Setting Proper Expectations 

If you are a first time coach this will be the first big WIN you need on the season. In the coaching circles you will here coaches say something like this. "I love coaching the players, the players are great, its the parents that are a pain." Well not always! There are a lot of great parents out there but every once and a while you get that parent who just loves to complain. 

The pre-season parent meeting is a very important responsibility of the head coach. Most importantly it allows the head coach to set proper expectations with the parents about the upcoming season.

​Without a pre-season parents meeting it will open the coaches up to potential parent frustrations & other issues that could have been avoided.

The head coach has to be upfront & honest in the parents meeting. Coaches need to make sure they cover every thing in detail & set proper expectations for the entire season.

If possible hold your parents meeting in a meeting room or class room preferable with a projector so you can supplement your speech with a PPT. That way you are communicating your message both verbally and visually. A PPT also ensures you stay on topic and don't forget anything.

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Agenda

Topics To Cover	Notes
A Look Back	Provide information about previous seasons. This helps create a good feeling about the upcoming season.
Introductions	Introduce all key personnel Assistant Coaches and their roles Team Trainer Team Coordinators (Team Mom) Board and booster club members ​Other attendees as needed
Ask for volunteers where needed	If there are parent volunteers need during the year cover your needs. Ask for volunteers to fill those roles Roles like working the first down sticks during a game, announcers, field maintenance or set up, pre game meals, booster club roles Uniform
Scheduling	Very important that you cover the up coming season scheduling. This includes practice schedule, game schedule and any other events during the year.
Rain and Weather Policy	Cover in detail your weather policy.  Make sure everyone is on the same page when there is rain or bad weather.
Communication Tools	Inform your parents how to communicate with you and the coaching staff. Meaning what methods of communicate is preferred etc. Like email, phone, social media etc.
Communication Policy	You MUST be clear on this topic. You must establish a firm communication policy and stick to it. Ensure your parents understand how the coaches will communicate with players and parents. And how players and parents need to communicate with coaches. Both are critical to having a successful season.
Uniform and Attire Policy	Cover how players will be dressed for practice, games and in school and travel attire the day of a game.
Practice Expectations	Be clear and set firm expectations around your practice policies. Practices Boundaries for parents and spectators Practice times Players attendance rules All other important practice policies...
Play Time Expectations	This is one of the biggest complaints coaches get from parents that "Johnny is not playing enough". Set firm and clear expectations around your play time policies. In youth football if there is a minimum play rule cover that in detail. If there is not a minimum playing time rule make sure you explain how players will be evaluated and earn playing time. Important - Stick to your rules and policy for every player and always stay consistent.
Tema Information Package	Highly Recommend - That you prepare and hand out a team information packet to every family. This reaffirms in writing all the topics you are covering in the meeting. it also gives parents a resources to refer back to throughout the season.
Commitment Pledge / Include and players fee and fundraiser obligations	Prepare a commitment pledge and include it inside the team package Cover this pledge during the parens meeting.  This document reinforces the commitment you are asking the parents for. outline and player fees, fundraising obligations etc
General Philosophy / General X & O's discussion	Touch on your general X & O's philosophy at a very high level. Outline what type of offense and defense you will run This provides some excitement and positive anticipation around what they might see during the season
Keys To Success	Cover what success looks like to you How will you define success Again this is setting proper expectations
Final Request and Close	Cover any faint items that need to be discuss and close your meeting Suggestion - Do not provide a open and public Q&A session in front off everyone. If parents have specific questions step aside and allow them to approach you with questions one on one.

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Parents Meeting Presentation