Guidelines for Communication

Both parenting and coaching are extremely challenging in today’s world. By providing these helpful guidelines, we believe we can best help our athletes reach their potential and allow them to enjoy their middle school experience.

Communication You Should Expect from Your Child’s Coach

♦ Philosophy of the coach

♦ Expectations of athlete and team

♦ Location and times of all practices and contests

♦ Team Requirements- uniforms, special equipment

♦ Procedure to follow should your student be injured during participation

♦ Discipline that results in the denial of your student’s participation

Communication Coaches Expect from Parents

♦ Concerns expressed directly to the coach

♦ Notification of any schedule conflicts well in advance

♦ Specific concern in regard to a coach’s philosophy and/or expectations

♦ Notification on any injury or illness

♦ Treatment of your athlete, mentally and physically

♦ Ways to help your student improve

Inappropriate Communications with Coaches

♦ Playing time

♦ Team Strategy

♦ Play calling

♦ Complaints about other student-athletes

It can be very difficult to accept your student is not playing as much as you may hope. Coaches are professionals and make judgments/decisions based on what they believe to be in the best interest of the team. As noted in the above lists, certain concerns can and should be discussed with the coach. Other things (like examples on the above list of inappropriate communications) must be left to the discretion of the coach.

What To Do if You Have a Concern to Discuss with the Coach

♦ Contact the coach to set up an appointment to discuss your concern.

♦ If the coach cannot be reached, contact the Athletic Director, Jen Vandenberg, at jvandenberg@saratogausd.org

♦ Please do not attempt to confront a coach before or after contests or practice. These can be emotional times for both parent and coach, and meetings of this nature do not promote an appropriate resolution of the conflict/disagreement.

The Next Step

♦ If you are unable to resolve your concern with the coach, the next step is to call and set up an appointment with the Athletic Director to discuss the situation. At this meeting, the appropriate next step(s) can be determined.