There’s a lot of conversations in the world of youth sports—on the sidelines, in the bleachers, in the game, and in parent clusters after the game.
Unfortunately, much of that totally unnecessary and not at all constructive.
However, there are some conversations that should be happening between coaches and parents. They are vital to having a healthy team and a positive season.
What are those conversations?
Talk about safety
First and foremost, parents and coaches should be discussing safety issues. Coaches should be trained in concussion protocol, there should always be a medical person available and in this day and age, everyone must abide by COVID-19 guidelines.
If parents do not feel these topics are being addressed, speak up! You are not being overprotective; you are being smart.
Talk about coaching philosophy
Parents want to understand what kind of season they are facing: Will my child get to play much? Will there be equal playing time? And it’s up to coaches to explain their coaching strategy before each season. Parents may not agree with it or like it and they won’t be able to change anything, but at least they will know what to expect.
Talk about what’s best for the child AND the team
The over-riding goal of every youth sports coach should be to develop players, help kids grow and learn from their experience. So, when parents and coaches disagree about an issue, their first concern should be: What is best for the child and for the team in this circumstance? Not, what is best for our record? Or what is best for my job as a coach?
