Coaching is a tough gig. But the payoff is great – we get a $3K stipend and a free windbreaker. We’re responsible for leading a wide range of parents from those demanding to win every game to the parents who simply and unfortunately don’t care. We handle divorced parents at war with each other and negotiate with parents wanting their student-athlete to play every position…and oh occasionally we might see a parent or two who see their child as the starting QB and nothing less.
For coaches a good way to set a positive tone is in the preseason parent-coach meeting and regular parent-coach check-ins during the offseason. Here’s a checklist of seven topics for coaches to discuss with parents (and guardians) during these meetings on effective sports parenting from my book, Zero Offseason.
...to be continued....
