A few things to consider before you decide to go and talk to your child’s coach about playing time (or any other issue for that matter) …
Before you decide to talk to your kid’s coach, talk to your kid. Get their input. Ask for their thoughts and feelings on the issues you think you see. Do they know why they’re not playing? Is there anything they might be able to shed some light on for you? Find out whether or not they’re in favor of this meeting and why.
*Note: the energy you bring to this conversation can impact how much they share (or don’t) with you. Be mindful. Go in with the intention of listening without judgement.
Before you decide to talk to your kid’s coach, make an effort to be at both practice and games. And still, even when you do make this effort, remember that you can never fully know what’s happening within the team environment. Keep that in mind even when you are present to observe practices and games with your own eyes.
Before you decide to talk to your kid’s coach, (and this is a big one)
ask yourself …
- What do you hope to get out of this meeting?
- What are your intentions going in?
- Do your intentions benefit your child and/or the team? Or are they mostly self serving?
What is your plan for approaching the coaching in a way that would truly be beneficial to your child/the team?
Then …
Put yourself in the coach’s shoes. How would you feel about a parent approaching you at this time with these concerns? How do you think you would respond to you/the way you plan to bring up the issues? What would be the most effective way for a parent to approach/speak with you in order for you to be as open as possible to what they are communicating?
When you decide to talk to your kid’s coach, I encourage you to be mindful and thoughtful in how you go about it. Invest some time thinking about how you can truly make this meeting a win-win-win for all involved while strengthening the team as a whole along with your child’s position within it.
Oh, and remember that there’s a reason why the 24-hour rule comes highly recommended 😉
Want to print/save this mini guide for yourself or your team? Hit the PRINT/pdf/email button(s) below.
