Parents tell Farmersville school board coaches are belittling volleyball players; board discussed training

Parents of Farmersville High School volleyball players told the Farmersville Unified School District board on Sept. 9 that coaches have been verbally harsh toward student-athletes, leaving several players in tears and prompting at least one team to forfeit a league game.

"The coach is mentally and emotionally breaking me," parent Stephanie Alvarez said she heard a player tell her after an away match. Alvarez urged the board to act quickly, saying she and other parents had followed district complaint channels and that the coach had been reprimanded by school staff, but that students had not been told what, if anything, had been done.

The concern was echoed by parent Crystal Rodriguez Lopez, who said numerous players have been "constantly belittled, embarrassed, and left in tears" and that some athletes were told they could not speak to their parents after games. Rodriguez Lopez said several teammates have told her they want to quit and that "the JV was forced to forfeit their first league game."

Why it…