Communicate Effectively - With Parents

One of the reasons I have been so involved in coaching my kids' teams is an experience we had with a "bad" coach. "Larry" was assigned to be the coach of my son's soccer team many years ago. His son was also on the team, and he seemed like a nice enough guy. However, throughout the season, Larry would routinely send out cryptic emails, cancel practice at the last minute, and sometimes not show up for games. Larry was a decent enough coach on the field, but he was a poor communicator.

This irritates and frustrates parents, and it can impact the kids and their performance.

No one expects a coach to do everything perfectly. Jobs, illness, and life sometimes get in the way of making every practice and game on time - or at all. That said, it is important to build repoire with parents. Find out how to communicate with them (email works great for me, but some prefer phone). In addition to coaching, you are obligated to either be or find a "team coordinator". I am lucky - my kind and loving wife has helped me during he past several seasons - organizing email lists, sending reminders, keeping the snack schedule... this may seem like "little stuff" - or even stuff that doesn't matter. But it does.

Set the expectation - what can they expect from you? What do you expect from them? This likely changes a LOT as the kids get older...

Players whose parents know when they practice, where they practice, and when the games are will usually pay you back by being on-time and supportive of your efforts. They will be more apt to communicate with you - or even volunteer to help you out. Your communication style can create harmony on your team, which will lead to a much more rewarding experience. ...and the mood impacts the kids, and their enthusiasm (or not) for the game.

Communicating effectively with parents takes a little work, but the benefits far outweigh the costs. These skills also transfer directly into the actual coaching work - but that's for another time.