Importance of Coach-Parent Communication

As a coach, I have always been one to always remind parents if they have and concerns or problems they should feel free to come to me with them. I tell them at the first practice, I have it in the handout I give them and I remind also remind them several times during the season. Then why do I always have one parent who has complaints and by passes me and goes to the league officials? I guess it is just human nature. What to the think I'll do, kill them for disagreeing with me. I am a person that welcome criticism, it makes me a better coach. Can we ever get this though to these people?

No, there is always one who we can't get thru to. As a former
league administrator, I made sure I was familiar with every coach's style,
demeanor etc. Good coaches have nothing to worry about

I'm in the quandary of trying to find the right words to tell our coach I'm concerned about the direction or lack of for our team. I don't want to alienate the coach and jeopardize my kids playing time but feel we could be doing some things that would greatly improve our teams chances at success. So you might want parents to come to you but it's not always black and white.

You are right, its not always black and white. However, if you try to go over the coach's head, you will do an even better job of alienating him.

InsidePitch said:

I'm in the quandary of trying to find the right words to tell our coach I'm concerned about the direction or lack of for our team. I don't want to alienate the coach and jeopardize my kids playing time but feel we could be doing some things that would greatly improve our teams chances at success. So you might want parents to come to you but it's not always black and white.

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Coaches need to have thick skin and be able to take the criticism. I've always had an "open door" policy with my parents and welcome the conversations. As long as they understand where I'm coming from, why I make the decisions that I make and my philosophy - we should be able to work it out. Maybe if you approach it this way, wanting to get clarification, it might be better received.

I think parents often worry that if they go directly to the coach it will affect their daughter's playing time. Also, most people have difficulty confronting other adults directly. They'd rather have a buffer do the dirty work for them. This is true in business as well as sports. I'm sure the parent figures if he/she goes to your "boss" and says something, the boss will convey the message and something will get done with you having to know who said it.

Most of us want people to like us, and being critical means taking the chance someone won't. No matter how many times you say "come to me if you have an issue" there will be people who just can't deal with conflict face to face. Now, they will berate an umpire all day long because they don't see umpires as people. But a regular person they know? Not so much.