Emboldened athletes push back on old-school coaching methods

By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Sports programs across the county are weighing whether tough coaching styles still have a place in the athletic world. The styles once embodied by legends such as Bear Bryant and Bobby Knight have fallen out of favor at a time when student-athletes demand more sensitive treatment and more individualized training. A younger generation of athletes also possesses greater personal power over their career paths, which sometimes forces coaches to accommodate them or risk losing top talent.