Respect Relationships
Coaches get the benefit of a presumed level of respect the first time they meet players and parents. Respect is the basis of any relationship, especially between players and coaches. Coaches that lose respect with their team, can’t influence behavior and effectiveness. Therefore, it is critical that coaches earn respect as soon as possible, but it is never too late.
Play My Kid is a resource to help coaches and parents team together to build strong kids. The key to forming that team is a relationship based on mutual respect. Coaches need to take the lead in creating and maintaining that relationship because it is their team.
Start with a Parent Meeting
Probably the easiest way to establish a foundation of respect is to host a parent meeting. The parent meeting provides a time to answer many questions for parents. Yet if you’re not sure what you’d discuss in a parent meeting, it can be an awkward conversation. Therefore, you can get a sample parent meeting agenda here. Just put your name and email below and click on “Send Agenda”. It will help you cover all the right topics whether you have 2o years or 2 days coaching experience.
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Coaching Values
When preparing for the parent meeting by reviewing the agenda, there are five core values coaches need to embed into everything you do. The following values are important to understand before the parent meeting because it underlies to purpose of the meeting:
- Connect – Respect can only be gained from people who know you. So, make sure you connect with every parent.
- Expectations – Set clear and fair expectations because players and parents want to follow your lead. Therefore, make sure they know where you’re going.
- Evaluate – Share your plan for evaluating player progress because players need to know how you perceive their progress. While it may be obvious to you, explicitly describing your process will make it clear and allow them to ask questions if it isn’t clear.
- Integrity – You demonstrate your integrity in even the smallest matters. Therefore, the level of respect to earn will correlate directly to the promises and commitments you make.
- Listen – Make sure parents know you are listening closely at all times. Most of all, they need to know you are open to their ideas and want to address their concerns throughout the season.
Next Steps
Coaches that are effective at building strong kids focus on their reputation by earning respect. Moreover, the five core values listed above should be incorporated into everything you do, and it all starts with the parent meeting. There is a series of posts coming to go deeper into each of these values.
We recommend a parent meeting at the beginning of the season because it is a great way to initiate your relationship with the team. However, you still need to incorporate your values into everything you do throughout the season. The Play My Kid Club is a growing resource for strategies and ideas that helps you gain respect as youth coach.
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