Parent-Coach Relationship

There are certain situations when complaining about a youth sports coach by going over his head is necessary. When a parent has already talked to the coach about the problem without success or where the coach has acted in a way that is so egregious that it needs to be brought to the attention of higher authorities, it's time to go speak to an age, club, league or athletic director.

A good pre-season meeting provides a forum for parents to have their questions and concerns answered. Here are twenty-one questions parents should consider asking.

The most successful sports seasons are the ones that begin with a pre-season meeting of coaches, team moms, parents and players. A preseason meeting sets a positive tone for the season by opening the lines of communication early so everyone is on the same page and understands and agrees on what they expect from one another.

One of the players seemed to get special consideration. Ricky was a strong, natural athlete: big, fast and tall. Yet, despite the fact that he had never played travel soccer, missed all but two of the team's sixteen weekday practices!! due to other sport team commitments, he never came out of the game! Ever!

It doesn't matter what sport your child plays, his practices should be fun, instructive, and inclusive. Here are the tell-tale signs of a well-run practice...

Few of us have a clear idea of how to approach a tense situation in the coach-parent relationship to get the best results. Here are some not-so-obvious techniques that will help get your message across and get the coach working with you to find a solution.

Picture this: the exhilaration of a new season; spotless uniforms, equipment just out of the box, clipboards jammed with fresh paper...boundless enthusiasm and cooperation. It's the euphoric honeymoon phase of youth sports...

The benefits of setting boundaries - physical, social, and sexual - at the pre-season meeting are numerous, say experts.

There are twenty-one topics that should be covered at the pre-season meeting of coaches, parents, and players.  If they are not, here are some suggested questions for parents to ask.

The most successful sports seasons are the ones that begin with a preseason meeting for parents and players. A preseason meeting sets a positive tone for the season by opening the lines of communication early so that everyone, parents, athletes, and coaches, understands and agrees on what they expect from one another.