Personal and ethical reflections on (not) coaching youth contact rugby

This commentary argues that the normalisation of impact sports within youth settings demands urgent and critical re-evaluation. It considers whether practices that have traditionally been accepted as an ordinary part of youth sport remain ethically defensible when viewed alongside growing concern about the potential consequences of repeated impacts. I move from personal reflection to ethical analysis and, finally, to the practical implications for coaching. First, I examine my initial response to Anderson et al.’s provocative claim that coaching youth contact rugby may constitute a form of child abuse. Second, I explore the ethical dilemmas faced by coaches who must balance young people’s participation and enjoyment against their responsibility to minimise foreseeable harm, specifically the risk of brain trauma. This involves considering how coaches can support the positive experiences associated with sport while also recognising their duty to protect young participants from risks that may have serious or lasting consequences. Finally, I consider how these ethical concerns may inform coaching decisions and the wider discussion surrounding contact in youth sport. Ultimately, the commentary seeks to encourage open, evidence-informed dialogue about what ethical coaching should require in sports where participation carries a recognised risk of neurological injury.