Communication with team and parents

Before beginning any season with your team, you need to plan a parent meeting with players also in attendance. Players and parents need to hear the same thing from the coach, and all three parties need to start the season on the same page. Coaches, you need to explain your philosophy to the players and parents. Let them know what to expect during practices and games. Any questions about playing time and what a player can do to improve should come from the player, not the parent. Have the player learn to communicate with the coach and her fellow teammates. Speaking respectfully to each other is important at all times, and will be crucial when the team is in a tension filled moment during a match. Role play on the court between your players so that can feel how a comment (good and bad) would affect them. Telling a teammate who has just missed the ball, "You should have gotten that ball!" instead of saying, "Nice try. You'll get it next time", is a lesson to be learned by all players (and coaches). So communication between coaches, parents, and players is so important when trying to get through a sports season. Keep the parents up to date on the progress of the team by sending e-mails or flyers. If a problem arises with a player that you feel the parents need to know about, such as a persistent negative attitude, don't let it wait. Have a family meeting right away and nip it in the bud immediately. Poison attitudes can ruin a team. Let them know what you expect and hold firm. Hopefully both of you can work together to mold a new, positive attitude. So this just touches on the importance of communication between all parties involved with a team. Push and positive and squash the negative.