Tryouts - Do you interview the parents? What questions would you ask?

[corlay]

"What other sports does DD play?"
"How do you plan to prioritize conflicts?"

 

[Easton33]

Before I let a player even come to tryouts I speak with the parents. If you listen they will tell you everything you need to know. As other poster said, ask open ended questions and just let them run with it. Not long into the conversation you will know what you need to. I have turned several away before I have even seen them based solely on my parent interview. Does not matter how good the player is, bad parents will wreck your whole team.

 

[cuzmail]

As a former coach and now parent, I find it amusing that the consensus on this forum is usually wacko parents and never crazy coaches. Maybe it is simply because parents out number coaches on any given team? If the numbers were adjusted, I would be willing to bet the percentages of craziness in coaches and parents are equal.

I guess the moral of the story for both coaches and parents is be sure you know who are agreeing to work with for the next season by questioning or any reasonable means necessary.

 

[PA SB Dad]

As a former coach and now parent, I find it amusing that the consensus on this forum is usually wacko parents and never crazy coaches. Maybe it is simply because parents out number coaches on any given team? If the numbers were adjusted, I would be willing to bet the percentages of craziness in coaches and parents are equal.

No question the parents have to do their due diligence on any coach. Don't just take their word for it that they have your DD's "best interests" in mind when they are recruiting her. But it is far easier for parents to get information about the coach at tryouts than it is for the coach to get information about the parents at tryouts.

 

[grcsftbll]

I've definitely seen some coaches I'd not let my kids play with.

 

[Little Angels Softball]

As a former coach and now parent, I find it amusing that the consensus on this forum is usually wacko parents and never crazy coaches. Maybe it is simply because parents out number coaches on any given team? If the numbers were adjusted, I would be willing to bet the percentages of craziness in coaches and parents are equal.

There is a huge difference. Coaches are always on display. It is quite easy to both observe their behavior and get opinions on it, especially if they've been doing it for any length of time. And, luckily, in travel ball the "crazy" coaches are spotted and identified almost immediately and they don't last long. (That may not be the case if it is something stupid like a school coach who really can't be relieved of duties.)

Parents are not so easy to get a read on. That's why I ask about former teams then try to verify what they've said with former teammates' parents and the coaches. Works pretty well.

 

[smddad]

Past team's coach can provide a plethora of information. I have both made and received off the record phone calls about kids and their parents before taking them.

 

[KCM]

Do you own a grill?
Is portable enough to cook for an entire team during tournaments?
Are you a good cook?
Will you have cold adult beverages in a separate cooler from players?
If so what flavor?

If I agree to the above questions and they are willing to do it for free....well then his DD is a super star on the team.

PS just kiddin' folks

 

[WARRIORMIKE]

Thinking about the upcoming tryout season and wondering how many coaches interview the parents. Particularly at the younger age groups (8U, 10U, 12U)

What questions would you ask?

 

[Ken Krause]

I heard an interesting story about coach behaviors over the weekend. One of my students is on a team that is disbanding. The head coach of another team was interested in getting several of the girls to move to his team. But on Saturday the two teams played, and the coach ended up going off on a tirade on his players. Really lit into them from what I heard. One of the moms started to object and he told her something to the effect of "If you don't like the way I'm talking you can take your daughter and go home."

Needless to say, that pretty much killed his chances of recruiting any of the girls on my student's team to his team. You would think he'd have been able to control his temper better in that sort of an "audition" situation but apparently not. I guess it's best that the girls saw the real coach in action.

I also heard a parent from that other team tried to mitigate it and make excuses for the guy the next day. But no one was buying it, and that parent's daughter (who had played with some of those girls previously) even told them not to join, it's a bad situation.