Beaver Dam Elementary Coach Tells 9-Year-Old Son to Quit Basketball After Playing Only a Minute Despite Making a Key Assist
The focus on winning as the sole measure of success has a corrosive effect on youth sports culture.
NewsAshishDecember 21, 2026
This article was last updated by Alisha Shrestha on December 17, 2026
Megan Hall alleges that her son, Bryson, was told to quit the basketball team by the Beaver Dam Elementary Coach, Brock Embry, because he was keeping players in that could win the game.
Bryson was a decent player, and during his last game, he made an amazing assist at the end of 1 minute and 20 seconds of play.
The “win-at-all-costs” model is often criticized for its short-term focus and has tangible consequences. 70% of youth leave competitive sports because they no longer have fun, and the pressure to win has become overwhelming.
When coaches focus solely on the scoreboard, they create an environment where only the most skilled players get meaningful game time, pushing others to the sidelines and eventually out of sports.
It fundamentally changes the experience from one of playful learning to one of high-stakes performance.
Also, see: Colbert High School Coach’s Bullying Pushes Parker, a Student with Autism, Out of Baseball — Now He’s in Art
A Coach’s Words Shatter a 9-Year-Old’s Love for Basketball
The pain of a defeat is meant to be soon overcome by the excitement of participating in youth sports.
However, for Bryson, a fourth-grader at Beaver Dam Elementary, the pain came not from the scoreboard but from his own coach, Brock Embry, leaving a wound that may not heal as easily.
The incident occurred following a basketball game where Bryson saw only one minute and twenty seconds of playing time at the end of the game.
Despite his brief moment on the court, he managed to make a key assist, passing to a teammate for a score. However, the coach told him he should quit the team.
According to his mother, Megan Hall, who posted about the experience on Facebook, this was not an isolated comment. She alleges the coach repeatedly favors children who can win the game.
She describes her son coming home fighting tears, as his heart was broken by the coach’s words that he wasn’t good enough.
You don’t tell a 9-year-old who loves basketball that he needs to quit the team and that you keep players in that can win, making it seem like you’re saying my son sucks.
I think all of us parents paid for our kids to play basketball this year. Not to keep the bench warm. Every other team I’ve seen, the coaches rotate the kids out. They’re in elementary school for Christ’s sakes.
Hall argues that at the elementary school level, sports should be about effort, fun, and development.
The coach’s alleged conduct raises serious questions. It creates a hostile environment for a child and can be a form of bullying by an authority figure.
Such negative coaching tactics do not improve skill development and can lead to increased anxiety and decreased performance. In severe cases, it can cause children to quit sports altogether.
I’m still trying to figure out who I need to talk to about this. I can’t believe that I’m dealing with a grown adult who’s such a sore loser that he refuses to rotate kids, hoping we will win with his ‘favorites” on the basketball court.
Megan HallFurthermore, Hill has requested a refund of the $20 participation fee, stating her son was essentially bullied off the team. Bryson is hurt and refuses to go back and play.
Her post has sparked significant attention, with many in the community advising her to take her complaint to the school board.
This is just heartbreaking. I think you should definitely talk to the school administration about this coach’s behavior. No kid deserves to be spoken to like that. DONT QUIT!! Ya, fight for yas boy.
Tracy KnightPeople also viewed: Peoria High Student Hits Disabled Classmate: Coaches Ignore Repeated Bullying
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- Beaver Dam Elementary
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AshishAshish Maharjan, author at Players Bio, has been covering news with a keen eye for detail and a knack for storytelling. A writer with a passion for capturing the essence of athletic competition.
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