Monday, Nov. 09, 2009

Six ways coaches can prevent problems with parents

Many good and knowledgeable youth coaches are run out of coaching because of having to deal with athletes' parents. It gets to the point where it is not worth their time to coach and put up with parents who are unhappy and unreasonable.

Unfortunately, many parents have little understanding of the challenges of coaching and of course, they never volunteer themselves to see how difficult it can be. These parents fail to realize that youth coaches are not professional coaches and that they are doing the best they can. Many headaches are avoidable if leagues, schools and organizations help youth coaches with ways to avoid problems between coaches and parents.

Following are some practical solutions to help avoid unpleasant issues as the season progresses.

1. Effective communication is always the key to averting problems and this communication should begin with a coach's preseason letter of introduction, followed by a preseason meeting with all coaches and players. The coaches' philosophy should be discussed, with no one leaving the meeting without a clear understanding of this philosophy. Of course, discussed is the key word there. Coaches should listen and discuss parents' objectives for their own kids and for the team. Parents who have obvious different objectives than the coach may have to look for another team for their child if they do not agree with the coaches stated philosophy.

2. Coaches should insist on the importance of parents approaching the coaches with any concerns during the season instead of expressing their displeasure in front of their kids.

3. Most issues arise because parents do not believe the coach is being fair. It is important that the coach fulfill his or her philosophy that was determined at the beginning of the season. Changing philosophy in the middle of the season will create problems. If a coach feels a philosophy change is very necessary, they must discuss possible changes with all parents first.

4. Coaches should make sure parents inform their kids about the coaches' philosophies also, so everyone is on the same page.

5. Sending an occasional email to parents during the season about what is happening with the team is a good idea, especially for absent parents.

6. The three main coaching objectives are winning, player development and fun. Leagues and organizations should help coaches determine how much emphasis they will put on each of these based on the ages and focus of the league.

Jack Perconte played 12 years of professional baseball, including seven in the majors for the Dodgers, Indians, Mariners and White Sox, posting a career .270 average in the majors and a .311 mark in the minors. After retiring from professional baseball in 1987, Perconte opened a baseball training academy in Naperville, Ill. The hitting drills, mental training and coaching tips found in "The Making of a Hitter" (www.themakingofahitter.com) were culled from the 60,000 hitting lessons Perconte estimates he gave while operating the academy. He has also written "Raising an Athlete," and writes for the blog http://positiveparentinginsports.com.