Make Coach Blue’s Game Plan Part of Your Family’s Daily Routine
Oct. 13, 2025
Coach Blue Says To Alert an Adult About Bullying
As the school year begins, there will be lots of changes and new experiences for your child.
This is a great time to aim high and set healthy goals for all your family members.
Getting in the G–A–M–E with Coach Blue means to:
G = Get active.
A = Alert an adult.
M = Make safety your goal.
E = Eat well.
Focusing on Coach Blue’s letter “A” means telling your child to alert an adult about someone or something that might be harmful.
Anyone who uses words or actions to make someone feel unsafe is called a bully.
A bully might hit, kick or push to hurt people. A bully can also use words to call names, tease, threaten or scare.
Parents and caregivers should talk to kids now and during the school year to help create a plan to prevent and/or stop bullying. Let your child know how words or actions can make someone feel unsafe or hurt.
Talking openly can give children the confidence to stand up to a bully or others who might want to hurt them. Coach Blue also recommends that kids work on being a friend or buddy to someone else and to make sure not to give support to a bully.
- Here are some tips from Coach Blue to S–T–A–N-D up to a bully:
- S = Speak with a strong, sure voice.
Tell your child to stay away from a bully. But making eye contact when talking shows he or she is strong and brave.
- T = Tell an adult if you feel sad, upset or worried.
Bullies try to make their targets feel alone and powerless. Asking for help takes away the bully's control and gives you ideas for change.
- A = Assert yourself by speaking firmly to say things like, “Stop it” or “That’s not funny.” Parents can teach and practice words like these so kids will be ready to deal with a bully.
- N = Act NOW, right from the start.
The problem won’t just go away. It can become worse over time. Taking action early is the best way to stop bullying.
- D = Do be a buddy to someone else.
Teach your child to walk over and stand next to a person who is being bullied. This can make the bully stop, and the person will know he or she is not alone.
- S = Speak with a strong, sure voice.
- Healthy Blue and Others Can Help
Healthy Blue offers more tips to help stop bullying. You can also learn more about how to identify bullying and safely stand up to it at www.StopBullying.gov*. Plus, be on the lookout for more game plan tips from Coach Blue in the future.
*This link leads to a third-party website. That organization is responsible for the contents and privacy policy on its site.
If your primary language is not English, language services are available to you free of charge. Call Customer Service at 866-781-5094 (TTY: 866-773-9634) Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Si habla espanol, tiene a su disposicion servicios gratuitos de assistencia linguistica. Llama al 1-866-781-5094 (TTY 866-773-9634).