2 Coaching Tips for Dealing with Parents
If you ask most high school level and below coaches about what they love and don’t love about coaching they will say they love the kids, but hate the part about dealing with parents. I’ve been around the game along time and had my share of run ins with parents and coaches. I’ve witnessed my own father go about some things pretty curiously even though i understand it was all done for my supposed good.
One of the main things I teach younger coaches is to always be completely upfront with the players and the coaches in what you expect from them. Tell them everything without anything being left out. Tell them your practice schedule, game schedule, dress requirements, behavioral requirements…etc. Everything. Parents like/need to know what is expected of them and their child.
2nd thing- Do everything you said you would do. Coaches want respect and the only way to get that is to practice what you preach. Good coaches put the team above everything else including winning and in the end the parents respect that.
How many times have we seen heard the following lines? “Coach let’s Billy act however he wants. I hustle but Billy doesn’t. I get to practice on time but Billy is late. Coach favors him.” We hear this daily in youth basketball. I tell parents to teach their kids not to be victims first of all but in some cases the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
It is inevitable that a conversation will take place with a parent about a situation that the parent has only heard one side to the story. Be honest, be direct and be sypathetic of the situation. Explain to them what is going on in your head and create a situation of trust, communication and no hostility. When those things are done everyone will walk away satisfied that the right things are happening.
