrawn or quiet around the coach? If so, you need to take action.

You can begin by discussing your worries with the coach. Don't yell at the coach, call him names or blame him. Simply state your concerns and see how he responds.

When my son's coach said, "I'm trying to ensure the boys are tough enough to play in high school and you need to stop babying them," I wasn't happy. It was time to find another coach.

If you can't find another coach, it's appropriate for you to consider coaching your own team.