Everyone's approach is different.

Where I come from the Coach didn't do anything wrong. If you live in the burbs and you don't spank your kids then you might like or adhere to a softer approach. The coach was trying to give the children a visual example of what getting slapped around feels like. Nobody slapped anybody in the face it was just an example. Don't get all work up about it. It was a different approach. If you didn't like it - tell the coach you didn't like it and that you don't expect that type of coaching. Give him an opportunity to correct it and move on. And, tell your son, he can't cry on the football field. That's no place to cry. Football is a game that requires a little bit of thick skin and a tough exterior. There is no time to learn that lesson like the present.