Before you talk trash about your kid’s coach, think of one mother who learned a lesson about defamation the hard way. I’m Amy E. Feldman.
In 2013, a mom became angry when the girls basketball coach wouldn’t guarantee her daughter varsity playing time after a preseason scrimmage, so the mom went on a years-long campaign in which she now admits she falsely accused the coach of bullying, harassing, and inappropriately touching the girls on the team. Did I mention this was after a preseason scrimmage?
Even after she got him fired from the coaching job, the mom campaigned to get him fired from his teaching job. The coach sued her for defamation which the mom just settled by writing a letter of apology and retraction and signing over a life insurance policy to him. It’s a lesson to parents: coaches are not public figures and you can be sued for defamation so think before you falsely badmouth. Also: if you want to teach kids about good sportsmanship, try being a good sport.
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